BBCThe consequences of repeated head trauma in sport has been greatly emphasised by an interview conducted by the BBC.
During a televised interview former professional rugby union player John Shaw visibly draws a blank and has to request the interviewer repeat their question.
Shaw then admits to suffering a ‘cut out’ moment, shocking ex-Scotland international and former British Lion John Beattie who tweeted the clip and described Shaw as suffering around a dozen knockouts in his career.
Hi @brianmoore666 I thought you should see this, it's ex Glasgow pro player knocked out a dozen times or so https://t.co/ggYZuUn5pf
— John Beattie (@BBCJohnBeattie) February 16, 2016
Disturbing stuff.
What is even more worrying is that Shaw suggests that these moments have become part of everyday life for him.
Many contact sports have placed a greater focus on the issue of concussion in recent times.
In 2015 Welsh international George North suffered two head injuries in one Six Nations match against England, forcing the sport to review how it handled such cases.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHp2OkKUams
North also received similar blows to the head at club level with Northampton Saints, he has since been warned to consider his future should he suffer any more.
Former World Rugby medical adviser, Dr Barry O’Driscoll, is reported by Yahoo Sport as saying:
I’m sure if [North] gets another one he will have to consider whether the worries about what the inference is from these is enough to make him give up the game.
It’s his living and it’s a very good living and he loves it … and he would I’m sure and his advisers would make him think seriously about it.
But it’s a balance for each person to make and I don’t think we’re anywhere near the stage of the game of saying ‘no, that’s it, we can’t pick you anymore’, [because] we don’t know enough yet.
But any player at all who has had three or four concussions, in my opinion must seriously think about the future.
Clearly continued research is a must.
