TEXT 1

Death of Kim Duk Koo

Kim Duk Koo was a successful South Korean boxer who died following a world championship boxing match against Ray Mancini. His death sparked a number of reforms in the sport aimed to better protect the health of fighters, including reducing the number of rounds in championship bouts from 15 to 12.

Kim had earned himself a shot at the world title having risen all the way to the number one lightweight contender spot though many boxing professionals doubted that he was a suitable match for his opponent. A superstar in South Korea, Kim was pitted against the intimidating WBA Lightweight World Champion, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini. The fight was held at Caesars Palace in the open air on 13th November 1982.

This was a tremendously brutal bout, especially for Kim, who became increasingly fatigued in the latter rounds after absorbing extreme punishment from the champion. At the beginning of the 14th round, Mancini caught Kim with a devastating right hand that sent his opponent crashing to the canvas hitting his head in the process.

Kim staggered to his feet but referee Richard Green stopped the fight. Shortly after, Kim collapsed into a coma and was stretchered out of the ring and taken directly to the hospital in Las Vegas. Tragically four days later, the Korean star died from severe brain trauma.

Out of the hundreds of recorded ring fatalities, Kim’s death was one of the saddest. Ray Mancini, would never again be the same calibre fighter, and it was widely reported that he blamed himself for Kim’s death. Overcome with grief, Kim’s mother committed suicide three months after her son’s death by drinking a bottle of pesticide and the bout’s referee, Richard Green, also committed suicide shortly after the fight.

Despite the obvious tragedy surrounding the death of Kim Duk Koo, there has been a significant decline in ring fatalities since the early 1980’s and so perhaps the legacy that Kim Duk Koo leaves behind to this day is that he did not die in vain and that the sport that he loved is a safer sport.

(To watch an interview with Ray Mancini, go to http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24919484)

Focus

When reading, especially for research purposes, it is important to assess the integrity of the text. This is not simply a matter of investigating and establishing the credibility of the source of an article or paper, it can also involve analysing a text for the subtle manipulation of opinions as facts. This may or may not be intentional but either way you need to make sure that you do not take content at face value.

Ask yourself questions such as:

• Does some of the content appear questionable in terms of reliability?

• Is any of the content subjective, opinionated or emotive?

• Do you notice any areas where the author is guiding the reader to make assumptions for which there is no clear evidence?

• Are you, as a reader inferring consequences from the content based upon your own ideas and experience – your own schemata?

• Is it clear that some of the content is a valuable referencing source but I have to be careful to recognise the fact from the opinion, the verifiable from the implied, the reality from the created.

Task 1

Read the Kim Duk Koo text and check the highlighted vocabulary. Then answer the following questions.

1. If you were writing a paper on head trauma in sport, would this be a useful and appropriate text to use as a reference? Consider the questions introduced in the Focus above.

2. Decide if these are statements of fact or opinion by clicking on the appropriate button.

3. Now having answered these questions, ask yourself again, if you were writing a paper on head trauma in sport, which parts of this article on the tragic death of Kim Duk Koo in 1982 be useful and appropriate to use as a reference?

TEXT 2

Mortality resulting from head injury in professional boxing.

Baird, L. C., Newman, C. B., Volk, H., Svith, J.R., Conklin, J. & Levy, M.L. (2010). NCBI. In Neurosurgery, 67(5). Retrieved January 26, 2016 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20948404

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The majority of boxing-related fatalities result from traumatic brain injury. Biomechanical forces in boxing result in rotational acceleration with resultant subdural hematoma and diffuse axonal injury.

OBJECTIVE:

Given the inherent risk and the ongoing criticism boxing has received, we evaluated mortalities associated with professional boxing.

METHODS:

We used the Velaquez Fatality Collection of boxing injuries and supplementary sources to analyze mortality from 1950 to 2007. Variables evaluated included age at time of death, association with knockout or other outcome of match, rounds fought, weight class, location of fight, and location of pre-terminal event.

