Ban on headers in football ‘is not practical’

IRISH experts have questioned the practicality of banning headers for underage footballers after an international physician called for them to be banned.

Leading neuropathologist Dr Bennet Omalu had called for a ban on youngsters from heading the ball to prevent damage to their brain during development.

Dr Omalu discovered the a degenerative brain disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy which is caused by repeated head injuries. He told BBC radio that he believed heading the ball was ‘dangerous’ and said children aged 12 to 14 should play a reduced contact version of soccer, with all those aged 12 to 18 banned from headers. But Acquired Brain Inquiry Ireland said children should be taught to head the ball properly and recommended that everyone familiarise themselves with concussion symptoms.

Chief executive Barbara O’Connell said that research in adults players had shown that repeated concussion does long-term damage and can prove fatal.

Ms O’Connell said the ABII would like to see more research into the impact of headers on children but added that ‘proactive action’ was taken in 2015 when the US banned headers for under 10s.

‘The US chose to err on the side of caution to protect children until further evidence is available, and earlier this year Uefa said it would consider a similar ban if more evidence emerges,’ she said.

However, with football a popular playtime activity, introducing such a ban at any age could prove extremely difficult.

A spokesman for the Irish National Teachers Organisation said individual schools would have to make a decision on such a ban. ‘Given the diverse range of sports and playground activities which take place in schools, school leaders are best placed to make decisions locally on what’s appropriate in their context,’ he said.

Laura Erskine, of Mummy-Pages, said that implementing such a ban on children could be difficult and that more practical actions may be more worthwhile.

‘I can see where the head injuries expert is coming from, but practically banning that for children under 18 who watch their favourite teams and players doing it would be hard,’ she said. ‘Children want to emulate their heroes,’ she said adding that her own child would not miss a chance at scoring a header.