WorkSafe Victoria has launched an investigation into the Australian Football League's (AFL) management of player brain injuries, examining whether the league adequately protected footballers from repeated head impacts during training. The probe, which is expected to provide an update by July 28, comes as concern grows over chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma.
Recent findings revealed that 33 Australian Rules footballers have been diagnosed with CTE after their deaths, highlighting a significant crisis within the sport. WorkSafe is specifically reviewing the AFL's compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, focusing on contact training practices and collision load tracking from November 2022 onwards. This investigation intensifies pressure on the AFL's concussion policies and the adequacy of its current safeguards against the cumulative effects of head impacts.
Experts have warned about the urgent need to address the risks associated with contact sports. Professor Alan Pearce stated that CTE is a preventable environmental disease and suggested the AFL bears responsibility for the issue, citing the tragic deaths and the lack of concern observed. Associate Professor Michael Buckland from the Australian Sports Brain Bank emphasized that playing contact sports increases the risk of CTE later in life, a problem requiring immediate attention.
The investigation follows mounting criticism, including a class action lawsuit led by former Geelong star Max Rooke, who is suing the AFL over alleged lifelong injuries sustained from concussions. Former AFL concussion adviser Paul McCrory resigned from the league's concussion group after opposing its 12-day return-to-play protocol, arguing it did not align with current scientific understanding of recovery times. Former Victorian coroner John Cain had previously recommended limits on contact training after an inquest into the death of former player Shane Tuck.
In response to these concerns, the AFL has committed to introducing contact training restrictions from the start of the 2027 pre-season as part of its Brain Health Initiative. The league stated its ongoing commitment to expanding brain health research, including a long-term study involving brain donation. AFL executive Laura Kane confirmed that players receive annual education on concussion symptoms, management, and long-term risks. The Brain Health Initiative also aims to drive innovation in protective equipment and explore options to reduce head trauma.
However, the challenges persist. Zurich Insurance recently confirmed that AFL footballers will lose total and permanent disability insurance cover for claims related to traumatic brain injury, concussion, CTE, and related neurological impairments made after May 1. The insurer cited continued uncertainty about the long-term health impacts of playing high-contact sports. Lawyer Michel Margalit, representing over 100 former AFL players in a class action, stated that the current support systems are inadequate, falling short of a statutory compensation scheme and offering insufficient funding compared to WorkCover.