RESULTS:

There were 339 mortalities between 1950 and 2007 (mean age, 24 ± 3.8 years); 64% were associated with knockout and 15% with technical knockout. A higher percentage occurred in the lower weight classes. The pre-terminal event occurred in the ring (61%), in the locker room (17%), and outside the arena (22%). We evaluated for significant changes after 1983 when championship bouts were reduced from 15 to 12 rounds.

CONCLUSION:

There was a significant decline in mortality after 1983. We found no significant variables to support that this decline is related to a reduction in rounds. Rather, we hypothesize the decline to be the result of a reduction in exposure to repetitive head trauma (shorter careers and fewer fights), along with increased medical oversight and stricter safety regulations. Increased efforts should be made to improve medical supervisions of boxers. Mandatory central nervous system imaging after a knockout could lead to a significant reduction in associated mortality.

Task 2

Read Text 2 and check the highlighted vocabulary. Then consider the questions below and click on the buttons to check your answers.

TEXT 3

Sports-related concussions and traumatic
brain injuries: Research roundup

The issue of concussions in sports has attracted considerable media coverage in recent years. Understandably, the early focus in the United States was on professional American football, a game built around high-speed, full contact between heavy, powerful players, but the scope of reporting and research has expanded widely to include sports at every level.

A pioneer of reporting in this field was Alan Schwarz of the New York Times; his work highlighted the history of concussions and their consequences in the NFL. The league has responded by banning some high-risk hits, and also aggressively investigated a “bounty pools” scandal that involved a team paying bonuses to players who injured opponents. (Similar behavior has even turned up in a youth league.) Retired players continue to pursue legal action and raise awareness of the issue, particularly with cases of former players suffering from early-onset dementia that can result from repeated brain trauma. In January 2013, the National Institutes of Health concluded that the former NFL linebacker Junior Seau, who committed suicide in May 2012, had been suffering from a degenerative brain disease.

Ice hockey is another rough, physical sport that takes a high toll. NHL all-star player Sidney Crosby was out for the better part of a year, beginning in 2010, because of a severe concussion. The long-term consequences of such injuries can be dire: A post-mortem of NHL “enforcer” Derek Boogaard, who died in May 2011, determined that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive degenerative disease directly linked to repeated brain injuries.

Even professional sports that aren’t designed around physical contact between players can result in concussions. During the National Basketball Association 2012 Finals, Oklahoma City star James Harden suffered one just before the beginning of the playoffs. In Major League Baseball, concussions are known to have helped end the careers of Mike Matheny (now the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals) and Corey Koskie; they also cost Minnesota Twins star Justin Morneau the better part of a season of play. The league instituted a disabled list for players with concussions in 2011 and continues to work on the issue.

Concussion risk starts at the youth level, in football and ice hockey as well as baseball, soccer, boxing, gymnastics, horseback riding, skiing and cycling — any sport with potential for hard contact. The best available evidence continues to raise questions about whether schools and teams are doing enough. Two 2014 studies in The American Journal of Sports Medicine suggest as much: One study, which was based on a survey of 1066 collegiate institutions, concludes that “although a large majority of respondents indicated that their school has a concussion management plan, improvement is needed.” Another paper about protective equipment at the high school level found that among 2081 players enrolled during the 2012-13 football seasons, some 206 (9%) sustained a total of 211 concussions. That study notes that, regardless of the type and brand of protective equipment, incidence of concussion remains the same — suggesting that it is the nature of on-field play that remains at issue. Still, because of specific concerns over youth football, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest have started a ratings system for helmets.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. emergency departments annually treat an average of 173,285 sports- and recreation-related traumatic brain injuries among children and adolescents. Such emergency visits have increased 60% over the past decade; in 2009 alone, there were 248,418 such cases.

New research from Harvard, Dartmouth, Brown and Virginia Tech has called into question whether current diagnostic techniques are adequate. In addition, the long-term effects of head injury are only partially understood. The Boston University Center for Traumatic Encephalopathy, which received a $1 million donation from the NFL in 2010, continues to examine the brains of deceased athletes to research and compile case studies on the long-term effects of concussions; the center also conducts other inquiries and publishes academic studies in this evolving field.

Finally, a 2014 study published in the journal of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise provides new evidence that high school athletes may be returning to the field too early after suffering a concussion.

