Nduka, Bright (2024) A Documentary Analysis of Head-related Policies in Professional Football. In: York St John Postgraduate Research Conference 2024, 9th October 2024, York St John University, York. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Professional football has been recognized as a hazardous occupation, with injury rates surpassing those of other industries (Roderick et al., 2000). Among these injuries, concussions have notably risen among athletes in recent years, prompting increased research attention (Liston et al., 2016). There have been various lay narratives and research speculations suggesting a causal link between heading the ball and brain injuries such as concussion, dementia etc. This has led to the development of various policies prioritizing athlete safety and well-being (Malcolm, 2021).
This study explores the content of head-related policies in football, the extent of their application, as well as the impact of these policies on the health and welfare of young boys in professional football academies. It examines factors that have facilitated or impeded policy implementation and investigates how these policies have shaped the attitudes of these boys toward football.
Using a methodological triangulation approach, data will be collected through documentary analysis, observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, lending greater credibility to the gathered data and the ensuing findings (Bryman, 2012). The sample comprises three purposively selected U-16 football academies in the UK, involving players, coaches, parents/guardians, club doctors, and physiotherapists.
Initial documentary analysis reveals that the formulation of these policies primarily focused on children/teenagers, are informed by research conducted on adults. Thus, the study aims to assess the suitability and effectiveness of these policies in safeguarding the health and safety of boys in professional football academies, with other data collection methods further exploring this objective.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Speech)
Status:	Unpublished
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
School/Department:	School of Science, Technology and Health
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/11726

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