Latest news with #TraumaticEncephalopathy
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Hayley McQueen's turmoil over 18-month wait for dad Gordon's death certificate
Hayley McQueen's father Gordon passed away in June 2023 at the age of 70, two years after being diagnosed with vascular dementia, with an inquest into his death yet to take place Sky Sports presenter Hayley McQueen's wait for her father Gordon's death certificate has now incredibly passed 18 months. He was best known for his successful career as a football player, which saw him represent Manchester United, Leeds United and Scotland. In June 2023, Sky Sports presenter Hayley revealed her father had passed away, two years after being diagnosed with vascular dementia. At the start of 2025, Northallerton Coroners Court announced there would be an inquest into McQueen's passing, which will examine the effect of heading the ball throughout his career, while also scrutinising the nature of the goals he scored. The McQueen family has openly voiced their concerns about the potential link between heading footballs and his dementia. Nearly half a year since the inquest began, Hayley has spoken up about the upsetting delay her family is facing in getting the death certificate, as a result of the inquest. Speaking on the Ainslie + Ainslie Performance People podcast, when asked to confirm that her family have still not been given a death certificate, she said: "Yes. We are still waiting for the cause of death and whether it's ruled as industrial disease." Hayley offered up McQueen's brain for scientific research to Professor William Stewart, who had significant involvement in the 2021 government investigation into sports-related brain injuries. She added: "I was in contact with him before and we discussed a few things. I'd had to get quite a matter of fact about things, but I was like 'Oh, my dad does want to donate his brain to medical science.' "We did that privately, but our local coroner determined that he wanted to open an inquest because on my Dad's death certificate - well he doesn't have a death certificate – the interim cause of death, when you're issued a certificate to be able to deal with banking issues and things like that, was down as pneumonia. "My dad did not die from pneumonia. He was bed bound and because of the liquid intake, it was a complication. Eventually, that took him." While explaining what Professor Stewart discovered while looking at her father's brain, she added: "Everything points towards the heading of the football. "There is CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) that Professor Stewart found. He's just the most wonderful and incredible man, and he sat with us and broke down everything in the post-mortem." In 2019, research from the Football Association and the Professional Footballers' Association highlighted that football players are 3.5 times more susceptible to degenerative brain diseases. The inquiry into McQueen's death is yet to receive a starting date, as the coroner Jon Heath said they must locate the ex-defender's medical records from 1972 to 1995 before moving forward with the inquiry. There's still no word on when the inquest will happen. But after Hayley's discussion with Professor Stewart, the family's resolve to uncover more details about the death has only intensified. She added: "It spurred us on. We were like 'Okay, we're going to fight this fight.' We haven't done it for any kind of litigation, we just want information. "I would love to know that, if they think it was from the heading of the football, that the information was really powerful, to make the authorities and people in football really start to pay attention to the fact that you can get brain damage from heading a football." Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Rob Gronkowski clears the air on wild Aaron Hernandez masturbation claims during Patriots meetings
Rob Gronkowski addressed a long-standing, bizarre rumor about Aaron Hernandez allegedly masturbating during Patriots team meetings, calling it 'crazy.' (Getty Images) Rob Gronkowski, known as much for his wild personality as for his dominant career on the football field, is no stranger to shocking stories. But his latest appearance on the Bussin' With the Boys podcast has fans doing a double take. When a long-standing rumor about his late New England Patriots teammate Aaron Hernandez resurfaced, Gronk didn't dodge the question—he danced on the edge of confirmation. Gronk calls out 'crazy' Aaron Hernandez meeting story fans still can't stop talking about During the candid interview, former NFL offensive lineman Taylor Lewan put it bluntly, asking Gronkowski whether it was true that Hernandez had been 'in the team meeting room beating off and doing crazy s***.' Gronk's response was classic Gronkowski—half-joking, half-jaw-dropping: 'That's a possibility, that one,' he said, laughing nervously. 'I may or may not have seen it live. I'm not going to confirm nor deny. ' Instead of expressing shock or disgust, Gronk leaned into the chaotic vibe that fans have come to associate with both him and the controversial Hernandez. 'I love crazy s***, though,' Gronkowski admitted. 'I didn't mind things like that. I was like, 'Wow, that was pretty epic.' I was a wild man myself. Nothing fazed me.' This bizarre anecdote only scratches the surface of what has become one of the most infamous legacies in NFL history. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 42歲女性只吃數個月就判若兩人！