‘Problematic’: Damning findings from report on AFL concussion research

An independent investigation into AFL-backed concussion research and one key doctor has delivered a worrying report.

The Suns’ Will Powell is taken from the field with concussion. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

A damning report has found the AFL’s relationship with its chosen concussion expert Paul McCrory is “problematic” as the league apologised to past players who signed up to a research project that had “a number of inadequacies”.

As many as 600 past players worried about their own concussion symptoms signed up to the AFL’s concussion research program with McCrory’s Florey Institute between 2014-2019.

But McCrory has since admitted to plagiarising his research in seven published articles that the report said “constituted an embarrassing blemish” on his professional reputation.

While the independent panel, led by Bernard Quinn KC, found it did not impact McCrory’s work because he had not fabricated or falsified research, the AFL still apologised to past players who were “let down” by the manner in which research into concussion was conducted.

Concussion expert Paul McCrory’s relationships with the AFL is ‘problematic', a report has found.

The report stated that the research project was “underfunded and under-resourced and suffered from a lack of governance, stewardship and co-ordination in how it was rolled out and implemented”.

“These problems manifested in there being no published research from the study which explained the results of the research imaging undertaken on retired AFL players and confusion on the part of the past player participants as to what tests or procedures related to clinical treatment as opposed to being purely for research purposes,” the report found.

The research was supposed to involve brain scans and detailed health checks from the Florey Institute, but the investigation found there was “no published research from the study” nor was it “pursued through to completion”.

The AFL published the independent report in full on Tuesday and provided a copy to the state coroner who is investigating the death of former Richmond footballer Shane Tuck, who was revealed to have suffered from CTE, a brain injury caused by repeated head knocks.

AFL football boss Andrew Dillon apologised on behalf of the league to the players involved in the studies.

“The AFL accepts the principal criticism of the review directed to it of underfunding and underresourcing of some of its historical concussion research and clinical care,” he said.

“The AFL apologises to the past players who gave up their time in the hope of better understanding their own conditions and to assist with the research for the benefit of current and future players and were let down by the manner in which some of the research and clinical programs were at times conducted. We will continue to invest, engage, resource and do better on this type of research and the facilitation of care going forward.”

The Crows’ Will Hamill was concussed in round 15. Picture: Simon Sturzaker/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The AFL no longer refers past or present AFL or AFLW players McCrory and he won’t be listed in the “AFL‘s Neurology Network”, when the next iteration of those guidelines is released in early 2023.

The AFL has said it will now begin a process to consider and respond to numerous recommendations made by the panel, committing investments of up to $1m per year on concussion research projects and $2.5m per year on a “large-scale, 10-year longitudinal research project”.

The AFL will also ask Gordon Legal to continue consulting on the design of a no-fault financial assistance scheme for players who have suffered debilitating head injuries during their V/AFL playing careers.