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SPORTS Tuesday 22 OcTOber 2019
Study raises fresh dementia concerns from playing pro soccer

By ROB HARRIS deemed it necessary to
AP Global Soccer Writer issue to change how the
LONDON (AP) — A study of game is played, even re-
former professional soccer ducing heading among
players in Scotland finds younger age groups.
that they were less likely "In youth football, you
to die of common causes might want to reduce the
such as heart disease likelihood of aerial chal-
and cancer compared lenges," Bullingham said.
with the general popula- "But our research shows this
tion but more likely to die has already been reduced
from dementia. The results significantly over the years
raise fresh concerns about as we change to small size
head-related risks from of pitches, move to pos-
playing the sport — at least session-based football and
for men at the pro level. now rolling substitutes."
Researchers from the Uni- Referees across all levels
versity of Glasgow reported can stop games for three
the results in the New Eng- minutes to fully assess head
land Journal of Medicine injuries, but some experts
on Monday. They com- believe that is not long
pared the causes of death enough. The English FA also
of 7,676 Scottish men who is pushing soccer's global
played soccer with 23,000 In this May 31, 2014, file photo an official 2014 FIFA World Cup soccer ball lies on the grass during lawmaking body for the
similar men from the gen- an open practice by the United States in Harrison, N.J. introduction of concussion
eral population born be- Associated Press substitutes, with an addi-
tween 1900 and 1976. Over the others were. cognitive decline and de- the answers and provide a tional player switch or as a
a median of 18 years of The results "should not en- mentia later in life. Rather, greater understanding of temporary replacement.
study, 1,180 players and gender undue fear and they should focus on the this complex issue." Campaigning to discover
3,807 of the others died. panic," Dr. Robert Stern, a substantial health benefits The association and play- more about the long-term
The players had a lower risk Boston University scientist from exercise and partici- ers' union sponsored the impact of head injuries in
of death from any cause who has studied sports-re- pation in a sport that their study. "We need to kick on soccer has been led in Eng-
until age 70. However, they lated brain trauma, wrote children enjoy," while also now and understand what land by the family of former
had a 3.5 times higher rate in a commentary published being aware of the risks of it means, because that's England striker Jeff Astle,
of death from neurodegen- in the journal. head-balling, Stern wrote. all an awful lot we don't whose death at age 59 in
erative diseases such as The findings in professional English Football Association know," English FA chief ex- 2002 was attributed to re-
Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. players may not apply to chairman Greg Clark said ecutive Mark Bullingham peatedly heading heavy,
In absolute terms, that risk recreational, college or "the whole game must rec- said. "We don't know if leather balls. In 2017, a Brit-
remained relatively small — amateur-level play, or to ognize that this is only the concussion was the cause ish study of brains of a small
1.7% among former players women, Stern noted. start of our understanding or whether it was heading number of retired players
and 0.5% for the compari- "Parents of children who and there are many ques- or whatever or whether it's who developed demen-
son group. headed the ball in youth or tions that still need to be the old heavy ball or some- tia highlighted the degen-
Former players also were high-school soccer should answered. It is important thing entirely different." erative damage possibly
more likely to be prescribed not fear that their chil- that the global football But the association's medi- caused by repeated blows
dementia medicines than dren are destined to have family now unites to find cal advisory group has not to the head.q

4x Olympian, NYC Marathon champion Shalane Flanagan retires

By JIMMY GOLEN dium in the race. She was of running I produced year
AP Sports Writer fourth in the 2013 Boston after year." "I hope I made
Four-time Olympian Sha- Marathon, her best finish in myself a better person by
lane Flanagan, who end- four tries at her hometown running. I hope I made
ed a 40-year American race. those around me better. I
drought when she won But she said after running hope I made my compe-
the New York City Mara- Boston in 2018 that it would tition better," she said. "I
thon in 2017, is retiring be her last time. hope I left the sport better
from competitive running "I've broken bones, torn because I was a part of it."
to become a coach with tendons, and lost too A two-time NCAA cross-
the Nike Bowerman Track many toenails to count," country champion, Flana-
Club. In this Nov. 4, 2018 file photo Shalane Flanagan of the United she wrote. "I've experi- gan still holds the Ameri-
"I have felt my North Star States reacts after crossing the finish line third in the women's enced otherworldly highs can records at 3,000 me-
shifting," the 38-year-old division of the New York City Marathon in New York. and abysmal lows. I've ters, 5,000 meters and 15K.
Flanagan said Monday Associated Press loved (and learned from) "My personal motto
on social media. "My pas- daughter of distance run- Olympics. it all. Over the last 15 years throughout my career has
sion and purpose is no ners — her mother was Her victory in the '17 New I found out what I was ca- been to make decisions
longer about MY running; the first woman to break York Marathon was the first pable of, and it was more that leave me with 'no re-
it's more and more about 2 hours, 50 minutes in the for an American woman than I ever dreamed possi- grets'.....but to be honest, I
those around me." marathon — Flanagan since Miki Gorman in 1977; ble. Now that all is said and have one," she said. "I re-
A native of Marblehead, won a silver medal in the she finished third last year done, I am most proud of gret I can't do it all over
Massachusetts, and the 10,000 meters at the 2008 — her third time on the po- the consistently high level again."q