Former Manchester United defender David may believe that despite the richness of the game, he is “unhappy” to be unable to properly help former players suffering from dementia and their families
The Professional Football Players Association is branded as “stigma” for its perceived failure among former players to properly address the dementia crisis. Former players are 3.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than the general population as a result of facing the ball for a sustained period of their career.
The PFA and the Premier League launched the Football Brain Health Fund (FBHF), which made £1 million available first for former players and families affected by dementia. But former Manchester United defender David May said he wasn’t very close to covering the costs of former players suffering from dementia.
May also argued that PFA chief Maheta Molango (the country’s highest paying union boss at £650,000 a year) could not give a sufficient answer as to where the money was spent.
“I just wrote him four times and asked him where the funds were going,” May said. “They have £1 million in funding for dementia and I have asked four questions.
“The last question I asked him about his answer was, ‘Why don’t you come and chat?’ I don’t want to chat, I want to know where the money went.
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“But they’re constantly disappointed people. They’re dishonorable. My former boss in Blackburn, Tony Parks, is home now. He has no clue what’s going on.
“I’m not saying that you’ll put him in an environment with better facilities and he’ll be better. But if he was in the facility with other former players, he’ll have a familiar face around him and have a better quality of life.
“But PFA continues to knock us, which makes us even more determined to believe that our day will come. PFA needs to deal with it properly and think, “We need to do something for these former players.”
“Families are asked, “Do players have assets that can be sold?” ” or “Can they remove?” and “Can they sell their home?” – they shouldn’t have to.
“This game is full of money. Last year, agents’ £5 billion fees came out of the game. When there’s a lot of money in the game, you don’t have to fall into the government to pay for the welfare of soccer players. That’s a shame.”
May is part of the Soccer Family for Justice (FFJ) group aimed at improving the lives of former players suffering from neurodegenerative diseases supported by Sir David Beckham.
England World Cup winners Bobby and Jack Charlton, like their 1966 heroes, Martin Peters, Ray Wilson and Nobby Styles, died after suffering from dementia. More recently, former United defender Gordon McQueen has passed away from dementia, but former Bradford and Hal striker Dean Windus, 55, have been diagnosed with a degenerative condition.
The PFA said they made an offer to meet in May to discuss his views and their work on the issue. The union also said £1 million was the first number to launch the FBHF, but continued commitments and the total amount of funds allocated to families exceeded £3 million.
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