AFL to investigate concussion advisor Dr Paul McCrory

The AFL says it will probe a longstanding adviser on concussion after he was accused of allegedly treating at least four players for concussion while serving an agreed ban.

The AFL is launching an independent investigation into the work, research and advice of one of its chief concussion advisors Dr Paul McCrory.

The league released a statement on Thursday saying it would conduct a review into McCrory following a “number of revelations in recent weeks of matters of which the AFL was previously unaware”.

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McCrory, an associate professor at the Florey Institute who is facing accusations of plagiarism, has helped frame the league’s current concussion and return-to-play protocols.

He was accused this week of allegedly treating at least four players for concussion while serving an agreed ban.

Several players who were patients of McCrory are expected to interviewed about his conduct and the type of tests he conducted on them.

There is much anger among the Venables family over Daniel’s concussion issues. Picture: AAP

Peter Venables, father of concussion victim Daniel, told News Corp that McCrory treated his son and put him on antidepressants after what proved to be a career-ending concussion in 2019.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency told News Corp that in 2018, McCrory had provided an “enforceable undertaking to the Medical Board of Australia that he would not perform” neurodiagnostic procedures, nerve conduction studies or electromyography until “approved to do so by the Medical Board of Australia”.

“The AFL was not aware of the enforceable undertaking until reported in the media,” the league said on Thursday.

McCrory, a former Collingwood doctor, has long been criticised for questioning the link between head knocks in the AFL and NFL and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

The league said on Thursday Dr McCrory did not have an ongoing role with the AFL, was not employed by the AFL and was not the only provider of medical advice on concussion to the AFL.

The AFL has launched an investigation into its concussion adviser Paul McCrory. Picture: Facebook

McCrory has treated a number of AFL players. Picture: Facebook

But the AFL admitted “he was an important and longstanding adviser on concussion and he was understood by the AFL to be a pre-eminent expert in the field, including up until recently holding the position as Chair of the Concussion in Sport Group”.

The league does not believe McCrory conducted the kind of neurological or nerve-related tests he was banned from carrying out on players, but conceded he did not tell the players about the ban and its ramifications.

The league said the review would be conducted by an independent senior counsel and a professor of medicine experienced in medical and medical research ethics.

The AFL players union on Thursday night welcomed the independent review.

“We’re concerned by allegations of McCrory’s alleged conduct, have raised this with the AFL and believe these matters need further investigation,” an AFLPA spokesperson said.

“The AFLPA takes concussion very seriously and the health and safety of our members should never be compromised.”

Long-time player agent and concussion campaigner Peter Jess said the AFL’s “level of due diligence and risk management must also be also be questioned”.

“While it is a welcome first step it ignores the enablers inside the AFL,” Jess said.

“Investigating their roles in the ability of McCrory to perpetuate the medicine and science that denied CTE in our sport must happen.

“This is a fundamental disregard of proper scientific process, which have led to flawed return to play protocols and concussion diagnosis.

“In my view while I can applaud the AFL for taking the first step the process needs a full royal commission because of the community outcomes in all collision sports as to what is safe.”

Australian Brain Bank research manager Alan Pearce, a former AFL concussion researcher sidelined by the league, said allegations against McCrory were disturbing.

“This is more than a sports issue,” Pearce said.

“This is a science and integrity issue but also some of the players who participated in these studies might finally get some answers.

“They are the ones I feel for most.

“A number of them who ticked the box (in concussion surveys) to say they had problems were told there was nothing wrong.”

US CONCUSSION CRUSADER CONCERNED BY AFL REVELATIONS

—Simeon Thomas-Wilson

A world leader on concussion has called for a royal commission into the AFL’s treatment of players with head knocks.

Chris Nowinski, a co-founder of the US-based Concussion Legacy Foundation, has also questioned the AFL’s relationship with controversial concussion adviser Dr Paul McCrory.

Nowinski has weighed into the growing crisis after News Corp revealed on Tuesday that McCrory, who has helped frame the AFL’s concussion policy, allegedly treated at least five ex-players for head knocks during an agreed ban.

US concussion crusader Chris Nowinski with former players Greg Williams and Shaun Smith

“It is a very concerning situation,” said Nowinski, a former US college footballer who has helped draw the NFL’s attention to neurodegenerative disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

“I’m confused as to how a doctor can give proper medical care to someone with a potential brain injury when they are not allowed to perform neurodiagnostic procedures.

“There are extraordinary number of concerning things about Paul McCrory’s actions over 20 years and I’m nervous about what we are going to learn next.”

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency told News Corp that in 2018, McCrory had provided an “enforceable undertaking to the Medical Board of Australia that he would not perform” neurodiagnostic procedures, nerve conduction studies or electromyography until “approved to do so by the Medical Board of Australia”.

McCrory is also facing nine allegations of plagiarism in which he is accused of copying large swathes of research, some of it apparently verbatim, in papers and journals between 2002 and 2015.

McCrory has also had an article redacted by the British Medical Journal for “unlawful and indefensible breach of copyright”.

