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Ban expected on under-12s heading footballs


Still Waters

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A ban on children heading the ball in Scotland could be in place in a matter of weeks due to fears over the links between football and dementia.

BBC Scotland has learned the Scottish FA wants to lead the way on the issue after a report found former players are more at risk of dying from the disease.

The governing body is expected to announce a ban on under-12s heading the ball in training later this month.

A similar ban has been in place in the US since 2015.

But Scotland would become the first European country to impose a restriction on head contact.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51129653

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  • The title was changed to Ban expected on under-12s heading footballs
 

That's the end of any future Duncan Ferguson s... 

Aye, wee lads woon be able to head tha balls no more..

~

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Alcohol:

  • At 16, you can buy and consume beer, wine or cider with a meal in a restaurant, at the manager's discretion
  • At 18, you can buy alcohol in licensed premises and consume alcohol in a bar

https://www2.gov.scot/Publications/2009/04/02155040/2

You can get drunk if you like, maybe hit your head on a few walls due to intoxication, but you can not hit a ball with you head - sober.

Ah, here are some stats,  Maybe the drinking age limit is what they should be focusing on :

Quote
Over the past 30 years, figures show a 200% increase in hospitalisations of 15 to 24 year olds in Scotland for alcohol- related causes, and a 500%rise in the number of 15 to 24 years olds treated for alcohol psychosis (severe mental disorder).

15 is only 3 years after 12, so if they are not hitting a ball with their head at 12, they could be hitting the bottle at 16/15.

Surely sport would be better than no sport at all. At least playing football could keep them off the streets.

Edited by freetoroam
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2 minutes ago, freetoroam said:

You can get drunk if you like, maybe hit your head on a few walls due to intoxication, but you can not hit a ball with you head - sober.

Well, you can. Just not during official football matches. 

Which, incidentally, you also can't play in if drunk. 

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2 minutes ago, Setton said:

Well, you can. Just not during official football matches. 

Which, incidentally, you also can't play in if drunk. 

I think any athletic sports / training is good for children. It has to be better than sitting on their butt playing computer games or roaming about estates to end up drinking at 15. 

The problem seems to really be in young drinkers, can not understand why they are not  putting the drinking age up to, lets say 25, as the hospitals seem to be having their work cut out and the increases are scary.

They are pretty big increases, which should be addressed with big changes.

 

 

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9 minutes ago, Setton said:

Which, incidentally, you also can't play in if drunk

Unlikely a 12 year old would be in that position,  especially if they have a sport  to keep them occupied. 

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7 minutes ago, freetoroam said:

I think any athletic sports / training is good for children. It has to be better than sitting on their butt playing computer games or roaming about estates to end up drinking at 15. 

And there is still nothing to stop them playing football. 

Just that if they use their head to hit the ball, that will be against the rules. Same as it is if you use your hand. 

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7 minutes ago, Setton said:

Just that if they use their head to hit the ball, that will be against the rules. Same as it is if you use your hand. 

Not quite, it will not be against the rules,  not if they decide it will be down to the ball. 

Quote

Gordon Smith, former chief executive of the Scottish FA, welcomed the proposed ban and told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that young players could still be taught heading techniques safely if they used lighter balls.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51129653

 

So heading will still be allowed. 

Which makes sense as the adult footballers can still head the balls. 

If a youngster goes on to become a football player,  he /she will have to know how to head the ball.

Edited by freetoroam
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1 minute ago, freetoroam said:

Not quite, it will be down to the ball. 

So heading will still be allowed. 

Which makes sense as the adult footballers can still head the balls. 

If a youngster goes on to become a football player,  he /she will have to know how to head the ball.

So there's absolutely no issue then? Just kicking up a fuss for the sake of it? 

Glad that's settled. 

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1 minute ago, Setton said:

So there's absolutely no issue then? Just kicking up a fuss for the sake of it? 

Glad that's settled. 

Tell it to the BBC,  they are the ones who started this:

Quote

Scottish FA expected to ban children heading footballs within weeks

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51129653

 

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29 minutes ago, L.A.T.1961 said:

In the UK there are two women with dementia for every man, if there was a big link between heading a football and getting the disease you might think the statistics would be the other way around ?

https://www.dementiastatistics.org/statistics/prevalence-by-gender-in-the-uk/  

There is a direct link between dementia and football players that appears to be causal. The only problem is that the data is based on adults with dementia who used to head a very heavy leather ball, so it likely won't apply to kids growing up these days, who instead head a really light ball. It seems to be overly cautious.

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Then they should have headed an old football from The 50s espeacially when it got whet or an old select ball.

I found The whole thing rather silly. 

Edited by 'Walt' E. Kurtz
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What about these head ball games?  Should they come with a hazard warning?  Warning - May affect someone's mental health.

 

 

head1.png

 

 

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I remember being forced to head the ball in training at school. It really hurt to be honest and if something hurts its probably not good for you.

I like the idea of a lighter ball till they get the correct technique. Banning it is over the top but so was going home with a stinking headache as you had not mastered it with a heavy leather ball.

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the state Scottish football is in i thought they'd already banned football altogether. never mind heading the ball. :D

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  • 1 month later...

Update:

Quote

Primary-age children have been banned from heading the ball in new guidelines issued by the football associations in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Heading restrictions for all age groups under 18 were also announced with a graduated use between 12 and 16.

The guidance, which will not yet apply in Wales, will affect training only.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51614088

 

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