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X-Terminator
11-25-2013, 05:44 PM
WASHINGTON — Ten former National Hockey League players, including All-Star defenseman Gary Leeman, claimed in a class-action lawsuit that the league hasn't done enough to protect players from concussions.

The lawsuit seeks damages and court-approved, NHL-sponsored medical monitoring for the players' brain trauma and/or injuries, which they blame on their NHL careers. It was filed in federal court in Washington on behalf of players who retired on or before February 14 of this year and have suffered such injuries.

The suit comes just three months after the National Football League agreed to pay $765 million to settle lawsuits from thousands of former players who developed dementia or other concussion-related health problems — and in an era when more attention is being paid to the damages of head injuries sustained in sports.

Among other things, the suit claims that:

—The NHL knew or should have known about scientific evidence that players who sustain repeated head injuries are at greater risk for illnesses and disabilities both during their hockey careers and later in life.

—Even after the NHL created a concussion program to study brain injuries affecting NHL players in 1997, the league took no action to reduce the number and severity of concussions during a study period from 1997 to 2004. "Plaintiffs relied on the NHL's silence to their detriment," the suit says.

—The league didn't do anything to protect players from unnecessary harm until 2010, when it made it a penalty to target a player's head.

"The NHL's active and purposeful concealment of the severe risks of brain injuries exposed players to unnecessary dangers they could have avoided had the NHL provided them with truthful and accurate information and taken appropriate action to prevent needless harm," the lawsuit says.

It argues that the league continues to contribute to injuries today, by refusing to ban fighting and body-checking, and by employing "enforcers" whose main job is to fight or violently body-check opponents. And the lawsuit accuses the league of promoting a "culture of violence," in which players are praised for their fighting and "head-hunting" skills.


Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/11/25/2913872/apnewsbreak-ex-nhlers-sue-league.html#storylink=cpy

If this lawsuit goes through, even if it ends in a settlement, you can kiss hockey as you know it goodbye. It's already become boring as shit to watch...just you wait and see how much worse it gets. It's bad enough that they want the league to ban fighting, but they want them to ban ALL body checking? Fucking REALLY??? What are you trying to turn this sport into, two-hand touch on skates? I agree that more attention needs to be paid to head injuries and concussions, but I'm getting really sick of this shit. These players know the risks every time they step on the field or the ice, and every time they drop the gloves and fight. Now they want the sports that made them rich and famous (in some cases) to be permanently altered just so that they can get paid. Unbelievable, and I really don't care if people think I'm insensitive in saying all of this.

The NFL concussion suit and settlement is the single worst thing to ever happen to professional sports, especially contact sports. I should have known it would be a matter of time before this trickled to the NHL.

stillers4me
11-25-2013, 05:47 PM
Where have I heard this before? :scratchchin:

Count Steeler
11-25-2013, 06:25 PM
Monkey see, monkey do.