A study by a team of international experts showed that people who play contact sports, such as soccer, rugby and soccer, have a high risk of developing CTE.

The Connection Legacy Foundation reported that a study by experts from universities in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Britain found “conclusive” evidence that repeated head trauma caused chronic encephalopathy.

And the researchers said that studies conducted by the US Department of Defense, Boston University, the US Department of Veterans Affairs and the non-profit “Mayo Clinic” medical and research group, on their stored brain samples, show that athletes who engage in sports that require physical contact were more likely than others to be injured. Chronic encephalopathy increased by 68 times.

“This groundbreaking analysis gives us the greatest scientific confidence that repetitive head trauma causes CTE,” said Chris Nowinsky, CEO of the Connection Legacy Foundation and lead author of the study.

The Foundation’s statement indicated that international federations such as the International Football Association (FIFA), the Rugby Federation and the International Olympic Committee have not yet recognized this link, unlike the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Football League.

According to Adam Finkel, professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan, USA, repeated head trauma should be placed in the same category as other common public health risks.

“It is time to include recurrent head trauma and chronic encephalopathy in child protection efforts, such as exposure to lead and mercury, smoking and sunburn,” he stressed.

He believed that “recurrent head trauma and chronic encephalopathy deserve recognition in the global public health debate on preventable disorders,” according to “AFP”.

The release of the results of this study coincides with more sports taking steps to reduce head trauma.

Last week, the English Football Association received permission to test the ban on head kicks in youth competitions and leagues, while similar rules have been in place in the United States since 2015 in youth football.

Rugby has found itself in trouble with head injuries and concussions after brain damage was discovered in high-profile players.

England’s Steve Thompson, the world champion with his country, and former Welsh international Alex Popham took legal measures against the International Rugby Federation and their two countries’ federations of the game for failing to protect them from the risk of concussion.