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The story…

UK’s first ‘no heading’ adult football match

Learn language related to…

brain injuries

Need-to-know language…

diagnosed – recognised the existence of a condition through examination

dementia – mental condition which affects memory and causes confusion

carried out – completed or did something

played a part – contributed to something

struggling – finding something hard to deal with or do

Answer this…

Which new rule was added to the first half of this game of football?

Watch the video online: https://bbc.in/3aybdE1

Transcript

Kicking off the game, former Middlesbrough defender Bill Gates. Now 77, he has been diagnosed with dementia. A game, organised by his family, aiming to raise awareness for sport-related brain injuries.

Judith Gates – Head for Change

We really want people to start thinking, talking, considering alternatives. With the overarching aim of protecting the players and protecting the game.

On the face of it, football as we know it with one simple rule: no heading outside of the 18-yard box. A UK first, it was always going to take some getting used to.

Heading is and has always been an important part of the game, although increasingly research has been carried out to look at what the long-term effects of that might be.

England's 1966 World Cup winning squad. Dementia has played a part in the deaths of Martin Peters, Ray Wilson, Nobby Stiles and Jack Charlton.

Many will point to the fact that the weight, size and materials used to make footballs has changed a lot since then. However, the Football Association recently updated its rules on heading, including a ban for under 11s during training.

Nesta McGregor – BBC Journalist

Plenty of goals so far, but this game was never about the result but the issue. And now that we're into the second half, heading is banned anywhere on the field.

Yeah, I think instinct is if the ball is in the air, to go attack it and win the ball, but then it brings a different dimension to your game. You've got to adjust. You’ve got to move your feet quicker. Maybe bring the ball down with your chest and try and find different solutions really. But, yeah, it was it was an interesting game.

The link now has been proven between dementia and heading a football and there's so many great players now who are really struggling. It certainly needs looking at - the FA, the Premier League - they all need to look at it and decide what we're going to do with it, what's a safe way to move forward.

We're unlikely to see any changes to the professional game any time soon, but work is under way to make the game safer for everyone.

Did you get it?

Which new rule was added to the first half of this game of football?

Heading was not allowed outside the 18-yard box.