Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY

A21
SPORTS Wednesday 21 June 2017

Hall of Famer new rules, equipment and

Continued from page 17 medical care available.
Through Football Research
After years of denials, the Inc., a nonprofit dedicated
NFL eventually acknowl- to the research and devel-
edged the link between opment of novel methods
repeated blows to the to prevent, mitigate and
head during football and treat traumatic head inju-
chronic traumatic en- ry, some of those initiatives
cephalopathy, known as include:
CTE. The issue also gar- — Creating a program for
nered wide attention fol- head protection based
lowing the 2015 Will Smith in injury-prevention tech-
film “Concussion.” niques proven successful in
Just last week, the first two automobile safety technol-
claims in the NFL’s billion- ogy.
dollar concussion settle- — Developing accurate
ment were announced, impact sensors.
with a total of $9 million — Advancing helmet tech-
in benefits. In the lawsuit nology to mitigate impact
filed in Philadelphia, the force.
league was accused of — Creating incentives for
hiding what it knew about industry to use the research
the link between concus- In this Thursday, June 15, 2017 photo, former NFL players, from left, Jerome Bettis, Jim Brown and and develop new protec-
Cris Carter attend a football game in Ramat Hasharon, near Tel Aviv, Israel.
sions and CTE, the degen- Associated Press tive equipment, potentially
erative brain disease that even including position-
has been found in dozens 10 companies at the expo. cognitive issues before kill- definitely excited about to- specific helmets.
of former players after their ElMindA, which is at the ing themselves, then were day’s player being able to Kraft also emphasized the
deaths. forefront of the concussion diagnosed with CTE after- get action real-time as to on-field moves the league
In recent years, the NFL research and has devel- ward. what’s going on with their has made.
has undertaken a series of oped a system based on a “The technology, the ad- brains.” “I mean we have indepen-
initiatives both on the field database of electrophysi- justments that have been Kraft said the expo ex- dent doctors at the stadi-
and off, including spend- ological brain recordings made, players being di- posed the players to vari- ums that can take a player
ing millions of dollars on re- that provide personalized agnosed immediately and ous health issues that tran- out, and when I started
search into head trauma. functional cognitive map- having to stay out even scended concussions in the league the head
“The NFL invests and col- ping, was clearly most rel- against their own wishes. alone. coach was really making
laborates with leading evant to the audience. In the past, when I played, “I really think that may be certain decisions,” Kraft
experts and innovators to “We have had a number guys got back in the field overdone a little bit. I mean, said. “So I think we have
advance progress in the of conversations with the or they just disguised it. We I don’t think the game has made great strides mov-
prevention, diagnosis and company and continue used to call it ‘having your ever been safer than it is ing ahead in terms of the
treatment of head inju- to monitor developments, bell rung,’” he said. “I am now,” Kraft said, noting health of the game.”q
ries,” league spokesman but the technology is not
Brian McCarthy told The currently being used,” Mc- AP News Break:
Associated Press. Carthy said.
Bettis is one of 18 members Kraft’s company, The Kraft MLB international spending soars above $200M
of the Pro Football Hall of Group, has been an inves-
Fame who is in Israel for a tor in ElMindA since at least By RONALD BLUM the way at $26 million, fol- nus pool to $153.5 million.
weeklong visit organized 2015. AP Baseball Writer lowed by San Diego pitcher “The party’s over for all big
by New England Patri- Three-time All-Pro Ae- NEW YORK (AP) — A record Adrian Morejon at $11 mil- signing bonuses for inter-
ots owner Robert Kraft. In neas Williams said he was $203 million was spent on lion, and Cincinnati short- national amateurs. It’s no
addition to boosting the pleased with how the NFL international amateur free stop Alfredo Rodriguez and doubt,” agent Andy Mota
fledgling local game, the was handling the issue and agents in the just-ended Padres outfielder Jorge said Monday.
delegation is also touring using technology to make signing period, nearly $50 Ona at $7 million each. “It’s a reality that’s setting
religious and historical sites, the game safer. Williams, million more than the previ- Baseball’s new labor con- in, especially with Cuban
meeting prominent offi- who retired in 2004 after 14 ous high and a figure that tract imposes a cap on players.”
cials and learning about years in the league, said will plummet when a hard bonuses for international And under the new rules,
the country’s vibrant tech- there are far more precau- cap on spending starts July amateurs, with 16 teams international amateurs
nology sector. tions in place than when 2. limited in 2017-18 to $4.75 were redefined as under 25
The delegation, which in- he played. He was a team- Four Cubans were given million, six to $5.25 million years old and with less than
cludes Joe Montana, Jim mate of Andre Waters and contracts that included and eight to $5.75 million — six years of professional ex-
Brown, Roger Staubach Dave Duerson, two former signing bonuses above $5 all not counting bonuses of perience, up from 23 years
and Mike Singletary, re- players featured in “Con- million. Chicago White Sox up to $10,000. old and less than five years
ceived presentations from cussion” who suffered outfielder Luis Robert led That limits the 2017-18 bo- of experience. q