The journalist widely credited for exposing the under reporting of concussion in rugby has published a revealing book detailing the battles he faced.
Concussed: Sport's Uncomfortable Truth by journalist and author Sam Peters is the definitive story of how he fought to get concussion in rugby from a fringe topic to front page news, often at personal cost.
Luke Griggs, Chief Executive of Headway – the brain injury association, who is quoted in the book, said:
“Sam’s determination to bring this topic into the public eye is commendable and was essential in helping us to get to where we are today in terms of awareness and understanding of concussion.
“While the focus of Sam’s initial work was to highlight the extent of the concussion crisis in British rugby, with a focus on protecting the professional players, it also significantly helped to increase the public’s understanding of traumatic brain injury in sport.
“Grass roots rugby players, footballers or hockey players, for example, are also at risk of concussion. Crucially, however, they do not have the same level of medical expertise on hand when injuries occur.
“If professional sport was failing to openly report or acknowledge the prevalence of concussion or the short and long-term impact on athlete’s lives, how then would amateur sports people be aware of the signs to look out for and best practice protocols to follow to ensure they are not put at unnecessary risk?
“It was a problem that could no longer be ignored or denied, but it took tremendous strength of character to challenge established practices and force sport to confront this very serious issue.”
Headway’s own Concussion Aware campaign has been equally vocal in calling for change over the past decade, working with journalists such as Sam to keep the issue in the public spotlight.
“One of the key strengths of Concussed: Sport’s Uncomfortable Truth is its ability to humanise the issue,” said Luke. “Demystifying the concept of concussion and explaining the symptoms was also key.
“Those who played sport at grassroots level often didn’t connect the dots between receiving a blow to the head in a match and suffering from problems with memory, concentration or balance in the following weeks.
“By sharing the personal stories of athletes and their struggles with the consequences of brain injury, Sam invites readers to empathise with the real-world consequences of these injuries.
“It's not just statistics and medical jargon; it's about individuals whose lives have been forever altered by brain injury sustained while pursuing their dreams.”
William Hill Sports Book Of The Year Award 2023
Sam's book, Concussed: Sport's Uncomfortable Truth has been shortlisted as a finalist for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award.
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