Tragic Diagnosis of CTE in Former Rugby Player Rocks New Zealand Rugby Community
The rugby community in New Zealand is reeling after the first confirmed diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a fully professional rugby union player. Billy Guyton, who played scrum-half in Super Rugby for various teams, passed away at the young age of 33. His brain was donated to the brain bank at the University of Auckland, where Associate Professor Michael Buckland confirmed the diagnosis as stage 2 CTE.
Professor Maurice Curtis emphasized the significance of diagnosing a young person with CTE, highlighting the dangers and long-term effects of head injuries in collision sports like rugby. Guyton had suffered from multiple concussions and ultimately retired in 2018 due to symptoms related to his head injuries.
New Zealand Rugby has expressed concerns about the impact of repeated head impacts in rugby on neurodegenerative diseases like CTE. The governing body is now facing pressure to address the issue and work towards protecting the long-term health of rugby players.
CTE can currently only be diagnosed postmortem, making it difficult to detect in living players. However, science is making strides towards developing a diagnostic method for the living, which could revolutionize the prevention and treatment of CTE in the future.
This devastating news comes in the wake of former professional rugby players such as Steve Thompson, Alix Popham, and Carl Hayman being diagnosed with suspected CTE. These players, along with Guyton, are taking action against governing bodies to raise awareness and advocate for safer practices in rugby.
Reports suggest that Guyton may have taken his own life, underscoring the urgent need to limit contact in collision sports to prevent further cases of CTE. The rugby community is now grappling with the harsh reality of the long-term consequences of head injuries in the sport, prompting calls for increased awareness and action to protect the health and wellbeing of current and future rugby players.
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