The AFL's dilemma: How to protect players without changing the game

Lead

A Four Corners investigation has revealed that 33 Australian Rules players, including 19 professional and semi-professional footballers, have been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated hits to the head. The findings, compiled by the Australian Sports Brain Bank, include players who died in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Until now, only five cases of CTE had been publicly known among professional AFL players.

CTE can only be diagnosed after death and has been associated with symptoms such as depression, memory loss, rage, poor impulse control, and suicidal thoughts. The investigation has intensified scrutiny of the AFL's approach to player brain health, with experts and families of affected players calling for stronger preventive measures and better communication of risks.

Coverage Comparison

All four reports reviewed for this article come from ABC Australia, including its Four Corners program. They share a common focus on the AFL's response to the CTE crisis but differ in emphasis. Some reports center on the broader statistical findings and expert opinions, while others highlight individual stories, such as that of Nick Lowden, the youngest Australian footballer diagnosed with CTE, and Adam Hunter, a former West Coast Eagles star who suffered from the disease before his death.

The tone across the reports is largely critical of the AFL, with language such as "crisis" and "dilemma" recurring. Direct quotes from experts and affected families are used extensively to underscore the urgency of the issue.

Key Claims

According to the reports, 33 Australian Rules players have been diagnosed with CTE, a condition caused by repetitive head impacts. The AFL has implemented over 30 rule changes aimed at reducing head knocks, but critics argue these measures are insufficient. The league does not have an official CTE policy, and some experts accuse it of a "culture of denial."

Professor Alan Pearce, who has studied the brains of AFL players for nearly two decades, said, "CTE is a preventable environmental disease." He added, "The evidence that I'm seeing from these tragic deaths, talking to players in my research program and the almost lack of concern, and some of the deflection of CTE says to me that the AFL does have blood on its hands."

Associate Professor Michael Buckland from the Australian Sports Brain Bank described a "disturbing association" between CTE and suicide, noting that 19 of the brain donors died by suicide, 15 of whom had CTE. He emphasized that more evidence is needed to establish a direct causal link.

The reports also note that CTE has been found in younger players who only competed at amateur levels. Nick Lowden, who died at 23, is the youngest Australian Rules player diagnosed with the disease. His parents, Kerry and Tony, are advocating for greater awareness and responsibility from the AFL.

Adam Hunter's friend, Dave Andrews, has written to the AFL Commission, stating that the league has "failed" in its duty of care. In his letter, Andrews wrote: "The duty is on the organisations, not on the players, to inform, protect, and provide safe systems of play. Ms Kane's statement on Four Corners is directly inconsistent with this obligation at every level of the game." The comment referred to AFL executive Laura Kane's statement that "our job is not to communicate every single aspect of risk that exists in our game."

Experts also highlighted the importance of reducing exposure to repeated head impacts as key to preventing CTE. Some suggested that children should not be allowed to tackle until age 14 or older, while Dr. Ann McKee believes the threshold should be 18 or older.

Perspectives

The AFL's position, as articulated by executive Laura Kane, is that communicating risk is a "shared responsibility" and that the league is doing everything it can to educate about head trauma. However, critics, including Professor Pearce, argue that the league's response has been inadequate. The FIFTHQTR Foundation, led by former Carlton star Ken Hunter, is working to raise awareness among community and elite clubs, citing a lack of knowledge about CTE even among footy officials and parents.

Nick Lowden's parents, Kerry and Tony, are appealing for more education and awareness, urging the AFL to take greater responsibility in communicating the risks. Dave Andrews, in his letter to the AFL Commission, insists that the obligation to inform and protect players lies with the organisations, not the players themselves.