Dawn Astle vows to keep pressure on Government after Gordon McQueen verdict
The Government must recognise neurodegenerative conditions among footballers as industrial disease, campaigner Dawn Astle has said.
A coroner ruled on Monday (January 26) that heading a football was “likely” to have contributed to a brain injury which was a factor in the death of former Manchester United and Leeds defender Gordon McQueen.
His death due to pneumonia was owing to frailty, found to be through a combination of vascular dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
It was another landmark ruling for those campaigning for greater protection for current players and improved support for past generations, following on from the verdict of death by industrial disease recorded for former West Brom and England striker Jeff Astle in November 2002.
His daughter Dawn told the Press Association: “One of the first things my Mum said to me and my sisters after that ruling was ‘Girls, your Dad cannot possibly be the only one’. How right was she?
“One thing is very clear, we must continue to push Government through the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council to officially recognise sports-related or sports-caused neurodegenerative diseases, including CTE, as industrial diseases – after all, that’s what they are.”
Dawn, in her role at the Professional Footballers’ Association, continues to lobby the IIAC. The family of former England captain Dave Watson is also challenging the Department of Work and Pensions over the same issue. Victory in their case could open the door for other ex-players and their families to claim benefits.
Dawn also called on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to play a bigger role in protecting players.
“Why are sports people not as protected as everyone else in every other job?” she said.
“The HSE needs to be much stronger in ensuring clubs are doing the appropriate risk assessments for their players, their employees.”
There is currently no requirement to report injuries suffered during the regular course of a sport.
Dawn Astle also encouraged more footballers to donate their brains for research upon their death.
“By donating the brain we are adding another piece of the jigsaw which will help build and complete the picture of how the brain works,” she said.
“Little did we know all those years ago how much my Dad’s brain would reveal. His brain, along with all the other donated brains, are now speaking for the living – their brains have given us the gift of knowing.”
