May 8 – Gibraltar-based Manchester 62 FC has announced an angel investment of $20 million which will allow the club to continue to be at the forefront of research into concussion and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in high-contact sports.
The club recently became the first top-flight European football club to have all 10 of its outfield players wear protective headbands designed to reduce the risk of concussive and sub-concussive events in football.
The investment, made by US-based private equity firm Monstranamus, led by CEO Takashi Cheng, will allow the club to continue proactively funding research into concussion and CTE in football, supporting the ‘ultimate goal’ of protecting the short and long-term brain health of athletes of all abilities.
“This game-changing investment will allow us to continue to be world leaders in tackling CTE and concussion in football,” said Michael Anton Monsour, chairman of Manchester 62 FC.
“With CTE and concussion representing one of the sport’s biggest epidemics, it’s vital to protect player welfare and, ultimately, to save lives. Our continued mission of being at the forefront of the research will hopefully help governing bodies take decisive action to protect players at all levels of the game.
“We are grateful to the entire Monstranamus team, led by Takashi Cheng, for this critical investment and their partnership in the research and prevention of concussion injuries in athletes.”
The club has also partnered with the Concussion Legacy Foundation, a global leader in supporting research into sports concussion and CTE. The partnership aims to provide comprehensive, data-driven in-season case studies on the issue of CTE as well as the overall effectiveness of current protective devices such as the Unequal Technologies headband.
“This concussion research and headband innovation will save the lives of thousands of athletes in high-contact sports,” said Monstranamus CEO Cheng.
“This is the kind of change long needed in both adult and youth sports, and at Monstranamus, we are committed to helping drive change in the world.”
Manchester 62 is the subject of a documentary aiming to raise awareness of the issue. Cheng has a background in investing in media.
The conversation surrounding head injuries in football was highlighted again last month following comments made by Manchester United defender Raphael Varane about the damage to his body caused by concussions and sub-concussions through regularly heading a ball.
In recent years many national federations, beginning in the US, have introduced guidelines or bans on youth players heading the ball. In 2021, the English FA introduced Heading Guidance in Training with the aim of eliminating heading at U12 level and below in English grassroots football to protect against long-term implications of head injuries on young players.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1716041844labto1716041844ofdlr1716041844owedi1716041844sni@g1716041844niwe.1716041844yrrah1716041844