Former Australia soccer captain Paul Wade announced he has been diagnosed with probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and is renewing his advocacy for a ban on heading the ball for all players under the age of 12.
Wade, who represented Australia in 84 international matches, revealed that his memory is declining and he experiences mood swings, which he attributes to repeated head impacts during his soccer career. In late 2024, Wade received a diagnosis of suspected CTE following the onset of neurological symptoms. A subsequent neurological assessment and specialist evaluation late last year led to a diagnosis of probable CTE.
"Football gave me so much. It gave me a life, a career, incredible experiences and the privilege of representing Australia," the 64-year-old Wade stated. "But I also must be honest about the challenges I now face and the uncertainty that comes with living with a neurodegenerative condition."
He described his current condition: "I know my memory’s going. And I’ve been told by a number of people I’ve become a little bit short-tempered."
While Wade does not wish to discourage participation in soccer, he emphasized the need for greater understanding of the long-term effects of head impacts. "But we do need to understand more about the long-term effects of repeated head impacts and make sure that players, families and the game have the information and support they need to protect future generations," he said.
Dr. Rowena Mobbs, Wade's neurologist and a specialist in concussion and CTE, supports reducing heading in junior levels. "As a neurologist, I call for a reduction in heading for players, including removing all heading under 12," Mobbs advised, adding, "You only get one brain."
Wade's experiences are featured in a new mini-documentary produced by Professional Footballers Australia. Beau Busch, CEO of the PFA, highlighted Wade's willingness to share his story as a significant act of leadership. "Australian football must proactively pursue being Australia’s safest sport," Busch said in a PFA release. "That means tackling the issue of brain injury, through better policies, research, education and support for former players."
Concerns about CTE and concussions have gained prominence following lawsuits by players in contact sports like the National Football League in the United States and rugby union in Britain. The 2023 Rugby World Cup occurred amid a UK concussion lawsuit, similar to the NFL's lawsuit settled in 2013 for over $1 billion.
In April, a postmortem examination confirmed advanced CTE in a New Zealand professional rugby player who had died by suspected suicide the previous year. Rugby league icon Wally Lewis is another prominent Australian athlete diagnosed with probable CTE.