Report: PFA asks FA to consider ban on heading for kids under 10

English football seems set to follow in the footsteps of the American game, as the Professional Footballers’ Association has urged the English Football Association to consider a ban on heading the ball for children under the age of 10, according to a report from the Telegraph.

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U.S. Soccer announced last November a new youth-level initiative that would "(a) improve concussion awareness and education among youth coaches, referees, parents and players; (b) implement more uniform concussion management and return-to-play protocols for youth players suspected of having suffered a concussion” in an attempt to better protect players aged 13 and under.

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The PFA’s call to action is founded on a study, conducted by the University of Stirling, which uncovered “frightening anecdotal evidence of former players suffering with serious brain conditions.” A terrifying statistic from the study:

The Stirling study reported a reduction in memory performance of 41-67 per cent in the 24 hours after players headed a football 20 times that was delivered with the pace and power of a corner kick. Memory function did return to normal 24 hours later but, with many former footballers being diagnosed with brain conditions in later life, the call for urgent and more detailed research has grown ever louder.

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