CSR | September 2014 | News
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multiple concussions and degen-
erative brain disease."
in particular, the statement of
claim points to helmet technolo-
gy that, in the plaintiff 's opinion,
could have prevented or stunted
the magnitude of head trauma.
The CFL was aware, or should
have been aware, of equipment
such as Head impact Telemetry
System, or HiTS helmets, which
allows for the monitoring of the
number and severity of impacts
during a game, according to the
claim. The inner crown is ringed
with sensors to measure the force
of any impact, and only the Cal-
gary Stampeders have used such
helmets — something they started
doing in 2008. Therefore, Bruce
argues that the safest technology
was not made available to him.
Symptoms of concussions can
include dizziness, headaches,
confusion, light and noise sen-
sitivity and memory loss. Typi-
cally, the CFL's rule of thumb
is for teams to wait a minimum
of seven days to ensure a player
is symptom-free before they are
cleared to return to the field.
The league has, in recent years,
put more focus on player safety
and intensified its efforts to treat
concussions in particular.
"The CFL takes player health
and safety very seriously, and
have consistently taken steps
to prevent, assess and properly
treat concussions, through our
rules, player education and disci-
pline and medical protocols and
procedures," said Jamie Dyks-
tra, a CFL spokesperson, adding
that because this particular case
is currently in the hands of the
league's legal counsel, he is un-
able to comment further.
The case has significant impli-
cations for the Canadian league,
as Bruce's suit represents the first
time a player has taken action
against his league.
NFL ruling
South of the border, however, a
federal judge this summer ap-
proved compensation claims for
concussion-related injuries for
thousands of ex-national Foot-
ball League players. The land-
mark ruling awarded compen-
sation for the more than 4,500
retired players part of the class-
action, who have suffered from
dementia, Lou Gehrig's disease
and other neurological problems
as a result of head injuries on the
field.
initially, the settlement includ-
ed $675 million for players with
neurological symptoms, $75 mil-
lion for baseline testing and $10
million for medical research and
education, as well as an additional
$112 million for players' legal
counsel. in the end, the overall cap
for damage claims was eliminated,
but a payout formula for individu-
als was established that takes into
account age and illness.
Back in Canada, the B.C. Lions
lawsuit could help to establish bet-
ter safety regulations and improve
equipment for current and future
players as well as draw the line in
times of doubt, Wishart said.
"What we hope will come out
of this lawsuit is a concussion
protocol that focuses not just on
returning to play, but, one that
tells players, parents and coaches
when it is time for a child to walk
away from the game," she said.
next, the CFL, B.C. Lions and
Mark Cohon are expected to for-
mally respond to the civil claim
before heading to court.
FOOTBALL < pg. 1
CFL should have known about HITS helmets: suit
Ghatu Subhash (right) and his research partner Keith Peters are pictured in their lab at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla. Subhash
and Peters believe they have come up with a low-cost way to improve football helmets and better protect players against the glancing blows
that experts say contribute to most concussions — fluid-filled pouches for football helmets to prevent concussions.
Photo: Steve Johnson (Reuters)
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