Post by Trinity College Dublin

Experts from Trinity College Dublin have called for a move from self-regulation by sporting bodies to government-led public health interventions for head injuries in sport, at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, 29th April 2026.  Professor Colin P Doherty, Head of the School of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin, outlined potential strategies for prevention, mitigation, monitoring and long-term risk management of repetitive head injuries, stating that this "should be recognised as public health issue". Prof Doherty went on to note that "sport is an essential part of Irish life. It supports physical and mental health, builds communities, and shapes identity (however) this issue requires coordinated national attention in a proactive and positive manner." Also in attendance at the meeting were Prof Matt Campbell of Trinity’s Smurfit Institute of Genetics, and Andrew Dunne, a former professional rugby union player.  They urged the Committee to consider:   - The establishment of a national, multi-stakeholder clinical and policy group to develop consistent, evidence-based guidance across all sports;  - A publicly funded National Concussion Centre for expert advice and guidance to be continually delivered and updated;  - A surveillance system (register) to monitor concussion and head impact exposure over time;  - A focus on prevention, particularly in youth sport and training environments, where exposure can potentially be reduced without compromising the integrity of the game;  - Sustained investment in research to better understand risk, identify vulnerable individuals, and develop effective interventions.    This on foot of recent research led by Trinity College Dublin which showed concerning new insights as to what may be happening in the brains of athletes exposed to repetitive head impacts. In this, researchers identified that a sizable proportion of retired athletes from certain sports show persistent disruption of the blood-brain barrier, a critical protective system. The degree of this disruption correlates with measurable cognitive decline, particularly in memory function. For the first time, this research showed that in some retired athletes with a history of repetitive head injuries, the blood brain barrier remains “leaky” years after they have left the field.      Watch the full meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, 29th April 2026 here: https://lnkd.in/d3TEHgwp Read more about Trinity’s latest research on poor brain health in retired athletes: https://lnkd.in/dNWwgDGY #TrinityResearch | School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin | Houses of the Oireachtas |

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