The sample was taken from men who played professional football in Scotland between 1900 and 1976. However, despite the dementia risk, the study also found that playing the game increased average lifespan. The long-awaited study was commissioned by the Football Association and the Professional Footballers' Association after delays in initial research had angered Astle's family. Former England international Astle developed dementia and died in 2002 at the age of 59. His daughter Dawn said she was "relieved" the study eventually went ahead, with her father's case highlighted by former England captain Alan Shearer in a BBC documentary Alan Shearer: Dementia, Football and Me.

Source: BBC October 21, 2019 11:22 UTC