In a similar situation, though possibly worse in consequence, eight former rugby union players, including Steve Thompson, the 42-year old England world cup winner, have declared that they have early-onset dementia. All are below the age of 45. Thompson cannot remember winning the world cup.
They want to bring legal proceedings against World Rugby, and the RFUs in England and Wales regarding failure to protect from the damaging impact of concussion and repeated head trauma. If successful, it's hard to imagine the similar situation in football not leading to similar legal action which in turn should be successful. That would have huge impacts on how football and rugby are played, from school level all the way up to professional.All the players have received the same diagnosis – dementia with probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), for which the only known cause is repeated blows to the head. CTE can be diagnosed for certain only by a post-mortem dissection of the brain.