Morris wants a legal limit on heading in training sessions

Labour MP Grahame Morris on Tuesday tabled a motion to set legal limits on the number of heading attempts players may perform during training, especially as the call for stricter heading rules in English football is becoming increasingly official.

Risks and scientific evidence

Morris, a member of the Labour Party, underpins his proposal with growing concerns about the consequences of repeated head impacts. Research shows that former professional footballers have three and a half times the risk of dying from a brain disease such as Alzheimer’s compared with an average person.

He tabled the motion on Tuesday, in which he urges the government to take measures to protect footballers’ brains. To the BBC he said: ‘The aim is to draw attention to the growing evidence that heading a football is linked to an increased risk of brain diseases.’

Morris calls for legal limits on the number of headings during a training session, education in schools, and a national action plan. England already has guidelines that regulate the number of headings during football.

Amateur footballers are advised not to head the ball more than ten times per week during training. In youth football, heading is being gradually banned for children aged eleven and under.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has also highlighted the issue and believes that English football should officially recognise the dementia problems among former footballers. He also advocates a compensation scheme for affected players and their families, stating: ‘I have spoken with families dealing with dementia and brain injury. Their determination to have this problem taken seriously is extraordinary.’

The two‑minute video invites viewers to see us more often on Google. This appeal underscores the urgency of the discussion around heading in football.