Another 55 amateur players join concussion lawsuit
This story is from www.reuters.com
Another 55 amateur rugby players who are suffering from neurological impairments have joined the growing list of claimants in a class-action concussion lawsuit, claiming that the sport's governing bodies failed to take reasonable action to protect them.
London sports law firm Rylands Garth issued proceedings on behalf of the 55 players against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), taking the number involved to 250 in the latest chapter in one of the sport's biggest stories.
"The players we represent love the game," Rylands Garth said in a statement. "We aim to challenge the current perceptions of the governing bodies, to reach a point where they accept the connection between repetitive blows to the head and permanent neurological injury and to take steps to protect players and support those who are injured."
Worrying symptoms in numerous cases from both rugby union and league, they added, include chronic depression, aggression, significant memory loss, incontinence, drug and alcohol addiction, and in some cases suicide attempts.
In a joint statement in 2022, World Rugby, the RFU and WRU said: "We care deeply about all our players, and never stand still when it comes to welfare. Our strategies to prevent, identify and manage head injuries are driven by a passion to safeguard our players and founded on the latest science, evidence and independent expert guidance."
“We care deeply about all our players, and never stand still when it comes to welfare.”