A new big name comes out of the shadows on Tuesday, among the 169 former players to have taken legal action once morest the International (World Rugby), Welsh (WRU) and English (RFU) Rugby Federations. Former Welsh quarterback Dafydd James (48 caps between 1996 and 2007) said at the BBC that he suffered from early dementia, like his compatriots Alix Popham and Ryan Jones, the New Zealander Carl Hayman and the Englishman Steve Thompson, all engaged in the same legal fight.
The ex-center or winger revealed that he had tests because “I was wondering what was wrong with me”. He also said he probably had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative disease that can only be identified post-mortem, with a brain exam.
Panic attacks and anxiety
Passed by seven clubs, including Llanelli and London Harlequins, James scored 29 tries in the European Cup, the sixth total to date in a ranking dominated by Englishman Chris Ashton (41) ahead of Vincent Clerc (36) . After his career, which ended in 2010, he had already revealed that he suffered from panic attacks and anxiety.
“My mental health is hurting me,” he told the BBC. In a way, it’s kind of cathartic to tell people that because I try to help other people who are hurting, and there are a lot of them. »
According to British public media World Rugby, the WRU and RFU said they were “saddened” by the illness of the former British and Irish Lions player, but might not comment on the ongoing legal action.
