Ban kids from doing headers in football, mandatory helmets in skating: Sports Council
The Dutch Sports Council wants to better protect kids under 12 from head injuries in sports by banning headers in football and tackling in rugby. It also wants mandatory helmets for everyone in skating, horseback riding, and skiing.
Earlier this year, the Health Council warned that a single blow to the head could already lead to a concussion or other noticeable brain injury. And frequent blows to the head are a risk factor for dementia and other conditions like Parkinson’s disease and ALS. According to the Health Council, a professional football player is two to three times more likely to get dementia than the average person. And children are even “more vulnerable to brain injury.”
The Sports Council, therefore, wants to take steps to protect children in sports. It advises a complete ban on headers in football, headbuts in combat sports, and tackles in rugby for children under 12. For teens up to 18, this is “strongly discouraged,” and adults should try to avoid repeated head contact.
The Sports Council also wants to make helmets mandatory for everyone in sports with a fall risk, including horseback riding, cycling, skiing, and skating.
“Caution is advisable when it comes to the brain,” said Sports Council chairman Tom van ‘t Hek. “Therefore, we advise everyone to be on the safe side.”
It is now up to VVD State Secretary Judith Tielen of Public Health, Welfare, and Sports to decide whether to implement the Sports Council’s advice. The Sports Council is an important advisory body for the government, but its advice is not binding.
