EXCLUSIVE Football's battle with dementia is set for Parliament: Campaigners Sir Geoff Hurst, Kevin Keegan and Mail Sport's Chris Sutton taking fight to end 'national disgrace' to Westminster
Former players including Sir Geoff Hurst, Kevin Keegan and Chris Sutton are to taking their fight to Westminster on Tuesday.
They are part of the Football Families for Justice group, which is calling on the sport's governing bodies to provide effective assistance for ex-stars suffering from neurodegenerative diseases.
Studies have shown that footballers are diagnosed with such illnesses at rates of four to five times higher than the general public.
And the group wants politicians to amend the incoming Football Governance Bill to finally address the issues and force those at the top to act.
The campaign, backed by the mayors of Manchester and Liverpool Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram and the likes of David Beckham and David May, aims to place a statutory duty on the football authorities and the PFA to develop a comprehensive football and dementia strategy – including a financial support scheme agreed with players past and present and their families that helps to cover care home costs.
The group will meet and lobby MPs 24 hours after the second reading of the Bill where Debbie Abrahams MP will raise issues on FFJ's behalf.
John Stiles, son of World Cup winner Nobby – who passed away following a battle with dementia – will also be present.
'The treatment of ex-footballers is a national disgrace,' the former Leeds United man said. 'Enough is enough. The government needs to mandate the creation of a fund that will provide best-in-class care to the players when they become ill.
'The medical evidence is conclusive. Players incur fatal brain diseases at four times the national average. This is because of heading the ball – and it is estimated that about 17,000 ex-players will die due to brain diseases incurred from heading.
'Right now we're seeing older players, many of whom played well before and outside the riches of the Premier League, and their families left to suffer this tragedy.'
A £1m fund was set up by the top-flight and the PFA in the wake of the
campaign led by Stiles, but has been dismissed by campaigners as woefully inadequate.
'These people deserve respect and kindness,' he added. 'They don't deserve to be fobbed off with a £1m smokescreen.'
'We have the support of people like Kevin Keegan, Graeme Souness, Sir Geoff Hurst, David Beckham, and the family of Sir Bobby Charlton. It's time for the MPs and government to step in to address this national disgrace.'
Burnham, influential in the campaign for justice for those impacted by the Hillsborough tragedy, added: 'At long last, the fight for fairness for football families affected by dementia and other neuro-degenerative conditions reaches Parliament this week.
'The game's failure to deal fairly with this issue means we must now look to MPs to pass amendments to the Football Governance Bill to place a duty on the football authorities to establish a support scheme.
'There is more than enough money in football to support people who built the English game into what it is today.'
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