Rugby, Gloucester’s Ed Slater hit by SLA. Career over

Six months of tests, visits, checks, then the terrible diagnosis: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as ALS. This is the disease that struck Ed Slater, a 33-year-old English rugby player in Gloucester, fifth in the last Premiership, the top English championship. The second and third lines had taken the field for the last time in January, and the club had protected his privacy by limiting himself to placing him on the list of injuries, without going into details. Unfortunately, the reason for his absence is now clear. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, known in Italy for the battle carried out by Stefano Borgonovo, symbol of the fight against the disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons (MND), the nerve cells of the brain and spinal cord that allow the movements of the muscles skeletal.

Black period

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A few days after the shocking revelation of Ryan Jones, a Welsh rugby legend who confessed to suffering from senile dementia, another blow hits the entire world of rugby. The news of Slater’s illness and immediate retirement (winner of an English title in 2013 with the Leicester Tigers, of which he was also captain) was released in a press release from his current club: “We are deeply saddened to announce that Ed Slater was diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND). The diagnosis was confirmed last week, after six months of testing. All Gloucester members – players, executives and staff – are committed to supporting Ed, his wife Jo and his three children in any way they can. We know it will be the same for Gloucester and Leicester fans and for the entire rugby community. ” Slater was also close to the English national team: in 2015 he was included in the extended group for the home World Cup that year, but in the end the then coach Lancaster did not call him. The following year the newcomer Eddie Jones also considered him, but a knee injury at the most beautiful made him miss the train of the England national team.

Health and safety

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The diagnosis of the English player, together with that of Jones, has further reopened a never-dormant debate on the dangers of headshots and their long-term consequences. If for the former Welsh captain, and in general for some neurological pathologies such as dementia, the correlation between the traumas received in his career and the disease has been ascertained, for Ed Slater and all rugby players suffering from ALS “there are still no certainties definitive ”, as told to the Telegraph by the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. Founded by the Scotsman Doddie Weir – one of the first rugby players who was diagnosed with what Borgonovo called “The bitch” – the association is responsible for giving support and support to all rugby players suffering from ALS, proving to be constantly active in the search for the causes and of possible cures for this terrible disease, and was the first to support Slater after diagnosis. Over the years, the disease has also affected Rob Burrow, Stephen Darby and South African Joost Van der Westhuizen, who revolutionized the role of the scrum half, who passed away in 2017.

Fundraising

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To support the battle of Slater and his family, Gloucester immediately started a fundraiser that in 24 hours has already exceeded 50,000 pounds: “I want to thank everyone for the messages of support and generosity – wrote Slater on Twitter – they give to me and my family an enormous strength in this moment of sadness. I will face this challenge with my head held high. In the end I know that I cannot win, but I will fight with all my strength. Hope is not lost. ” whole world of rugby, from Danny Cipriani to Freddie Burns, passing through the blue Jake Polledri, Slater’s teammate in Gloucester, who immediately shared the link of the fundraiser on social networks.