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Wembley will become the UK’s first dementia friendly national stadium in a bid to keep sports fans affected by the condition “at the heart of the action”. The Football Association and official charity partner Alzheimer’s Society have collaborated to improve the match-day experience for people living with dementia, who can find sporting venues disorientating and overwhelming. Football’s governing body has also backed Alzheimer’s Society’s new Dementia Friendly Sports Clubs and Venues guide, while both the Premier League and the Racecourse Association have pledged their commitment to becoming dementia friendly. Alzheimer’s Society chief executive officer Kate Lee said: “We want to see all sports showing their commitment to giving fans with dementia a smooth journey from sofa to stands. “We’re really pleased to see our landmark guidance be so well received by organisations across multiple sports. “We hope it helps foster a more inclusive, accessible and welcoming environment for sports fans with dementia, so they can continue to be at the heart of the action.” After an audit of Wembley Stadium by people affected by dementia, measures have been put in place to improve accessibility and increase understanding of the condition. Public-facing staff such as matchday stewards will be given bespoke training and there will be increased visibility of services available, such as dedicated lifts and Wembley’s shuttle services. Stadium director Liam Boylan said: “The changes we’ve made at Wembley are the first steps in ensuring that those who are affected by dementia are not excluded from the beautiful game and can continue to enjoy the sport they love, safe in the knowledge that their support and wellbeing is our top priority. “Sport has an unrivalled ability to inform, educate and put a spotlight on important issues and we look forward to continue working closely with Alzheimer’s Society.” The Dementia Friendly Sports Clubs and Venues guide was created and funded by Alzheimer’s Society’s Sport United Against Dementia Board, with contributions from the Premier League and other sporting stakeholders. The changes we’ve made at Wembley are the first steps in ensuring that those who are affected by dementia are not excluded from the beautiful game Wembley Stadium director Liam Boylan The Premier League’s head of community Nick Perchard said: “The importance of creating an inclusive atmosphere for fans is of paramount importance to the Premier League and its clubs. “We look forward to seeing this landmark guidance rolled out further into the game and making a meaningful difference to families affected by dementia.” The Racecourse Association’s communications manager Paul Swain added: “We’re working closely with Alzheimer’s Society and backing its landmark guidance to keep fans at the heart of unforgettable racing moments as part of British horseracing’s ongoing commitment to inclusion.” Alzheimer’s Society said 900,000 people in the UK live with dementia – “enough to fill Wembley 10 times over” – and attending sporting venues presented unique challenges. Many find matchdays too disorientating and overwhelming due to large crowds and noise levels, plus the inability to communicate, Alzheimer’s Society said. Jonathan Pinkney, son of Brighton season ticket holder John Pinkney, who lives with dementia, said: “Dad has been a life-long Brighton fan, but his dementia diagnosis changed everything. “He gets anxious if it gets too busy and crowded, especially when queueing. But on the few occasions I have needed help from Brighton’s stewards, they have been incredibly supportive. “Going to a football game is great because for 90 minutes it’s just dad being dad, like he always was. That’s why Alzheimer’s Society’s work to make stadiums dementia friendly is fantastic.” Swansea partnered with Alzheimer’s Society Cymru in 2021 and set up a working group of fans affected by dementia before implementing a series of improvements. Among those, first and last steps within the Swansea.com Stadium have been painted red to assist fans with perception issues. Swansea’s head of hospitality and fan engagement Catherine Thomas said: “We strive to make a real difference to families impacted by dementia. “As well as providing ear defenders if noise mitigation is required at our games, we also have an inclusion room, which can provide a quiet space to watch the game during matches, while our disability liaison officers have undergone dementia friends training and are on hand to help in any way they can.” One in three people born in the UK today will go on to develop dementia Alzheimer's Society The FA’s partnership with Alzheimer’s Society, which began in 2021 and has been extended until July 2024, has raised over £400,000. Alzheimer’s Society estimates that by 2025 one million people will be living with the condition in the UK, and many millions more carers, partners, families and friends will be affected. Dementia deaths are rising year on year and 225,000 people will develop dementia in 2023 – one every three minutes – while one in three people born in the UK today will go on to develop the condition. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Andy Murray family missed his first home title in seven years due to rain delay Andy Murray hopes record breaker Djokovic ‘takes eye off ball’ before Wimbledon Pretty Woman makes Pep Guardiola’s day as Julia Roberts hails Man City champions