Task 3

1. Now read Text 3 and check the highlighted vocabulary. Then drag the topic descriptions in the box and drop them next to the paragraph numbers in the table.

2. Now read the text again and answer these intensive questions which focus on specific detailed points within the text. Once you’ve decided on your answer, click on the button and the answer will appear.

TEXT 4

“Spectrum of Acute Clinical Characteristics of Diagnosed Concussions in College Athletes Wearing Instrumented Helmets” Duhaime, Anne-Christine, et al. Journal of Neurosurgery, October 2012.

Excerpt: “Data were collected from 450 athletes with 486,594 recorded head impacts. Forty-eight separate concussions were diagnosed in 44 individual players. Mental clouding, headache, and dizziness were the most common presenting symptoms. Thirty-one diagnosed cases were associated with an identified impact event; in 17 cases no specific impact event was identified. Onset of symptoms was immediate in 24 players, delayed in 11, and unspecified in 13. In 8 cases the diagnosis was made immediately after a head impact, but in most cases the diagnosis was delayed (median 17 hours). One diagnosed concussion involved a 30-second loss of consciousness; all other players retained alertness. Most diagnoses were based on self-reported symptoms…. Approximately two-thirds of diagnosed concussions were associated with a specific contact event. Half of all players diagnosed with concussions had delayed or unclear timing of onset of symptoms. Most had no externally observed findings. Diagnosis was usually based on a range of self-reported symptoms after a variable delay. Accelerations clustered in the higher percentiles for all impact events, but encompassed a wide range. These data highlight the heterogeneity of criteria for concussion diagnosis, and in this sports context, its heavy reliance on self-reported symptoms. More specific and standardized definitions of clinical and objective correlations of a ‘concussion spectrum’ may be needed in future research efforts, as well as in the clinical diagnostic arena.”

Task 4

Read Text 4 and check the highlighted vocabulary. Then think about the answers to the questions below and click on the buttons to see if you are right.

TEXT 5

Blue Card Protocol for Concussion

PREMIERSHIP LEVEL - trained medical personnel available

STEP 1: Referee identifies a player with concussion

STEP 2: Referee will blow whistle to stop play and issue the BLUE CARD.

STEP 3: The Team Medic will then enter the field and examine the player.

STEP 4: The referee will note the NUMBER AND NAME OF PLAYER.

STEP 5: Team Medic & Coach will decide whether or not the player is fit to continue and inform referee. It is therefore the responsibility of the club and NOT the referee if the player is to continue.

NOTE 1: If a player subsequently becomes ill or is taken to hospital after the game, the liability firmly rests with the CLUB and NOT the referee. If the referee clearly identifies that a player is struggling then as per IRB law they will make the decision not to allow the player to continue.

NOTE 2: There is no 10 minute Head Injury Assessment ‘Head Bin’ period. The HIA is a trial which is conducted in pre-designated World Rugby/Asian Rugby Football Union level games and tournaments only.

NOTE 3: In all cases of suspected concussion, the player should take 3 weeks rest and/or see a Doctor who is trained in concussion assessment before returning to train or play.

ALL OTHER LEVELS, MINI & YOUTH - no trained medical personnel available

STEP 1: Referee identifies a player with concussion

STEP 2: Referee will blow whistle to stop play and issue the BLUE CARD, then the Team Medic will enter the field.

STEP 3: The referee will note the NUMBER AND NAME OF PLAYER.

STEP 4: Referee will decide if that player is fit to continue. If the referee clearly identifies the player is struggling then as per IRB law they will make the decision not to allow the player to continue. In which case, player must leave the field and may not return to play.

NOTE: In all cases of suspected concussion:

• players over 12 should take 3 weeks rest 
• players under 12 should take 4 weeks rest 
• players should see a Doctor who is trained in concussion assessment before returning to train or play

Task 5

Read Text 5 and check the highlighted vocabulary. Then consider these questions and check the answers by clicking on the buttons.

TEXT 6

Jeff Astle: Head injury footballer's case tip of the iceberg?

