Ex-Wales winger Lenny Woodard says some players can’t face telling loved ones about their illness.
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A former rugby international fears he won’t recognise his children in five years because of early onset dementia.
Lenny Woodard believes rugby caused his dementia. On Monday he, ex-captain Ryan Jones and 180 others intend to issue formal proceedings against World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
World Rugby said it was inappropriate to comment until it had “formal details of any action being taken”.
The WRU and RFU were asked to comment.
Lawyers argue that rugby’s governing bodies have failed to take reasonable action to protect players from permanent injury caused by “repetitive concussive and sub-concussive blows”.
Former dual-code pro Mr Woodard played rugby union for Pontypool, Ebbw Vale and Pontypridd, and although not capped for Wales he played on their 1998 tour to South Africa and won five caps for the Wales rugby league team.
He said others have not yet spoken about their condition as they cannot face telling their families.
The dad-of-five said he first suffered concussion aged 11.
The 45-year-old said: “The stark reality of being diagnosed with early onset dementia in your 40s, with young children, means in five years, 10 years, 15 years time we might not know who they are.”
He recounted discussing the matter with his partner as his children played in the next room.
Image source, PA Media
He said: “My partner was explaining, ‘I want the kids to see you as much as possible, as often as possible and do as many memorable things as possible because there is a chance in 10 years, 15 years time you’re not even going to know who they are.’
His nine-year-old son, Leo, overheard the conversation.
“He burst into tears, ran into the room, hugged me and would not let go of me for a few minutes,” he said.
Pontypridd-born Mr Woodard, who was diagnosed last year, said he was aware of others in the game in a similar situation to himself.
He said: “The reason they haven’t gone public with it is because they’re struggling to tell their children, wives, family.”
When speaking to other players he has assured them they are not alone.
And he warned: “There’s going to be more.”
Image source, Getty Images
It was hard to tell people who had played at the sport’s top level what lay ahead.
“Unfortunately the game is going to take away their enjoyment of their later life,” he said.
Mr Woodard said he had gone from having “perfect” recollection to regularly repeating himself.
“My memory, my thought processes, are declining gradually and I can see that,” he said.
“I was diagnosed a year ago and I can see it has got worse over the last year.
“I’m hoping to slow that acceleration as much as possible. I often forget journeys at crucial stages within it, repeat myself in conversations, repeat myself half-an-hour later, an hour later, forget conversations, things I’ve done in the past completely now.
“Whereas five years, 10 years ago I had what I would class as a perfect recollection of things.”
Also part of the legal action is former Dragons and Wales under-20s player, Adam Hughes.
A “complete culture change” was needed in rugby, the 32-year-old said.
Mr Hughes added that he knew of professionals and amateurs who believed they had symptoms of brain damage but were still playing.
“Some people don’t want to believe it, they don’t want to know that they’ve got issues, because that scares them, other people would rather not know they’ve got it because they want to continue playing,” he said.
Both Mr Woodard and Mr Hughes want the minimum rest period for concussed players to be extended to 3-4 weeks.
Now a financial advice company boss, Mr Hughes said current players needed other employment options, so they don’t have to keep playing.
He said: “Unfortunately rugby is the only thing they can do at this present time.”
What are rugby’s bosses accused of?
Lawyers representing the ex-players say the rugby authorities:
- Failed to take proper steps to pay attention to player safety and brain health, when the game became professional
- Did not do enough to warn players about the risks of brain damage
- Neglected to cut contact in training
- Should have reduced the number of matches played
- Cut concussed players rest time instead of extending it
- Declined to get or follow advice on permanent brain injury risk
- Ignored evidence concussions may not be immediately apparent and carried out inadequate assessments during games
- Omitted to make rules limiting substitutions which could make players smaller
A spokesman for World Rugby said: “As of Sunday afternoon, World Rugby has not been issued with a legal claim. It would be inappropriate to comment until we have received the formal details of any action being taken.”
The WRU and the RFU have also been approached for comment.