The serious concern about brain damage attributable to sporting contacts is once again hitting the headlines with the reuslts of a new in depth study of 300 professional footballers who are suffering from degrees of alzheimers.

It is suggested that heading the ball is at the root of the problem, but collisions that result in skull impact are equally dangerous. Rugby Union and American football have begun to address the issue and football cannot ignore its responsibilities to players.

Studies so far undertaken involve professional sports, but there are implications for the amateur recreational game.

Whilst professional players are subject to training situations as part of their job and therefore at more continuous risk, players at all levels from school children upwards do encounter possible hazardous situations. School rugby has recognised the dangers of possible contact brain damage, but it is possible that just heading a ball could cause the brain to be shaken within the skull and even intermittent action of this sort is a possible danger, eventuating later in life.

No sport, whether contact or not, is free from risk but where there is known risk which could lead to such personal damage the governing bodies must surely act to protect the players.

Whilst physical activity and sport does inevitably contain elements of risk, this has to be balanced against the benefits to health and although this is unfailingly recognised there is currently little or no action to link those who suffer, or potentially suffer, ill health to the benefits of exercise and physical activity.

The recently published First Annual Report on the Government's 'Sport and Recreation Strategy' confirms that Public Health England in preparing its report on 'Everbody Active, Every Day to be published shortly - and similarly the integration of sport and physical activity into care pathways - is on the agenda.

The Government's 'Childhood Obesity Action Plan' lays down the aspiration of every child getting at least one hour of exercise every day.

Perhaps very slowly the recognition that physical activity is essential to the promotion of healthy lifestyle is sinking in, but the question is where will the resources come from to implement bold ideas?

The same 'Sporting Future Strategy' places emphasis on the requirement for local government to take the lead in the delivery of sport and physical activity both as a funder and through its role its co-ordinating activity at local level.

As we in Herefordshire are only too well aware such expectations of our local authority are unlikely to be forthcoming."