House Democrats on Thursday wrote to the National Hockey League to press the organization to take steps to reduce head injuries in the sport.
{mosads}The lawmakers pointed to studies showing the danger of head injuries due to physical contact in the normal course of a hockey game and that such hits to the head can have long-term effects like chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain disease more commonly known as CTE.
The Democrats pointed to internal emails from NHL officials considering changes to increase the penalty for fighting during games as a way to reduce head injuries.
“Despite this candid discussion in e-mail of the dangers of fighting and related incidence of head injuries, the NHL continues to publicly deny a connection between head injuries and long-term complications such as CTE,” the lawmakers, led by Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (N.J.), the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, wrote.
Reps. Gene Green (D-Texas), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) joined the letter as well.
“Given the greater awareness of the risks posed by repetitive head injuries — as well as the advancing science — the NHL must do its part to reduce the risk of head injuries and to make hockey, at all levels, a safer game,” they wrote. “We urge the NHL to take a more active role in setting clear policies that bolster player health and safety.”
They asked a series of questions on the NHL’s current policies around head injuries and about changes that could be in the works.
The Energy and Commerce Committee has been conducting a review of concussions more broadly and holding roundtable discussions on the issue.