https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/aug/29/high-school-football-deaths-public-health-crisis

  • the_post_of_tom_joad [any, any]
    ·
    20 days ago

    6 kids have died in recent less than 3 weeks.

    Also, far be it for me to defend tackle football's safety however the article goes on to say 4 of these 6 kid's deaths are heat related.

    Then goes on to mention 11 other children dying between 2018-2022... Again of heat stroke.

    Then theres this anecdote:

    “I personally had an experience where I was at an SEC football camp and asked a trainer for heat guard – something my Alabama high school coaches and eventually my college program stressed when playing in hot or humid conditions. I was denied the salt tablets even after telling them I was cramping and didn’t feel good. Within the hour, I had blacked out and fallen on concrete.”

    This isnt really a story about CTE or football at all, it's a story about rampant criminal negligence by deliriously ignorant teachers and schools (and perhaps a soupçon of climate change).

    So why doesn't the author blame the schools in charge even once? They were responsibile for these children at the time! This piece bothers me...

    • LeylaLove [she/her, love/loves]
      ·
      20 days ago

      If it was CTEs, I'd be more on board with this, but you're 100 right. Who the fuck denies someone salt tablets?

      • ihaveibs [he/him]
        ·
        20 days ago

        There have a been a few college coaches who have killed players via heat exhaustion including behavior like denying water to the players and they are all still coaching AFAIK

    • Pentacat [he/him]
      ·
      20 days ago

      Parents can’t sue “football.” The article is to keep things the way they are, specifically to keep money and power where it is.