{
  "id": 798186,
  "title": "Long careers increase risk of brain damage, but is informed consent enough?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/long-careers-increase-risk-of-brain-damage-but-is-informed-consent",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-13T19:43:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News",
    "slug": "abc-news",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-14/concussion-risks-question-of-consent-jake-kolodjashnij/107032932"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Geelong defender Jake Kolodjashnij's signature on a document releasing his club from legal risk over future concussions has exposed ethical and legal concerns. This incident raises questions about the risks associated with participating in high-collision sports like Australian rules football, especially at the elite level. Neurophysiologist Alan Pearce from Swinburne University found that the longer professional athletes participate in contact sports, the greater their chance of sustained brain injuries and chronic pain. The length of an athlete's career, not the number of concussions, was the primary factor in the damage observed in a study of 113 retired male players. Pearce suggests that players should be informed about the risks they take when signing a professional contract, similar to how surgical consent forms protect doctors from liability for foreseeable events. While such a consent form would not absolve clubs and the AFL of responsibility, it could provide transparency and protect players from unforeseen consequences. The AFL has acknowledged the need to improve concussion monitoring and limit contact training, but there is no explicit mention of the risks of the game in contracts or collective bargaining agreements. Former Geelong player Max Rooke is leading a class action lawsuit against the AFL and 11 clubs, alleging brain damage caused by the organization and its clubs.",
  "summary": "As debate rages over Geelong defender Jake Kolodjashnij's controversial concussion waiver, what is the answer for players being exposed to potential brain damage in contact sports?",
  "key_points": [
    "Longer careers in contact sports raise brain injury risk.",
    "Jake Kolodjashnij's signature reveals ethical concerns.",
    "Informing players of risks may protect them from unforeseen consequences."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "Long careers increase risk of brain damage, but is informed consent enough?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/long-careers-increase-risk-of-brain-damage-but-is-informed-consent-800304",
        "published": "2026-08-13T19:43:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}