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Former professional footballers are almost three and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than the general population, according to a study commissioned by the Football Association and Professional Footballers’ Association. First findings of the FOCUS study, conducted by the University of Nottingham, support previous research that former footballers may be at higher risk of neurocognitive disease. The new report states that 2.8 per cent of retired professional footballers in their study reported medically diagnosed dementia and other neurodegenerative disease compared to 0.9 percent of controls. This means former pros in the study were found to be 3.46 times more likely to have neurodegenerative diseases compared to the control group. The study also showed retired footballers in the study were twice as likely to fall below established thresholds in some dementia testing than the general population. Dr Charlotte Cowie, the FA’s head of medicine, told the governing body’s website: “The FA and the PFA jointly commissioned the FOCUS study in order to gain additional insight into the findings of the FIELD study, and to further examine any potential link between neurodegenerative disorders in former professional footballers. “The FOCUS study worked with an established group of former professional footballers that were participating in research and was able to review their brain health, and it supports the previous findings in the FIELD study which suggest an increased risk for neurodegenerative disease in former professional footballers than in the general population. “This is an extremely complex area of our game, but we are committed to working collectively with our stakeholders to help grow our knowledge in this area through further medical and expert analysis.” The initial findings of the FOCUS study will be shared with both FIFA and UEFA, and the FA has reiterated its support for further research from across the wider game to help build a better understanding of players’ brain health and well-being. “This is an important new study which supports previous evidence suggesting that footballers are at greater risk of dementia and poorer cognitive functioning in later life,” said the PFA’s head of brain health Dr Adam White. “Studies such as this… ensure that targeted and evidence-led action can be identified and taken to support and protect players at all stages of their career. “Continued investment in this type of research will remain absolutely vital.” An FA statement read: “The FA has led the way in taking steps to help reduce potential risk factors within the game (including) establishing industry-leading concussion guidelines, introducing the world’s most comprehensive heading guidance at every level of the professional and amateur game in England, and implementing a new trial to remove deliberate heading in football matches across under-12 level and below. “Further findings from the FOCUS study will be published in due course.”

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Football's world governing body Fifa made false and misleading statements about the reduced environmental impact of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a Swiss regulator said on Wednesday. The Swiss Fairness Commission, the self-regulatory body of the advertising and communications industry, made its determination after investigating five claims that Zurich-based Fifa marketed the tournament as being carbon neutral. The commission, which issues recommendations, but no state-enforceable judgements, advised Fifa from making unsubstantiated claims in future. It said complainants usually implement its recommendations voluntarily. Fifa did not respond to a request for comment. Complainants from Switzerland, France, Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands said Fifa made false statements in its communications about carbon neutrality at the World Cup, the commission said. "The Second Chamber of the Commission has now upheld all five complaints following a complex process," it added. Fifa had promoted the Qatar World Cup as the first completely climate-neutral tournament, saying it was committed to reducing and offsetting carbon emissions it generated. But the Climate Alliance, a network of groups which launched the complaint last year, was concerned about the environmental impact from the construction of air-conditioned stadiums and the thousands of fans who flew to the tournament. In its decision, the commission said it should not be claimed that sustainability goals have been achieved if there are no definitive and generally accepted methods for measuring them, or ensuring measures have been implemented. "Fifa was not able to provide proof that the claims were accurate during the proceedings as required by the commission," it said. Raphael Mahaim, from the group Lawyers for the Climate, said he was delighted with the ruling which he said exposed Fifa's greenwashing. "Fifa said it was taking the climate change seriously, and taking the credit for this, and this wasn’t true," he said. Fifa's claims were damaging because it meant companies and individuals scaling back their own action to reduce their carbon emissions because they thought Fifa had offset them. "Ultimately, false claims like this damage the campaign for carbon neutrality," said Mahaim, who is also a Swiss MP for the Green Party. Reuters Read More Everything wrong with the Qatar World Cup This is the side of the World Cup that Qatar would prefer you ignore The man who was jailed after working on Qatar’s World Cup Newcastle owners take majority stakes in four Saudi clubs including Al Nassr Sarina Wiegman frustrated over timing of players being released for World Cup Women’s World Cup faces ‘betrayal’ of European TV blackout

Almost six months after Qatar hosted what it billed as a “carbon-neutral” World Cup, Switzerland’s advertising regulator ruled

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