Sam Peters (2)
Author of Concussed: Sport's Ticking Timebomb
For other authors named Sam Peters, see the disambiguation page.
Works by Sam Peters
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Gender
- male
- Education
- The University of Edinburgh (MA|Politics and Economic History)
City, University of London (post-graduate diploma|Newspaper Journalism) - Occupations
- platoon commander (second lieutenant, British Army)
journalist
author
campaigner - Organizations
- British Army (platoon commander)
Planted Cities (co-founder and executive director) - Agent
- Oli Munson
- Nationality
- UK
- Associated Place (for map)
- UK
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Reviews
The early chapters of the book record the transition from the amateur ("gentlemen's") game to professionalism, and then there is the long and sorry story of individuals who suffered concussions on the field, went on playing, and suffered terrible consequences including early onset dementia and death. There's a section on the medical history of CTE from when damage to the brain was first recognised at post mortems of boxers and then gradually the connection to other contact sports was made. show more (Why boxing is considered a sport I have never understood. Of course there would be an outcry if it were banned, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be.)
There was, of course, considerable resistance to making changes to protect the players. As anyone who's ever had a knock on the head knows, you're supposed to rest and take it easy afterwards. (Schools nowadays have very clear procedures, including that parents must be notified no matter how slight the bump appears to be). Medical advice for rugby concussions varied, but ambitious coaches sent players back onto the field even while they were still groggy, and though advice about the length of taking a break from playing varied according to how many concussions a player had had, the pressure of contracts and a keeping a place in the team meant that a return to play was all too frequently premature.
Peters is a journalist, and his chapter 'Nothing to see here' is the shocking story of how the media ignored or suppressed the growing evidence. We here in Australia know how powerful the sports media is: all through Covid lockdowns when nobody was playing any sport, sports journalists kept their 10-15 minute spot in the news bulletins even though there was nothing to report. And even if the only sports reporting we ever see is that section of the news bulletin while we wait for the weather forecast, we know that the footage always includes brutal incidents in contact sports, the bloodier the better. If they're reporting on tribunal decisions, the footage of the contact will be replayed multiple times.
'Death of a Schoolboy' is a sobering chapter.
Doctors at the hospital were shocked by the severity of the injuries to his brain, which had swollen to such an extent it pushed into the base of his spinal cord. If he hadn't been admitted still wearing his rugby uniform, they would have assumed he'd been in a road traffic accident.
Yet this death was barely reported beyond the local media.
TO read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2025/08/16/concussed-sports-uncomfortable-truth-2023-by... show less
There was, of course, considerable resistance to making changes to protect the players. As anyone who's ever had a knock on the head knows, you're supposed to rest and take it easy afterwards. (Schools nowadays have very clear procedures, including that parents must be notified no matter how slight the bump appears to be). Medical advice for rugby concussions varied, but ambitious coaches sent players back onto the field even while they were still groggy, and though advice about the length of taking a break from playing varied according to how many concussions a player had had, the pressure of contracts and a keeping a place in the team meant that a return to play was all too frequently premature.
Peters is a journalist, and his chapter 'Nothing to see here' is the shocking story of how the media ignored or suppressed the growing evidence. We here in Australia know how powerful the sports media is: all through Covid lockdowns when nobody was playing any sport, sports journalists kept their 10-15 minute spot in the news bulletins even though there was nothing to report. And even if the only sports reporting we ever see is that section of the news bulletin while we wait for the weather forecast, we know that the footage always includes brutal incidents in contact sports, the bloodier the better. If they're reporting on tribunal decisions, the footage of the contact will be replayed multiple times.
'Death of a Schoolboy' is a sobering chapter.
On 31 January 2011, Benjamin Robinson's life support machine was turned off. Two days earlier the 14-year-old schoolboy sustained three separate head injuries in a game between two schools in Northern Ireland.
A happy-go-lucky boy with everything to live for, Benjamin was a strong-running centre from a rugby-loving family who lived to play sport. On three separate occasions, in a game between Carrickfergus Grammar and Dalriada, he was allowed to play on, having been examined following blows to the head.
Benjamin's mother, Karen, had earlier been told to calm down by the referee after she voiced grave concerns about her son's continued participation in the game. (p.122)
Doctors at the hospital were shocked by the severity of the injuries to his brain, which had swollen to such an extent it pushed into the base of his spinal cord. If he hadn't been admitted still wearing his rugby uniform, they would have assumed he'd been in a road traffic accident.
Yet this death was barely reported beyond the local media.
TO read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2025/08/16/concussed-sports-uncomfortable-truth-2023-by... show less
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