Clubs need long-term mental health plan: FIFPro

By Philip O’Connor (Reuters) – Soccer clubs need to take a longer-term approach to the mental health of their players, and not just for the duration of their contracts, the chief medical officer of world players’ union FIFPro told Reuters. The issue was brought to the fore after former Premier League player and ex-chairman of the English Professional Footballers’ Association Clarke Carlisle said this week that he had been trying to commit suicide when he was struck by a truck in December. “(Carlisle is) quite extreme example of course, so when it comes to this it’s a little bit surprising, (but) it doesn’t matter if it’s a pro footballer or a normal human being,” Dr. Vincent Gouttebarge said in an interview. Once a taboo subject, the issue has been pushed to the forefront following a number of high-profile cases of players and ex-players battling mental health issues, with some tragically taking their own lives.
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