Joe Kinnear's Daughter Joins Lawsuit Against Football Governing Bodies Over Brain Injuries

Russ Doffman, daughter of the late Joe Kinnear, has joined a lawsuit against several football governing bodies, including Ifab, FA, EFL, and FAW. The lawsuit alleges negligence in protecting players from brain injuries and dementia, following her father's diagnosis and subsequent death at the age of 77.

Joe Kinnear, a former manager of Newcastle, Wimbledon, and Luton Town, was diagnosed with dementia in 2015. He passed away in April 2022, after years of battling the condition. Doffman and other families involved in the lawsuit claim that football authorities failed to take reasonable steps to protect players from permanent injuries caused by repetitive concussive and sub-concussive blows.

Why this matters: This lawsuit raises important questions about the responsibility of sports organizations to safeguard their players' health and the long-term impacts of head injuries in football. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the future of player welfare in the sport.

Doffman has voiced her concerns about the impact of heading drills on her father's health. She suspects that repeated heading drills with heavy leather balls during his playing days caused significant damage to his brain. "I've got two sons, and I used to go to their football training, and they were told to put their whole weight into heading. This is what concerns us now, going forwards," Doffman said.

The Football Association (FA) has taken steps to address these concerns by introducing a new rule to phase out deliberate heading in grassroots youth matches at under-11 level and below across England. Research commissioned by the FA found that former professional footballers are almost three and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than the general population.

Despite these measures, Doffman and other families believe that more needs to be done. The Kinnear family faced significant financial challenges in caring for Joe, with care costs amounting to several thousand pounds a month. Doffman applied for financial assistance from a dedicated support fund but found the process difficult and the support insufficient. "I wish I hadn't bothered. I wish I hadn't lowered myself. When Dad became ill, it was like, 'You're done.' We received very little in support," she said.

The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and the Premier League have launched a new brain health fund with an initial £1 million to assist former players and their families impacted by dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions. However, Doffman feels that the football industry needs to take more responsibility for the welfare of its players. "While acknowledging it wasn't linked, they have a duty of care," she stated.

The lawsuit also includes the family of 1966 World Cup winner Nobby Stiles, who died in 2020 with prostate cancer and advanced dementia. This legal action is part of a broader effort to hold football authorities accountable for their role in protecting players from brain injuries and dementia.

The lawsuit's progression raises important questions about the responsibility of sports organizations to safeguard their players' health and the long-term impacts of head injuries in football. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the future of player welfare in the sport.

Key Takeaways

• Russ Doffman joins lawsuit against football governing bodies over brain injuries and dementia.
• Her father, Joe Kinnear, died in 2022 after battling dementia, allegedly caused by repetitive head injuries.
• Doffman blames heading drills with heavy leather balls for her father's condition.
• FA has introduced new rules to phase out deliberate heading in youth matches, but more action is sought.
• Lawsuit raises questions about sports organizations' responsibility to protect players' health.