Nowinski said he believed the entire industry has to “reconsider everything that Paul McCrory has touched”.

Melbourne concussion campaigner and long-time player agent Peter Jess has written to AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan saying there needs to be a royal commission into concussion and return-to-play protocols.

“I would support a royal commission, this is an enormous public health matter,” Nowinski said.

Player agent Peter Jess told Gillon McLachlan of the need for a royal commission.

“We know of a number of suicides of athletes who are later diagnosed with CTE.

“People are literally dying while we stand around and pretend that this isn’t a public health crisis.

“I’m desperate to see some positive action from the sports governing bodies in Australia, I feel like there is some great work being done by scientists in Australia, such as the Australian Sports Brain Bank, and yet I see the support going to people that tell the sporting organisations what they want to hear.”

“My only question is are they being misled by the scientists or do they know what they are doing and trying to minimise the financial risk.”

McCrory has not responded to requests for comment.

It’s unclear the background to why McCrory provided the undertakings to the Medical Board of Australia.

Allegations banned concussion medico treated AFL players

—Simeon Thomas-Wilson and Jon Ralph

A key medical advisor who framed the AFL’s concussion policy allegedly treated at least five ex-players for concussion during an agreed ban.

News Corp understands that Professor Paul McCrory allegedly advised the players on recovery and treatment after agreeing with the regulator not to conduct neurodiagnostic procedures, nerve conduction studies or electromyography.

Peter Venables, father of concussion victim Daniel, told News Corp that McCrory treated his son after what proved to be a career-ending concussion in 2019.

Venables was treated by McCrory through the AFL concussion adviser’s role at the Florey Institute.

“McCrory basically put Daniel on antidepressants (for his migraines) and it affected his brain,” Venables said.

“We just had to sit and watch as he went into deep depression. He was on it for a year and the saddest part for you as a parent is watching your kid go downhill. You are talking about him not being able to leave his room.

“We kept saying, “Will this fix it, how long will it take?”

“And we were told he should take the medicine. It isn’t in a footballer’s instinct to just sit down so Daniel said this isn’t right and he went searching for answers himself.

Professor Paul McCrory treated former Eagle Daniel Venables for concussion symptoms.

“He found people outside (the AFL) who didn’t agree and they said if you have brain damage you need to work on it. Any muscle or tissue needs work. The bottom line is Daniel said, “ I need to get off this, it’s tearing me down”. He basically went against McCrory and took himself off the drugs.”

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency told News Corp that in 2018 McCrory had provided an “enforceable undertaking to the Medical Board of Australia that he would not perform” any of the procedures or tests until “approved to do so by the Medical Board of Australia”.

“The undertaking took effect on 21 May 2018 and remains in force until it is removed from the public register,” a spokesperson for AHPRA said in a statement.

“National Boards can accept an undertaking from a practitioner to limit the practitioner’s practice in some way if this is necessary to protect the public.

“The undertaking means the practitioner agrees to do, or to not do something in relation to their practice of the profession. Current undertakings which restrict a practitioner’s practice of the profession are published on the register of practitioners.”

It’s unclear the background to why McCrory provided the undertakings to the Medical Board of Australia.

The Florey Institute said as it was a medical research institute and not a healthcare provider it was not in a position to comment on matters related to the provision of health care regulated by AHPRA.

The Venables family — sister Ashlee, father Peter, Daniel Venables, mum Joanne, brother Dylan and sister Alyx after the 2018 grand final. Picture: Supplied

Questions are now being asked about McCrory examining AFL players following him agreeing to being hit with the 2018 ban.

News Corp has been told of five players that McCrory allegedly examined following the undertaking.

This number could be at least double that.

Under the terms of his undertaking McCrory needs to get consent for APHRA to undertake neurodiagnostics and must inform the players that he is operating under this ban.

Four of the players have said they were not informed that McCrory was operating under this enforceable undertaking.

APHRA said it couldn’t comment citing “privacy provisions in the National Law” when asked if McCrory received any clearances post May 2018.

McCrory, who has helped frame the AFL’s concussion policy and return-to-play protocols, has been at the centre of an international plagiarism storm.

It resulted in the former Collingwood doctor, who has been criticised for questioning the link between head knocks in the AFL and NFL and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy., resigning as the chair of the global Concussion in Sport Group.

The CISG draws up the concussion and return-to-play protocols for contact sports across the world.

McCrory did not respond to requests for comment prior to deadline

A spokesperson for the AFL said in a statement McCrory “has no ongoing role with the AFL and ceased providing input on AFL concussion management activities in January 2021.”

“Professor McCrory has to the present day continued to see past and present AFL players with complex concussion symptoms (on referral from Club Doctors and GP’s) but does so in a private consulting capacity without funding from the AFL and without any reporting obligation to the AFL.

“The AFL is aware of recent reports of Professor McCrory agreeing to an enforceable undertaking to the Medical Board of Australia in 2018. The AFL is presently gathering information in relation to that matter and other related matters and has no further comment at this time.”