{"id":15327,"date":"2026-08-17T11:58:37","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T04:58:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/?p=15327"},"modified":"2026-08-17T11:58:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T04:58:57","slug":"sports-leagues-concussion-guidelines-must-be-broadened-as-brain-health-concerns-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/sports-leagues-concussion-guidelines-must-be-broadened-as-brain-health-concerns-rise\/","title":{"rendered":"Sports leagues\u2019 concussion guidelines must be broadened as brain health concerns\u00a0rise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Recently, the Australian Football League (AFL) was rocked when it was revealed a Geelong player with a history of concussion had been asked to waive his legal rights to claim for any future brain trauma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the latest in a series of concussion issues the AFL has had to address in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the focus on concussion is problematic. Indeed, concussions are not necessarily the most pressing issue in contact sports when it comes to brain injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bigger concern should be chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is CTE?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

CTE is a neurodegenerative brain disease that has been linked to contact sports such as Australian football, rugby league, rugby union and soccer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It often strikes later in life but has been diagnosed in athletes as young as 20 in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can only be diagnosed posthumously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CTE develops after repetitive brain trauma \u2013 research indicates concussions may not necessarily be the primary cause. Instead, repeated subconcussive impacts to the brain is where the actual risk lies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These subconcussive impacts, which rarely cause any symptoms, can occur during normal game play from actions such as tackling or bumping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is the accumulated damage from these repeated subconcussive impacts that can lead to CTE. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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