Rugby and ALS: Expert denies direct link after Lewis Moody diagnosis

Rugby and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Demystifying the Connection

An expert in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an incurable disease that causes progressive muscle weakness, has stated that there is no direct causal link between playing rugby and contracting this disease. The news of the diagnosis of ALS of the former England captain, Lewis Moody, 47 years old, has shocked the rugby world. This disease also caused the death of players Doddie Weir, Rob Burrow and Joost van der Westhuizen. Ed Slater, Leicester and Gloucester second row, also received the same diagnosis in 2022. Dr. Nick Cole, head of research at the ALS Association, indicates that research suggests that a combination of factors is responsible for this progressive disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord.

Dr. Cole stated that there is no concrete and definitive link between rugby and ALS. Studies have been conducted that suggest a slightly higher risk in professional athletes, but the results were limited.

There is a misconception because public figures are sharing their stories, but six people are diagnosed with ALS every day.

Dr. Nick Cole

The expert explains that rugby itself is not the direct cause, but that there could be a genetic predisposition in people with a physical constitution prone to the activity and sport. ALS is caused by a combination of environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors.

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Sport could be one of the contributing factors, but many other aspects within the biology of ALS are being investigated to find effective treatments. Recently, significant advances have been made in treatment, with the development of an effective therapy for a genetic form of ALS, although it is not yet available through the national health service. The ALS Association’s funding has supported many of the discoveries, and more medications are expected to be developed. However, neurodegenerative diseases are complex, and a cure could be found “tomorrow or within several years”.

Now we know that ALS is not untreatable, it is simply underfunded. We need to raise more funds to investigate further and get closer to effective therapies.

Dr. Nick Cole

The news of an ALS diagnosis is devastating and difficult to accept for individuals and their families, as it can affect anyone.

Friends and former Leicester teammates of Moody, Geordan Murphy and Leon Lloyd, have set up a GoFundMe page for the British and Irish Lion who captained England 12 times. Dr. Cole points out that the disease can be very rapid in some cases, with a third of people dying within two years of diagnosis. The necessary care can be expensive, in addition to the inability to work.