Former Rugby Internationals Launch Legal Action

Former England rugby international Steve Thompson (pictured above) has announced that he has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and has joined a group of seven other former players who will take legal action against the sport.

Each member of the group claims to have been diagnosed with the illness, and says it has been brought on by repeated knocks to the head, leaving them with permanent brain damage.

Thompson – who won the World Cup with England in 2003 – says he can’t remember any of the games in that tournament.

He said: “I can’t remember any of those games. It’s frightening.”

“You see us lifting the World Cup and I can see me there jumping around. But I can’t remember it

“I’d rather have just had a normal life. I’m just normal. Some people go for the big lights, whereas I never wanted that. Would I do it again? No, I wouldn’t. I can’t remember it. I’ve got no feelings about it.”

The group’s legal action will aim to get compensation from the sport, and will point out the impact on their future employment prospects as well as the care they will require in future years. 

The players will also present the sport with a list of changes it can make to reduce risk, which will include limiting contact in training and reducing tactical substitutions among other measures to improve detection of brain injury.

A spokesperson for World Rugby told The Guardian: “While not commenting on speculation, World Rugby takes player safety very seriously and implements injury-prevention, management and education strategies based on the latest available knowledge, research and evidence.”

Other players involved in the legal action are reported to include former Wales player Alix Popham, and former England international Michael Lipman.