Dr Stephen Townsend from UQ’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences featured in an article by The Guardian discussing an Australian Senate inquiry established amid increasing public concern about sporting organisations’ management of player head injuries.
Dr Townsend supported analogies comparing the cultural and legal landscape around head trauma and contact sport to smoking.
“I think that’s an apt comparison, because Australia in many ways is addicted to contact sport. We love it even though it kills us,” Dr Townsend told the committee.
“I think the smoking comparison is also apt because it prompts us to consider the availability of health information to athletes and parents.”
