Gareth Southgate: England manager to take part in dementia study
- Published
Gareth Southgate has encouraged other former footballers to help with studies investigating possible links between the sport and dementia
England manager Gareth Southgate is to take part in a study researching possible links between football and dementia.
Southgate, 50, will join a study by The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The Three Lions boss has also encouraged other former players to come forward and help with the research.
"Our involvement is absolutely essential if we are to have a greater understanding of this issue," he said.
"Having turned 50 last year, I am now eligible to take part in the HEADING study, which could provide crucial and valuable insight to help people who play the game now and in the future."
The study, backed by the Football Association, is one of a number of research projects looking into the impact of head injuries and heading footballs on players' health.
The ability to gather a more accurate diagnosis of head injuries has been in the spotlight after several members of England's 1966 World Cup-winning team were diagnosed with dementia.
Nobby Stiles and Jack Charlton, who both died last year, had dementia, while Sir Bobby Charlton's family recently revealed he had been diagnosed with the disease.
In November, The Professional Footballers' Association set up a new taskforce to further examine the issue of brain injury diseases in football.