Concussion and sport: How the lives of ex-sportspeople have been affected by concussion

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"Lots of anxiety, lots of depression. My eyes and my brain started burning when I looked at the phone screen."

BBC Radio 5 Live has been speaking to former sportsmen and women and their families about how concussion has changed their lives.

It follows an MPs' inquiry that said sports bodies are "marking their own homework" when it comes to reducing concussion in sport.

The inquiry, carried out by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee of MPs, says urgent action is needed by government and sporting bodies to address a long-term failure to reduce the risks of brain injury in sport.

This is what former sportspeople say...

'Save players from themselves'

Rugby league player Stevie Ward, aged 27, had just been named Leeds Rhinos captain when his head was crushed in a pre-season friendly.

Two weeks later, he took another knock to the head which resulted in stitches in his face.

"After that, it was a horror show really," he said. "Lots of anxiety, lots of depression. My eyes and my brain started burning when I looked at the phone screen.

"That was the forbearer for where I am now, 18 months down the line. Still struggling with migraines, still struggling with car sickness and sensitivity to screens and light, heat.

"I've retired, stopped playing and I'm just trying to make ends meet and transition into a new life."

Ward told 5 Live's Nicky Campbell that rugby players thrive off danger and risks, so the culture in contact sports needs to change to "save players from themselves".

"Because we want to play a tough, physical, demanding game, there's even more need for having doctors there, specialist and medical officers that save you," he added.

Stevie's partner Natalie Alleston said their life had been completely changed by those two games and they could no longer make long-term plans.

"We can try and put things in place… everything's subject to change depending on how symptoms present themselves that day."

'You're sliding headfirst on ice at speeds of up to 80 mph'

Eleanor Furneaux says head injuries are 'a given' with skeleton

Eleanor Furneaux is a former GB skeleton athlete who was forced to retire at 24, after hitting her head.

In January 2018, while training for a race in Germany, a minor accident was followed by another, more serious crash the next day.

Furneaux said she always knew the risks associated with the sport and it was not the first time she had experienced concussion.

"With skeleton, it's a given. You're sliding headfirst on ice at speeds of up to 80 mph," she said.

"It's one of those unwritten rules that you could hit your head at any point."

She gave evidence to the committee, pointing out a lack of awareness and understanding in sport of concussion.

She said the problem is athletes are so desperate to compete, they will say they are fine when they are not.

"You will do anything you can to compete. You might hit your head and if it's down to you, then you will say you're fine... as long as it's not too bad."

Competitors also learn how to cheat the system.

"You do head injury assessments but the more you do them, the more you start to learn them," Furneaux added.

"You know the questions that are coming and you have to do them day in day out… I think there needs to be something like mixing up the questions so you can't just memorise the questions."

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