Multiple sources reported on President Obama’s interview with the New Republic, where he expressed concern over the mental health of the nation’s collegiate football players in light of similar concerns being addressed by the NFL. The President expressed that, if he had a son, it would be a difficult choice to let him play football, in light of the recent evidence that a large amount of players are experiencing brain injuries as a result of the repeated collisions they endure.
USA Today (1/27, Lopresti) reports, “The president of the United States is worried about the most pressing college football issue of our time…The carnage of concussions has Barack Obama’s attention, as it should everyone.” According to USA Today, “You play the game long enough, get hit in the head hard enough, have that happen enough times, and you might not even recognize yourself one day,” due to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, as a result of repeated blows to the head. USA Today finishes the piece by calling on the NCAA to act, saying, “Nobody should let bureaucratic malaise get in the way on this one. The president means you, NCAA.”
Related Links:
— “Concussions in football: The president is watching, “Mike Lopresti,USA Today Sports, January 27, 2013.