Players who suffered multiple concussions are at high risk, so why is a charity and not sporting authorities leading the way?
There’s the damage you can see, and the damage you can’t. A new study by the
UK rugby health project at Durham University has shown that professional rugby players are more likely to have mental health issues in retirement than athletes in non-contact sports, and that those who suffered multiple concussions during their playing career are at even greater risk of depression, anxiety, sleep and anger issues.
The study suggests a strong association between head trauma and mental health in both codes of rugby, and provides evidence of what many people working in the field already believe to be true: rugby has a mental health crisis. The research, which is entirely independent of the governing bodies of each code, found that players who reported suffering from three or more concussions during their professional careers scored significantly worse for psychological signs of depression and anxiety and for sleep disruption.