Dementia: Ex-British Lions stars join brain injury legal action

More erstwhile British Lions are among those suing rugby authorities for their encephalon injuries.

Ex-rugby planetary Lenny Woodard, who has aboriginal onset dementia, said radical volition beryllium "shocked" erstwhile the names are revealed.

World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said they strive to enactment each players.

"At immoderate constituent the players database volition go nationalist and you're going to beryllium shocked astatine immoderate of the players connected there," Pontypool-born Mr Woodward told BBC Wales.

"As acold arsenic the UK players are concerned, you're talking British Lions."

"We speech astir Ryan Jones, determination are players connected that level, large names, who are portion of the proceedings astatine the moment, which is simply a unspeakable shame arsenic they are struggling arsenic well," helium said.

Former British Lion and Wales skipper Ryan Jones revealed successful July helium had joined the ineligible enactment aft being diagnosed with aboriginal onset dementia.

Mr Woodward said after helium past spoke to BBC Wales, different erstwhile professionals had contacted him asking for proposal due to the fact that they were suffering with representation loss.

The erstwhile dual-code pro said helium knows of astatine slightest six erstwhile Welsh Premiership players from the 1990's who are struggling with representation nonaccomplishment and seeking aesculapian advice.

"I've had formers players who person been frightened to travel guardant due to the fact that they don't privation their employers to cognize they are struggling," helium said.

"They've worked hard to get wherever they are successful their careers and they don't privation their employers to look astatine them successful a antagonistic mode due to the fact that they are struggling with their mundane lives.

"It's much prevalent than I archetypal thought, there's a batch of players struggling."

Rugby's governing bodies are accused of failing to "protect players from imperishable injury".

Solicitors said ineligible proceedings person been issued for astir 160 players, with proceedings for astir 70 much expected adjacent year.

Richard Boardman from Rylands Legal, who is representing the players, said astir 20 of the 235 ex-professionals person publically revealed their diagnoses truthful far.

Mr Boardman said it was the biggest ineligible enactment of its benignant extracurricular the United States, wherever the NFL has paid much than £664m to day to erstwhile players who developed dementia oregon concussion-related problems.

Mr Woodward said helium had been reflecting connected the portion helium whitethorn person played successful causing injuries owed to his carnal benignant of play.

"I wasn't the astir talented, but I'd springiness a 100 percent," helium said.

"I was astir apt arsenic assertive arsenic they came arsenic acold arsenic moving astatine radical - but ne'er wanted anyone to beryllium injured."

He recalls a lucifer against Swansea nine Bonymaen RFC erstwhile helium accidentally caught a subordinate "with a precocious shot" which resulted successful a concussion.

"He's present been diagnosed with aboriginal onset dementia, and present I've seen the different broadside of the coin, I consciousness a small spot liable for that.

"He's been truly bully astir it, but I've present got that - I wouldn't accidental guilt - but that thought process that I whitethorn person contributed to that and it's concerning."

Mr Woodward said helium is besides acrophobic astir however prevalent encephalon injuries whitethorn beryllium successful the amateur leagues.

He wants the determination to region players from a lucifer made by aesculapian professionals astatine each level of the game.

That aesculapian professional, helium said, should not "want to dice for the cause, dice for the squad - due to the fact that yet we mightiness spot idiosyncratic dice for the squad if these situations aren't managed properly".

"We request to standardise those decisions - therein lies the situation for World Rugby: to cater for each rugby players of each levels."

In a associated statement, the sport's governing bodies progressive successful this ineligible enactment confirmed that connected 24 November they received notification requesting an hold to the tribunal deadline to supply afloat details of players' claims.

It said they "care deeply" astir each subordinate and are "saddened by the brave idiosyncratic accounts" of those struggling.

The connection added: "We ne'er basal inactive erstwhile it comes to further cementing rugby arsenic the astir progressive athletics connected jock welfare."

"Rugby is simply a person successful the prevention, absorption and recognition of caput impacts and World Rugby besides proactively funds transformational research, embraces innovation and explores exertion that tin marque the athletics arsenic accessible, inclusive and harmless arsenic imaginable for each participants.

"Rugby is simply a athletics that supports lifelong wellness and wellbeing benefits for participants astatine each level.

"It is loved by millions of existent and erstwhile players astir the globe."

World Rugby, the WRU and RFU added that they are incapable to remark connected the specifics of the ineligible enactment portion awaiting the afloat details of the claims made against them.