Thurso football fan tackling 28-mile challenge for dementia research calls for ‘ban’ on heading the ball
A football-daft Thurso man is calling for a ban on heading the ball at all levels of the sport amid a fundraising drive to support dementia research.
Brian Mackay, who lives in East Lothian but maintains his connection to Caithness as a social media manager for clubs in the county, is raising funds for Alzheimer's Research UK by running 28 miles throughout the month of February.
RELATED:
IT expert from Thurso warns of 'ever-changing' nature of cybersecurity threats in new book
Frank tells Spittal SWI about his fundraising walk on John O’Groats Trail
He was initially inspired to the research cause after a close friend told him of his grandmother’s struggle with the illness and has been raising funds via JustGiving.
Mr Mackay’s wife, Susan, whose mother was also diagnosed with dementia three years ago, has been accompanying him on his challenge.
“This is my second charity walk for this great cause,” he explains. “I'd do it again as long as my old bones will carry me and I'd recommend others do the same.
“Money raised for Alzheimer’s Reasearch directly funds ground breaking research aimed at finding a cure for dementia.
“It potentially improves the lives of millions affected by the disease by developing new treatments, improving diagnosis methods, and ultimately reducing the heartbreak caused by dementia for individuals and their families.
But beyond raising money for research into the disease, the 55-year-old is also voicing support for a cause championed by his friend, Amanda Kopel – the wife of former Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers and Dundee United left back Frank Kopel who tragically lost his life to the neurological disease.
A self-confessed football obsessive, Mr Mackay has been involved with Thurso Football Club since their formation in 1998, as its website and social media manager, having also served on its committee.
As well as having helped to promote content for the Caithness AFA and North Caledonian League, he is a devoted Dundee United supporter, and travels to games via an Edinburgh supporters’ bus.
But despite his passion for football, the 55-year-old said he believes it is now time for a change in the way the game is played - with the removal of “heading” the ball top of the list.
“When I played football I hated heading the ball,” he explains. “Some will no doubt disagree, but there is a lack of understanding of what it can do to your brain. We lose ex-players every year to dementia.
“These are men who used to head an old leather ball back in the day. It is horrendous for that to happen to players who never knew what damage they were causing to their brain.
“These days, younger players have the information – and its backed up by researchers, doctors and scientists. It’s our duty as supporters and people involved in football to want to change it to prevent future illness.
“I’ve always loved the game. It's a big part of my life, but the game will evolve without heading the ball. It’s a simple game, football. People can make it too complicated - but if there’s way we can change it to make it safer, we should do it, and at all levels.”
In 2019, researchers at the University of Glasgow compared the causes of death of 7676 former Scottish male professional football players born between 1900 and 1976 against over 230,000 matched individuals from the general population.
The study revealed that former professional football players had an approximately three and a half times higher rate of death due to neurodegenerative disease than expected.
Amanda Kopel, who blames her husband’s death on damage caused by repeatedly heading the ball, called upon FIFA to change the rules at a special event held by football safety lobby group, Heading Out, in December
“Football fans will remember Frankie for his goal in this game against Anderlecht in 1979, but to me he was much more than that,” she said.
“He was a loving husband and a fantastic father.
“But he was killed by the game he loved. Heading the ball is so dangerous and has to be removed.
“Frank would have headed the ball thousands of times in training and had many concussions from collisions with other players' heads. FIFA has to change the rules and remove heading to protect players from dementia.”
Heading Out, set up by former Inverness Courier and STV reporter Mike Edwards OBE, aims to secure a ban on heading the ball by the final whistle of the final of World Cup 2030.