It is 12 years since an inquest into the death of England and West Bromwich Albion footballer Jeff Astle ruled he died from brain trauma caused by heading heavy leather footballs.

After the FA failed to publish promised research into the condition, the Astle family renewed calls for a study to be done via its Justice for Jeff campaign.

The campaign has prompted other families of ex-players to come forward, claiming Astle's case could be the "tip of the iceberg".

Among them is physiotherapist, Andrew MacLeod, whose father Ally managed Scotland at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.

He believes his dad developed Alzheimer's after repeatedly heading a ball during a 16-year playing career with teams including Hibernian and Blackburn Rovers.

He died in 2004, aged 72, after suffering with the disease for almost 10 years.

"It started as memory loss and forgetfulness," Mr Macleod said. "He would forget where my house was or he would ask to go and visit his mother in Glasgow who had died 23 years before. I was keen to see the research by the FA published because if there is evidence that repetitive heading causes brain injuries then it does have consequences even for the modern day player."

Richard Wickson, the Chairman of Reading Football Club's former players' association, believes the Astle case is "the tip of the iceberg".

"We're hearing a lot of disturbing stories from organisations like ours around the country and it seems that these illnesses are affecting players from a certain era, the 50s and 60s," he said.

“I think the fear of having to pay out compensation is the only thing holding back the authorities from fully researching it. But the families I have spoken to are not interested in money they just want to make sure young players don't suffer."

In a letter to Astle's widow, Laraine, the Chairman of the FA, Greg Dyke, said a commission had been set up to investigate head injuries, which includes representatives from the FA, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) and the Premier League.

A spokesman for the FA said "The football commission on head injuries... are working towards increasing awareness at all levels of the game of football."

Dr Michael Lipton is currently carrying out a study with adult amateur footballers in the US investigating how heading impacts on the brain.

His initial findings suggested heading a ball more than a 1,000 times a year could cause traumatic brain injury.

"Those people were also more likely to perform worse in cognitive tests especially memory and, less so, processing speed and attention," he said.

"There is clear data that traumatic brain injury increases the risk of Alzheimer's and dementia maybe as much as three fold."

However, scientific opinion on the issue is divided.

Dr Andrew Rutherford, of Keele University, has been researching possible brain damage caused by heading for more than 10 years. He said there was no definite evidence to link it to dementia.

Source : http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-26817099

Task 6

Now read Text 6 and check the highlighted vocabulary. Then answer these questions and once you’ve finished, click on the buttons to check your responses.

TEXT 7

How can concussions happen in schools?

Children and adolescents are among those at greatest risk of sustaining a concussion. And because they spend the majority of their lives at school, the school environment is the location where they most frequently occur.

Concussions can result from a fall, jolt, blow or bump or any time a student’s head comes into contact with a hard surface such as a desk or the wall, sports equipment such as a racket, a bat or a goal post, or with another student’s head or body. The likelihood of a student getting concussed increases during activities where collisions can occur such as during break time, PE and after school sports activities.

A student may also suffer a concussion whilst participating in an activity outside school but then display symptoms when they arrive at school. This may happen to students who play unsupervised sport with their friends after school.

Concussions have a more detrimental effect on a young, developing brain and need to be addressed properly. Recognising and responding correctly to concussion symptoms in the school environment can prevent further injury and facilitate recovery.

This brochure is designed to help you to:

• know more about the causes of concussion and plan preventative measures
• spot the signs and symptoms of concussion
• arrange treatment, follow-up action and training for concussion
• support students returning to school after a concussion

What are the signs and symptoms of concussion?

If you encounter a student who displays any of the symptoms listed below after a bump, jolt or blow to the head, refer them to a health care professional experienced in evaluating concussion immediately.

However, it is important to note that there is no single one indicator for a concussion. The signs and symptoms require a degree of assessment as they may take time to appear and become more evident when children are concentrating and participating in learning activities in the classroom. Because of this, it is important for you to observe how a student is behaving or feeling – look for signs, look for symptoms, look for changes.

Task 7

Read the Text 7 and check the underlined vocabulary. Then answer the questions and once you’ve finished, click on the buttons to check.