Everybody involved in the running of sport, and indeed everybody taking part, has a level of responsibility to ensure that as many people as possible can enjoy sport safely.
The Government is clear that being physically active and taking part in sports has a wide range of benefits, both for individuals of all ages, genders and demographics and for communities more widely. Sport brings people together and builds social bonds, it can help drive economic activity at local and national levels, and it can help people develop skills and confidence.
Arguably one of the most widely recognised benefits of being active and taking part in sporting activities is the positive impact it can have on physical and mental health, with its inherent benefits across society.
As acknowledged in the July 2021 report of the DCMS Select Committee’s Inquiry into Concussion in Sport, the health benefits to people through mass participation in a sporting activity are tangible, including the potential of reducing the risk of dementia in later life. Being active has been shown to help prevent or lower the risk of the incidence of many health conditions, such as stroke and heart disease, obesity (with all of its associated implications), many forms of cancer and depression.
However, in recent years there has rightly been increased attention on the potential for unintended negative health impacts from being active, particularly around acquired brain injury and concussion. This is not least due to advances in training, coaching, equipment, facilities and technology that have resulted in stronger, faster, better-trained players across all levels of sports. This increased focus also chimes with a move towards the greater recognition and acceptance of the need to address wider issues around the welfare of sports participants and fostering a positive culture in sport, as highlighted by Baroness Grey-Thompson in her 2017 Duty of Care in Sport Report.2
The DCMS Select Committee’s inquiry into concussion in sport has served as a very welcome addition to this important topic. Its report and recommendations are a valuable call to action, which reflect much of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s thinking around how we can make sport safer for everyone.
The Government’s ambition is to help as many people as possible enjoy the benefits of being physically active, whatever their circumstances, age, gender, motivation or level of sporting ability. Concussion and the risks posed by head injury represents a cross-sport issue, and the Government believes it is necessary to bring the sport, health, education and technology sectors together to address the issue collaboratively.
The end goal is to reduce risk where possible, and make sure people know what action to take if head injury does occur. Not all risk can be removed from sport, nor is it necessarily the case that the rules and structure of sports need drastic change. Unpredictability and risk are inherent elements of many sporting activities, and are difficult to completely remove while protecting the essence of each of the wide panoply of sports played in the country. However, this does not mean that nothing can be done.
This report sets out what the Government is doing to reduce risks around head injury and concussion in sport, and what further action we will take. This will involve working with partners from across the sport, health, education, academic and technology sectors. The actions set out in this report do not represent the final word on the subject, but rather set out a starting point for the work that has already been initiated and is intended to be continuously carried out as research, technology and data collection evolve. We are working, and will continue to work, with others to keep these actions under review, and take further action in the future where needed.