Former Australian Football League player becomes first female athlete to be diagnosed with CTE
CBSAPR 2023
Anderson's diagnosis is just the tip of the iceberg and should be a wake-up call for every woman playing popular contact sports. Sporting bodies worldwide must also improve concussion protocols to protect their players and minimize or avoid traumatic brain injuries. While CTE may be incurable, lives can be saved by introducing strategies and policies to make contact sports safer in general.
Now that the evidence strongly suggests female athletes are more likely to suffer from concussions than their male counterparts, paying attention to risks inherent in contact sports is imperative. Women's neck strength differs from men's, so enduring constant impacts leads to a higher chance of long-term cognitive impairment. Women should strongly consider restricting participation in high-risk sports altogether given the medical evidence.