CTE in Scott Vermillion diagnosed, first case in sports in the United States

CTE in Scott Vermillion diagnosed, first case in sports in the United States

The late Scott Vermillion, a former MLS player, is now the first known case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (known as CTE) in American professional football, according to The New York Times.

Vermillion died at the age of 44 on December 25, 2020 from acute alcohol and prescription drug poisoning, according to his family, but doctors at Boston University discovered in late 2021 that Vermillion was also suffering. stage 2 CTE after examining his brain. That same year, doctors at Boston University also discovered that former San Francisco 49ers tight end Greg Clark also suffered from CTE before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at age 49 years old.

“Football is clearly a risk to CTE,” Dr. Ann McKee, director of Boston University’s CTE Center, told The Times. “Not as much as football, but clearly a risk.”

Due to the nature of CTE, it is impossible to know if an individual is suffering from it until they are already dead. But symptoms include memory loss, depression, and aggressive or impulsive behavior.

CTE has been a major talking point in professional sports for some time, particularly in the NFL, but this is the first public diagnosis at the professional football level in the United States. The problem of concussions in football has become more prominent over the past decade as cases and advocates for better protocols have emerged over the years.

Patrick Grange, a 29-year-old amateur soccer player, was the first named person to have CTE in 2014. Former New England Revolution star Taylor Twellman established the THINKTaylor Foundation after his career as a player was cut short by a dangerous concussion in 2010. He was one of 300 athletes who pledged to donate their brains to CTE research. National Football Hall of Famer Brandi Chastain has also agreed to donate her brain.

“I hope this brings clarity to the Vermillion family on a very tragic experience for everyone involved,” Twellman said. tweeted Tuesday. “CTE is a real problem and, to no one’s surprise, football players are in danger. I hope we continue to evolve and change for the better of our game.”

Calls for more concussion prevention protocols in football

The world of soccer has not neglected concussion prevention. American football banned headers in games and training for young players in 2015 and English football introduced guidelines for headers at all levels of the sport in mid-2021.

The International Football Association Board has also approved the use of concussion substitutes on a trial basis from January 2021, meaning teams would receive an additional substitution if they remove a player from a match who has suffered a concussion or was suspected of having suffered one. But the rules were never fully utilized.

In response to the Times report, the MLS Players Association called on the league to fully adopt these concussion substitution protocols to help prevent more players from suffering Vermillion’s fate.

“Despite the danger to player health and safety, FIFA and FAB have clung to outdated substitution rules that do not adequately protect players. We must not sit idly by and wait for them to do this. MLS should unilaterally enact a full concussion substitution rule immediately,” the MLSPA said in the statement.

“Current substitution rules do not allow medical professionals enough time to properly diagnose potential concussions without putting a team at a substantial competitive disadvantage. When a player suffers a potential brain injury on the pitch , he must be immediately removed from play and fully evaluated by a doctor.Upon this diagnosis, the rules should allow a team to temporarily replace another player.The rule currently being tested in MLS has somewhat relaxed these rules of substitution, but it is not enough.

“Our industry should keep up with evolving science and make changes to the game to keep players safe. The first step is obvious.”

Vermillion appeared in 62 MLS games from 1998 to 2001. He played for the Kansas City Wizards (1998), Colorado Rapids (1999-2001) and DC United (2001) after a three-year career at the University of Virginia. Vermillion, a defender, scored three goals during his professional career before a lingering ankle injury forced him into retirement in 2001.

Scott Vermillion died in 2020 but was diagnosed with CTE in 2021. (Brian Bahr/ALLSPORT)

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