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Dutch findings are scary
Dave Rickman, 29, a nurse turned professional boxer, was knocked down by Earl Ladson, during the fourth round of a heavyweight bout and died five days later without gaining consciousness. For this match, staged in Savannah (US), the two boxers shared a purse of less than $2000. After the incident which happened on the last Saturday of March, Ladson said that he has to live with a bad dream and that he will never box again. Rickman, who became a pro only a year before, is not the first boxer to lose his life, in a ring.
This sad story, like many similar ones that were recorded throughout the history of boxing, justifies the ban on this sport by certain countries. Concern has long been expressed regarding the danger to health of boxing which was regarded as the aristocratic pastime. After each and every death due to knock-outs, the subject is discussed and the controversy continues. But nothing really happens, no action is taken, it is all talks and discussion. The International Olympic Committee still includes - amateur - boxing in the Games.
Fatal accidents occur in any sport. Surely because of the nature of the different sports deaths are more common in boxing than, say in athletics or tennis!
Football, which is regarded as the most popular sport in the world, both in its appeal and the number of participants also has its share mourning. Last January we had followed the sad screening of the Hungarian ace Miklos Feher, 24, who succumbed during injury time, of the match between Benfica and Guimaraes.
He fell to the ground and died as he was being taken to a nearby hospital. Seconds earlier he was rightly cautioned by referee Benquerenca and smiling about his venial sin. The popular ‘A Bola,’ headlined the tragic death ‘The last smile of Feher.’
Six months earlier, we had a similar sad episode during the semi-final of the Confederation Cup when Marc-Vivien Foe, 27 of Cameroon died suddenly during the match with Columbia.
One also recalls other sad episodes of deaths on football pitches. Way back in 1967 Andrea Ceccotti of Pro Patria had a heart attack during the match with Treviso and died a few days later. In 1977 during the match Perugia-Juventus, Renato Curi, 25, died five minutes after the start of the second half, also because of cardiac problems, while in October 2000 the Rumanian international Catalin Hildan died while playing for Dinamo Bucharest in a friendly match. There are many other sad chapters written in the annals of world football, of players passing away.
Last year six cyclists died because of heart failure. Amongst these one mentions the French cyclist Denis Zanette, 33 and the Spanish favourite Jose’ Maria Jimenez.
Cardiac failure was the main reason of these sad episodes. Critics argue that deaths in sport is not peculiar solely to boxing.
Detrimental to health
Is sport detrimental to health? Researchers have found out that there are certain disciplines which may negatively affect the practitioners’ health. Scientists have found out that the most dangerous are boxing, lacrosse and hockey, but they also mention marathon running and knee problems and a long list of ailments in other sport disciplines.
Sport science plays a vital part in the preparation of the athlete and lab results after years of research are taken very seriously and not only by those who are involved in sport medicine.
Scientific Concern
There is scientific concern about brain injuries. Usually fans tend to associate brain injuries with boxing, but football offers similar risks. FIFA is aware of the situation and is continually monitoring. Years ago there was an interesting debate in Canada and in the US about whether ‘headers’ are safe and whether they should be banned for children. Erik Matser, a neoropsychologist at Geldrop’s St Anna Hospital wondered how footballers continued to play after head collisions and became even more alarmed when his research showed that most of them did not even remember anything though on the field for 45 minutes or more after the incident. The risks from head injuries are dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Danielle Symons, a researcher from the University of Florida found out that former footballers have a slower reaction than retired swimmers of the same age. They also lacked concentration and showed lapses in motor dexterity.
Tests showed that good kickers can drive a ball at 100kms per hour. The impact of the old leather balls during a wet day had a measured impact of half a ton, whereas the peak force a boxer can impart is something in the region of 1000-2000 newrons!
Recently, after years of research, the Dutch football authorities conscious of the damage banned ‘heading’ by under 16 youngsters, both during training and in competitive matches. The findings by the Dutch are scary to say the least.
One recalls the debate in the House of Commons after the death of the former international, Jeff Astle about two years ago, when it was alleged that his premature death had to do with head injuries during his playing days with West Bromwich Albion. A coroner decided that he was killed because of repeatedly heading a heavy ball during his 20 year long football career. Two former Celtic idols, Billy McPhail and Jock Weir presented their cases of permanent brain injury and the onset of dementia, before the Injuries Tribunal. The old leather balls were dangerous; the modern ones are certainly safer. But ‘heading’ may cause problems.
It is common knowledge that the most difficult skill to teach kids interested in the game is heading. Just imagine a seven or eight year old trying to head a ball which is possibly as big as his head, when there is a lot of weight behind it! Kids are generally terrified of heading a ball. If one has to watch their approach to meet a high ball the fear is so obvious and funny. Heading techniques after many repetitions are a must in the early formation of footballers.
Ron Thompson, a researcher at Glasgow University, is convinced that heading a ball can result in brain damage; while Prof Graham Teasdale from the Institute of Neurological Sciences states that “Head contact sport has to be taken seriously.”
Should footballers start wearing protective headwear? If shin guards are obligatory and rings and earrings deemed dangerous why shouldn’t we introduce something which could save players from problems? Should heading, like handling be banned?
It is not a laughing matter for those experts who are convinced of the dangers, despite the fact that today's balls are much safer than the old ones.
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