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“The law protects the sport, not the participant,” Geoff Cook told this masthead. “If you suffer a major injury, even death, there is no provision for compensation unless you can prove negligence. In New Zealand, the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) provides comprehensive, no-fault personal injury cover.
“ACC’s role as a statutory body is to help prevent injuries and get people back to everyday life if they have had a sports accident. It does this by funding tailored supports such as treatment, rehabilitation, and weekly compensation of up to 80 per cent of income.”
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The Cook family acknowledged that progress has subsequently been made in making rugby league safer, but felt the overall response to the concussion issue remained inadequate. Geoff Cook pointed out the absence of any provision for compensation for athletes who suffer severe or fatal injuries, a situation exacerbated by the need for individual victims or their families to prove negligence in lengthy and costly legal battles.
Cook’s parents made a submission to the Australian Senate enquiry into concussion, calling for new legislation to govern the treatment of concussions in sport. Specifically, they proposed a “HIT, STOP, SIT” policy, which would mandate that any player suspected of having sustained a concussion be immediately removed from play until cleared by a medical professional.
The idea is inspired by similar laws in other countries, such as the United States’ Lystedt Law and Canada’s Rowan’s Law, both of which were enacted after young athletes died or were permanently injured due to prematurely returning to play after suffering concussions.
The Lystedt Law, passed in Washington state in 2009, requires athletes who show signs of concussion to be examined by a licensed healthcare provider before returning to play. Rowan’s Law, introduced in Ontario, Canada, follows a similar approach and includes mandatory concussion education and strict protocols for all sports organisations.
“Grant’s death could have been prevented had proper protocols been in place,” Geoff Cook said.
“We need a law that ensures every athlete, from the youngest player in a community club to professionals, is protected from the potentially life-threatening consequences of concussion.”
“The law protects the sport, not the participant,” Geoff Cook told this masthead. “If you suffer a major injury, even death, there is no provision for compensation unless you can prove negligence. In New Zealand, the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) provides comprehensive, no-fault personal injury cover.
“ACC’s role as a statutory body is to help prevent injuries and get people back to everyday life if they have had a sports accident. It does this by funding tailored supports such as treatment, rehabilitation, and weekly compensation of up to 80 per cent of income.”
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The Cook family acknowledged that progress has subsequently been made in making rugby league safer, but felt the overall response to the concussion issue remained inadequate. Geoff Cook pointed out the absence of any provision for compensation for athletes who suffer severe or fatal injuries, a situation exacerbated by the need for individual victims or their families to prove negligence in lengthy and costly legal battles.
Cook’s parents made a submission to the Australian Senate enquiry into concussion, calling for new legislation to govern the treatment of concussions in sport. Specifically, they proposed a “HIT, STOP, SIT” policy, which would mandate that any player suspected of having sustained a concussion be immediately removed from play until cleared by a medical professional.
The idea is inspired by similar laws in other countries, such as the United States’ Lystedt Law and Canada’s Rowan’s Law, both of which were enacted after young athletes died or were permanently injured due to prematurely returning to play after suffering concussions.
The Lystedt Law, passed in Washington state in 2009, requires athletes who show signs of concussion to be examined by a licensed healthcare provider before returning to play. Rowan’s Law, introduced in Ontario, Canada, follows a similar approach and includes mandatory concussion education and strict protocols for all sports organisations.
“Grant’s death could have been prevented had proper protocols been in place,” Geoff Cook said.
“We need a law that ensures every athlete, from the youngest player in a community club to professionals, is protected from the potentially life-threatening consequences of concussion.”
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