用萬寧賣的「這個」超有效 好速纖 HELASLIM 了解更多 Hernandez, who shared the Patriots' tight end room with Gronk from 2010 to 2012, was once viewed as a rising star. Together, they were a nightmare for opposing defenses. But while Gronk's career soared, Hernandez's life spiraled into tragedy. Hernandez was arrested in 2013 for the murder of Odin Lloyd and later convicted of first-degree murder. In 2017, he died by suicide in prison, with posthumous reports revealing that he had been suffering from Stage 3 Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)—a severe brain condition often linked to repeated head trauma. Gronkowski, despite his usually lighthearted demeanor, admitted that the extent of Hernandez's darkness caught him off guard. 'I didn't see it going to the level that it went to,' he said. 'That was a surprise. It was a surprise to everyone because you would never expect anyone, especially in that position, to have it go to the level that it went to.' He further acknowledged that while Hernandez did show signs of unpredictability, the depths of his troubles were largely hidden. 'I didn't know it was that bad. I knew that there was definitely some wild sides to him,' Gronkowski shared. With multiple documentaries, including Netflix's Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez, casting a spotlight on the disgraced star's complex life, Gronkowski reflected on how Hernandez was portrayed. 'With everything coming out, there's some that I would say is true in the documentaries… there's some that's probably exaggerated a little bit. But there's some that's not exaggerated at all, either.' As a four-time Super Bowl champion and one of the NFL's most colorful personalities, Rob Gronkowski continues to captivate both on and off the field. His recollection of Hernandez—part amusement, part sadness—adds yet another layer to a story that continues to haunt the NFL and fascinate fans. Also Read: Donald Trump mocks New York Jets in a subtle way, while praising Tim Tebow's NFL success Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Otago Daily Times
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Brain injury group appalled by 'horrendous' new collision sport
By Adam Burns of RNZ A brain injury support group says it is appalled that the controversial collision sport Run it Straight is staging events across Auckland. The activity, which has generated tens-of-millions of views on social media, involves a ball runner and a defender running full speed into each other within a 20 metre zone. The participant who "dominates" the contact is deemed the winner. On the RUNIT Championship League homepage, it claimed to be "the future and home of collision sports". "RUNIT's the world's fiercest, new collision sport. Born to go viral, built to break limits, it has taken social media by storm with tens of millions of views. "Designed for live crowds and global broadcasts, RUNIT delivers real athletes and the biggest collisions." The first of several scheduled events in Auckland this week was held on Monday night at Trusts Arena with prize money of up to $20,000 on offer. Chief executive of the Headway charity Stacey Mowbray said the activity was undoubtedly causing brain injury. "There's some horrendous and really distressing videos. Going into seizure, having obvious brain injury, that's what we can see," she said. "We refer to concussions as the invisible injury, so you don't have to see anything initially to have had one." Mowbray said the format and promotion of the Run It Straight events appeared to exploit financially vulnerable people by offering large cash prizes. "It's so hard to say no to this $20,000 carrot hanging in front of you when people right now are finding life pretty tough," she said. Despite its burgeoning popularity, the sport has not been without other detractors in other contact codes over its safety and risk. Former league internationals Dean Lonergan and Mark Carroll have raised concerns over its safety. After representing both Australia and New South Wales during the 1990s, Carroll revealed in 2023 he had been diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Headway also took aim at the involvement of New Zealand Warriors stand-off Chanel Harris-Tavita, who was a special guest at RUNIT's Auckland trial at Trusts Arena on Monday. Other league stars, both current and former, have been involved in the promotion of Run it Straight, including Melbourne and Kiwi forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona and former South Sydney and Great Britain prop George Burgess. "We have contacted New Zealand Warriors to express our serious concern about this association and what message this is sending," Mowbray said. As reported by the NZ Herald, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) had also distanced itself from the sport, believing the sport "carried significant risk of serious injury". Earlier this month, Headway also flagged concerns with Auckland Council, the Mayor's office, elected members and WorkSafe New Zealand about how permits for Run it Straight events were issued. "This is not just a twisted ankle. A concussion, particularly when it's not managed properly, can have really significant impacts," Mowbray said. "How, under the Health and Safety Act, did this permit get approved and how did the promoters provide evidence that they were mitigating the risks?" RUNIT, Auckland Council and the New Zealand Warriors have all been approached for comment.
