Legal action taken against football governing bodies over brain injuries suffered by former players

Former players and their families, including the late Joe Kinnear’s family, have taken legal action against football’s governing bodies over brain injuries allegedly suffered during their careers. The claimants, totaling 35 former footballers, are accusing IFAB, the Football Association, the English Football League, and the Football Association of Wales of negligence in failing to protect players from permanent injury caused by repetitive concussive and sub-concussive blows.

The group alleges that despite warnings, the football authorities did not take sufficient action to reduce the risk to players, leading to “permanent long-term neurological injuries” for the claimants. The FA, in response, stated that they are unable to comment on ongoing legal proceedings but continue to work on improving player safety.

Solicitor Richard Boardman, representing the former players, highlighted the scale of the issue by submitting over 8,000 pages of medical records and legal documents for just the first 17 claimants. The players or their families initiated the legal claim two years ago, with notable cases including the family of Nobby Stiles, who was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after his death in 2020.

This legal action follows a similar move by former rugby league and rugby union players in 2022, indicating a growing concern over brain injuries in contact sports. Research from 2019 showed that ex-footballers were significantly more likely to die of dementia than the general population, further emphasizing the need for improved player safety measures in the sport.