UEFA Boss Says May Ban Heading in Youth Football

UEFA will consider banning heading in youth football if an ongoing study concludes that it causes brain damage.

President Aleksander Ceferin stated that the organization would be “strict” should the study, which was commissioned last year by European football’s governing body, find evidence linking football to an increased chance of dementia.

The Telegraph reported that UEFA is the first major governing body to investigate the impact of heading on young people. Their inquiry was prompted by the plight of former footballers, including a number of players who were part of England’s only ever World Cup winning team in 1966, who are suffering from the disease.

One premier League club is taking part in the study, which keeps track of the quantity in which youngsters head the ball.

Any move from UEFA could follow in the footsteps of US football, which banned heading for players under 11 in 2016.

When quizzed on a potential ban, Ceferin said: “We need to take this seriously, of course. If it shows clearly that there is damage, especially for children, we have to be strict”.

“This is very important and I’m curious what this will bring us. When you see some other sports, it’s scary what can happen, (for example) in boxing or even MMA [mixed martial arts]. It’s a problem of many sports, including football. So, I’m looking forward to see this analysis,” he added.