LONDON — Growing concerns over the long-term neurological health of professional athletes have prompted a new parliamentary push in the United Kingdom. A senior Member of Parliament has introduced an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling for legal limits on repetitive heading during football training sessions.

The proposal, put forward by Labour MP Graham Morris, does not target headers during actual matches. Instead, it focuses on regulating training environments where players frequently experience repeated head impacts during drills. According to media reports, the motion urges the government to establish statutory restrictions on repetitive heading practice and form a dedicated task force comprising medical experts, player representatives, and football governing bodies.

The initiative also frames chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) as a public health concern, calling for a national action plan and educational strategies dedicated to athlete brain safety. Proponents point to mounting scientific evidence linking repetitive head trauma from heading the ball to an increased risk of neurodegenerative conditions.

Landmark research conducted by the University of Glasgow in 2019 highlighted these dangers, revealing that former male professional football players faced a mortality risk from neurodegenerative diseases roughly 3.5 times higher than that of the general population. Subsequent studies indicated that positions heavily reliant on aerial duels, such as defenders, experienced an even higher risk—up to five times that of non-players.

High-profile cases have further intensified public debate. The coroner investigating the death of 1966 England World Cup winner Nobby Styles concluded that repetitive heading contributed to CTE, which ultimately influenced his dementia and death. Experts estimated that Styles may have performed upwards of 140,000 headers over the course of his career. Similar conclusions were drawn regarding Gordon McQueen, the former Scotland and Manchester United star, whose passing was also linked to career-related head impacts.

While English football authorities currently advise limiting high-intensity heading drills in professional and amateur settings, these measures largely remain voluntary recommendations. However, youth football has seen stricter interventions; under recent regulatory updates set to take effect for the 2026–2027 season, intentional heading will be completely eliminated across all under-11 matches governed by the Football Association. Other regions, such as Scotland, have introduced guidance restricting repetitive heading practices for senior players to once a week.

Political figures have also weighed in, with high-ranking officials arguing that the football industry must formally recognize dementia as an industrial injury and improve compensation systems for affected former players. Although organizations like the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) and the Premier League currently fund support initiatives for former athletes suffering from neurodegenerative illnesses, player advocates and families maintain that current financial resources fall short of covering long-term care costs.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]