Como bans heading in youth academies to protect players

Italian club Como announced that it will ban heading in its youth academy until players are ready, based on Raphael Varane's advice 'to protect our children and take head impacts seriously'.

The Serie A participant became one of the first clubs to take such strong steps to reduce the risk of preventable head injuries.

The club also emphasized replacing that by encouraging the development of better technical skills in the long run, focusing on ball control and decision-making, according to Football Italia.

When the players are ready, they will gradually be trained in heading skills alongside other techniques.

Paul Wade, former captain of the Australian national football team, revealed the day before yesterday, Wednesday, his potential diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, renewing his call to ban heading for all players under 12 years old. Dr. Rowena Mobbs, the neurologist overseeing Wade's treatment and one of Australia's leading experts in concussion and chronic traumatic encephalopathy injuries, recommended reducing reliance on heading at youth levels.