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What鈥檚 being done to protect athletes from brain injuries?

NFL players dream of reaching the Super Bowl but head injuries are a real concern.

American Football, Rugby, MMA, UFC. All these adrenaline-filled sports bring in millions of viewers each year, and athletes put their bodies and brains on the line to excel in them.

But there鈥檚 increasing concern that head injuries are leading to serious mental health problems.

大象传媒 Sport reporter Bobbie Jackson tells us about the research into this. He鈥檚 been speaking to the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) to see what鈥檚 being done across different sports bodies.

We also hear from three athletes; Wayne Drew, Leeon Nyang, Terry Mngomezulu who tell us why they鈥檙e willing to take the risk and what drives their passion for the sport.

There鈥檚 also recognition about the links between concussion and a brain condition called CTE; chronic traumatic encephalopathy, that can only be diagnosed post-mortem. Michelle Roberts from the 大象传媒鈥檚 Health team explains the symptoms.

This episode contains discussion about suicide and violence. Details of organisations offering information and support with these issues are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy
Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

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16 minutes

Last on

Sat 10 Feb 2024 03:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 9 Feb 2024 18:50GMT
  • Sat 10 Feb 2024 03:50GMT

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