Is there a link between contact sport and MND?
There is growing evidence to support the proposition that repeated head injuries in sport can cause Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
What is less well-known, or understood, is the possible link between contact sport and the development of Motor Neurone Disease (MND), albeit that early studies seem to suggest a link between the two.
The MND Association suggests that up to 5000 adults in the UK suffer at any one time and there is a 1 in 300 risk of getting the disease in a lifetime.
With these statistics in mind, it is noticeable how many former rugby and football players develop the disease – with Doddie Weir, Joost van der Westhuizen, Rob Burrow and Stephen Darby among those affected.
In this session, Dr Willie Stewart will consider and comment on the research exploring links between neurodegenerative disease and contact sport, with a particular focus on the more recent work linking sport to MND.
Click here to view Dr Willie Stewart's bio.
The Must-Attend Event for Sports & Law Professionals
Our 10th Annual Conference in association with Winston & Strawn LLP, scheduled for Thursday, 1st May 2025, will take place at the five-star Leonardo Royal London St Paul's Hotel. The milestone event will celebrate a decade of bringing together top legal and sports professionals to discuss the most pressing issues in the industry.
As always, the conference will feature an exceptional line-up of speakers and panellists, including leading experts in anti-doping, athlete welfare, good governance, and integrity. We are also excited to announce that TV presenter Jacqui Oatley MBE will be moderating the conference, bringing her expertise and dynamic presence to the event. Attendees will have the chance to engage in dynamic discussions, learn from thought leaders, and gain valuable insights into the latest trends shaping the future of sports law.
In addition to the informative sessions, the conference will provide ample networking opportunities, with over 250 professionals from the legal and sports sectors expected to attend. From a dedicated breakfast to networking coffee breaks and a post-conference drinks reception, there will be plenty of chances to connect and share ideas with like-minded peers.
A provisional agenda is available on our event page, and we will gradually announce detailed session topics and speaker profiles in the coming months.
TICKETS
We are pleased to keep ticket prices the same as last year, despite rising costs and high inflation.
Early Bird Tickets are priced at £330.00 (ex. VAT) and are available until 23:59 on Monday, 24 March 2025.
Standard Tickets are priced at £395.00 exc. of VAT.
Students in full-time education have the opportunity to attend the conference for the discounted price of £99.00 exc. of VAT with our Academic Ticket (student ID or email address required).
Our Group Ticket permits three tickets to be purchased for the price of two standard price tickets (which works out as £263.33 exc. of VAT per ticket). Please note that this offer is only applicable to standard ticket prices and all three attendees must be from the same organisation. Further discounts are also available should an organisation wish to purchase more than 3 tickets. To find out more about our group bookings please email us at: resolve@sportresolutions.com
