Pressure is being put on the Scottish Government to use new welfare powers to help former professional footballers whose dementia is linked to heading a ball.

Senior politicians and trade unionists want diseases like Alzheimer’s in ex-pros to be recognised as an industrial injury.

Glasgow Labour councillor Martin McElroy, who is leading the campaign, said: “The Scottish Government has the opportunity to right this historic wrong, and to ensure former players get the support they need.”

Research published in 2019 showed that former professional footballers are three and a half times more likely to die of dementia.

Glasgow University experts, led by Dr Willie Stewart, had investigated concerns that heading a football could be linked to brain trauma.

Dr Stewart said the risk ranged from a five-fold increase in Alzheimer’s disease, a four-fold increase in motor neurone disease, and a two-fold increase in Parkinson’s disease.

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The study compared the causes of death of 7676 former Scottish male professionals against 23,000 individuals from the general population.

As a result, the Scottish Football Association recommended no heading practice for primary school kids.

The cause of justice for former footballers whose lives may be cut short by headers has reached the Scottish Parliament.

Cllr McElroy, who is standing for Holyrood in the Glasgow Provan seat, has urged the Government to use the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit power that was devolved.

The benefit, which covers payments to people if they become ill or disabled due to a disease or accident at work, will be replaced by a new scheme.

Glasgow Councillor, Martin McElroy

McElroy wants the First Minister to set up a working group which could lead to payments being made to ex-pros.

In his letter to Nicola Sturgeon, he wrote: “For several years, evidence has been growing that there is a causal link between former professional footballers and conditions such as dementia.

“With Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) being devolved, we have the opportunity to make welfare policy that responds to the latest evidence and delivers for those who need help now.

“Lengthy court cases and employment tribunals will only prolong the anxiety and suffering of those affected. By taking a different approach at this stage, we can agree what needs to be done to deliver justice these players and their families.”

McElroy added: “Classifying neurodegenerative diseases in former professionals as an industrial related disease is, in my view, simply a matter of time. But time is the one thing those suffering do not have.

“We must begin work now to ensure that those who have been put at risk because of their unsafe workplace will be treated with dignity and respect by a welfare system that meets their needs.”

Fraser Wishart, Chief Executive of PFA Scotland, a trade union for professional footballers, has backed the move:

“We fully support the campaign for neurodegenerative disease in footballers to be recognised as an industrial injury. Recent research has shown that compared to their peers in the general population, footballers are five times more likely to get Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia.

“These are worrying statistics and prove beyond a doubt that these injuries come from the workplace as a result of repetitive and excessive heading of the ball throughout their careers.”

He added: “Football is our national sport, loved by many and players are given hero status while they are playing. They shouldn’t be forgotten or disregarded in later life because they are no longer in the public eye. It is important that those suffering from these debilitating conditions, as well as their families and carers, are provided with the financial and emotional support they need.”

The GMB trade union, which represents coaches and managers, has launched a survey to identify how many former players are potentially impacted.

Union chief Gary Smith said: “These former professionals, who entertained and inspired generations of Scots, are now living with neurodegenerative disease and they need help. Many spent their careers heading heavy footballs or incurring repeated concussions, activities which we now know damage the brain. These are industrial injuries suffered in the course of doing a job.

“The Scottish Government have the chance to support our former pros who have done so much for the beautiful game in Scotland and our national life. It’s time they got the help they deserve.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is funding a new body, Brain Health Scotland, for five years to embed brain health within clinical services and across public health. As part of this, we are exploring links between pilot brain health clinics from next year and the feasibility of additional national work focussing specifically on brain injury.

“A University of Glasgow study was published on 21 October 2019 on lifelong health outcomes in former professional footballers, especially in relation to dementia.

“Further work is underway to establish why footballers may be at greater risk.

“We remain in close contact with experts at the sportscotland Institute of Sport and the Chief Medical Officer at the Scottish FA and will work with partners, including PFA Scotland, to carefully consider the study and any action which is required.”

FRANK KOPEL

Dundee United ace Frank Kopel died at the age of 65, decades after heading heavy footballs

Frank Kopel was a former Dundee Utd player who died aged 65 after battling dementia.

His widow, Amanda, played a huge role in the campaign for extending free personal care to the under 65s.

She has also been outspoken about her concerns on the impact of footballers heading heavy balls.

She said last year: “Frank and I were school sweethearts and I watched him heading balls at the age of 10.

“If you told him then that the headers might lead to a brain illness in later life, he would have done it anyway because he was fanatical about football.

“But he would have benefited if authorities had stepped in to tell him and his team-mates that they wouldn’t be heading balls any more.”

In the same interview, Amanda welcomed SFA moves to clamp down on heading among children and young people:

“It’s now well-established that these traumas can be very damaging to growing brains, so I feel delighted that Scotland is leading the rest of Europe with these steps.

BILLY MCNEILL

Celtic legend Billy McNeill in action.

Billy McNeill, who lifted the European Cup for Celtic in 1967, died two years ago aged 79 after living with dementia.

His son Martyn said last year: “The big difference between the game now and then is the football.

“I remember Dad used to say when the ball got wet it would soak up the water and was akin to heading a medicine ball at times.

He added: “To header that ball consistently, there must be some concussive effect.

“Heading is a big part of football.

“With modern football the medical back-up is also completely different to when my dad played.

“You were lucky if someone came on with a bucket of water and a sponge. They also didn’t have substitutes, once you were on, you were on.”

After the legend’s death, the Billy McNeill Fund was launched to provide financial aid and therapeutic support to former players.

MIKE SUTTON

Chris Sutton poses with his dad Mike (L)

Mike, a former Norwich and Chester player, passed away in December after suffering from dementia.

After a 2019 study was released which revealed that male professional footballers are five times more at risk of Alzheimer’s, his son Chris blasted the authorities.

Chris, who was a celebrated striker for Celtic, said at the time: “It makes me angry. Angry for people like my dad, Mike, and other former footballers who are dying in the most horrible and humiliating way.

He singled out the PFA’s Gordon Taylor for criticism: “The PFA – led by Gordon Taylor – had a duty of care to their members. They let them down and, in my opinion, their chief executive has blood on his hands.

“Where was the duty of care? Had I known what we know now, I would not have said yes to heading hundreds of wet, heavy balls at an afternoon training session if asked.”

Chris said of his dad: “I believe football was behind his deterioration.”