The woman leading the fight to have dementia in football designated an industrial disease has assembled eight pieces of scientific evidence supporting the claim, but still needs the help of former players and their families, Sportsmail can reveal.
Dr Judith Gates, wife of the former Middlesbrough defender Bill Gates, has written a highly detailed policy paper for the Industrial Injury Advisory Council (IIAC) which seeks to address the reasons why in 2005 the body refused the designation, which is part of the Daily Mail’s seven-point charter for change.
Despite being able to cite the substantial peer-reviewed study last year in which Glasgow University’s Dr Willie Stewart demonstrated a link between dementia and heading footballs, the IIAC’s initial response — seen by Sportsmail — suggests the battle is by no means won.