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Select Committee · Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Concussion in sport

Status: Closed Opened: 3 Mar 2021 Closed: 23 Mar 2022 15 recommendations 6 conclusions 1 report

MPs will examine links between sport and long-term brain injury. The concussion in sport inquiry will consider scientific evidence for links between head trauma and dementia and how risks could be mitigated with two sessions, the first taking place on Tuesday 9 March.

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Concussion in sport HC 46 22 Jul 2021 21 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
1 Conclusion Third Report - Concussion in sport Acknowledged

Despite the need for acquired brain injury to be taken seriously by sport, the detail...

Despite the need for acquired brain injury to be taken seriously by sport, the detail of which we will come onto later in this Report, both written and oral evidence to this inquiry support the health benefits to people through mass participation in sporting activity. An active lifestyle promotes overall … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's conclusion, agreeing that mass participation in sporting activity offers tangible health benefits, including reducing the risk of dementia and other health conditions.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
11 Conclusion Third Report - Concussion in sport Acknowledged

Football’s engagement with the issue of concussion, both in England and internationally, has taken too...

Football’s engagement with the issue of concussion, both in England and internationally, has taken too long and its current prominence is due to the campaigning of organisations like the Jeff Astle Foundation and prominent spokespersons like Chris Sutton. We would have expected the Football Association, as the National Governing Body, … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's conclusion regarding the past failures of football bodies to address concussion, and states its ambition to make sport safer. It intends to provide updates on its own concussion in sport initiatives through its Government Sport Strategy annual report.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
12 Conclusion Third Report - Concussion in sport Acknowledged

The problems faced by both football and rugby are common to a multitude of other...

The problems faced by both football and rugby are common to a multitude of other sports which do not have the same media attention or the same resources to apply to possible solutions. One of the biggest problems is the apparent lack of clarity on who is responsible for driving … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's observations and states its ambition to ensure sport is as safe as possible. It intends to provide updates on its concussion in sport initiatives through its Government Sport Strategy annual report.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
25 May 2021 Ben Dean · Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Nigel Huddleston MP · HM Treasury View ↗
18 May 2021 Dr Niall Elliott · Sport Scotland, Dr Rod Jaques OBE · English Institute of Sport, Phil Smith · Sport England, Professor Alistair Burns CBE · NHS England, Sally Munday · UK Sport, Stewart Harris · Sport Scotland, Tim Hollingsworth OBE · Sport England View ↗
27 Apr 2021 Damian Hopley MBE · The Rugby Players Association, Dr John Etherington CBE · Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK, Dr Richard Sylvester · Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, Gordon Taylor OBE · Professional Footballers Association, Paul Struthers · Professional Players Federation View ↗
23 Mar 2021 Bill Sweeney · Rugby Football Union, Chris Sutton, Dawn Astle, Dr Charlotte Cowie · The Football Association, Dr Éanna Falvey · World Rugby, Dr Mike Loosemore · TeamGB boxing and TeamGB snow sports, Eleanor Furneaux, Kyran Bracken MBE, Monica Petrosino, Professor John Fairclough View ↗
9 Mar 2021 Dr Michael Grey · UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum, Peter McCabe · Headway, Professor Craig Ritchie, Professor William Stewart, Richard Oakley · Alzheimer's Society View ↗

Who gave evidence

29 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Ben Dean · Director, Sport and Gambling Department for Culture, Media and Sport 1
Bill Sweeney · Chief Executive Rugby Football Union 1
Chris Sutton — 1
Damian Hopley MBE · Chief Executive The Rugby Players Association 1
Dawn Astle — 1
Dr Charlotte Cowie · Chief Medical Officer The Football Association 1
Dr John Etherington CBE · Medical Director & Consultant Rheumatologist Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK 1
Dr Michael Grey · Reader in Rehabilitation Neuroscience UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum 1
Dr Mike Loosemore · Chief Medical Officer TeamGB boxing and TeamGB snow sports 1
Dr Niall Elliott · Head of Sports Medicine Sport Scotland 1
Dr Richard Sylvester · Consultant Neurologist Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health 1
Dr Rod Jaques OBE · Director of Medical Services English Institute of Sport 1
Dr Éanna Falvey · Chief Medical Officer World Rugby 1
Eleanor Furneaux — 1
Gordon Taylor OBE · Chief Executive Professional Footballers Association 1
Kyran Bracken MBE — 1
Monica Petrosino — 1
Nigel Huddleston MP · Financial Secretary to the Treasury HM Treasury 1
Paul Struthers · Director Professional Players Federation 1
Peter McCabe · Chief Executive Headway 1
Phil Smith · Director of Sport Sport England 1
Professor Alistair Burns CBE · National Clinical Director for Dementia and Older… NHS England 1
Professor Craig Ritchie — 1
Professor John Fairclough — 1
Professor William Stewart — 1
Richard Oakley · Head of Research Alzheimer's Society 1
Sally Munday · Chief Executive UK Sport 1
Stewart Harris · Chief Executive Sport Scotland 1
Tim Hollingsworth OBE · Chief Executive Sport England 1

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
24 Mar 2022 To cttee Letter from Gordon Taylor OBE, Chief Executive, Professional Footballers' Assoc…
12 Mar 2021 To cttee Letter from the Chair to Tim Davie, Director-General, BBC, re mixed martial art…