ALMOST 50 new claimants are joining the football and rugby concussion legal cases.
Medical records for new claimants are set to be presented to the High Court tomorrow.
One of the claims is on behalf of Goff White, a semi-professional footballer who was confirmed post-mortem to be suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease.
White’s widow Tina told the BBC her husband developed an erratic temper and said he had even threatened to kill her. He died earlier this year.
Claimants in the football and rugby cases contend that domestic and international governing bodies did not do enough to mitigate their exposure to head injury and concussion and longer-term neurological impairment.
The law firm behind the claims, Rylands, says 850 amateur and professional former rugby union and league players are now part of the action or currently being tested.
Approximately 10,000 pages of case summaries and medical records are to be served on the rugby governing bodies by the end of this month, with the next case management hearings for the rugby cases due on February 4 and 5 next year.
Rylands will push for their cases to be heard jointly as a group litigation order (GLO).
The firm also represents 65 former footballers, with proceedings still to be issued in some instances. The next football case management hearing is on January 29, where again a GLO will be explored.
A firm spokesperson said: “The players we represent were systematically failed by their governing bodies and, as a result, now find themselves dealing with the life-altering consequences.
“The severe neurological injuries our players suffer with affect every aspect of daily life for them and their families.
“It is only right that governing bodies are held to account for their negligence and willingness to turn a blind eye to the long-term damage players were facing.
“We hope that these cases will shine a light on issues in contact and collision sports and ensure player welfare is treated with the seriousness that it deserves.
“Two deceased 20-year-old rugby league players were found, post-mortem, with CTE only last month. Experts believe that neurodegenerative diseases are at an epidemic scale in collision sports. Urgent and substantive change is required.”
