x
x
x
x

Thu, June 03, 2021

NFL to stop racial bias when settling concussion lawsuits

NFL to stop racial bias when settling concussion lawsuits

The NFL has said that it will stop using a race-based formula which assumes black players have a lower cognitive function than their white counterparts, when settling concussion lawsuits.

The practice is known as “race norming” and assumed that black players started out with a lower cognitive function, this resulted in black players finding it harder to show a detriment as it was already assumed their cognitive function was lower than white players and was therefore harder for black players to qualify for a settlement award. Former player Ken Jenkins said “This is classic systemic racism. Just because I'm black, I wasn't born with fewer brain cells.”

Over 2000 former players have launched claims but less than 600 have received pay-outs. Two who were refused pay-outs under a $1billion brain injuries scheme are Kevin Henry and Najeh Davenport who launched a civil lawsuit over the race-norming. This lawsuit was thrown out and a settlement negotiation ordered before the judge called for a full report on race-norming, with players hoping that this will include a breakdown of all pay-outs by race.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said “Everyone agrees race-based norms should be replaced, but no off-the-shelf alternative exists and that's why these experts are working to solve this decades-old issue.” Race-norming was first established in the 1990’s after a study of a small number of black people in San Diego concluded that the group had lower cognitive function than the average white person but this study was not representative of black people today or of the rest of the country in the 1990’s.   

You can read the NFL statement here.

Share

Recent News Articles

Tue, February 18, 2025

Former American football players sue Netflix for $30 million

Six former American football players are suing Netflix, claiming that the company exploited their talents for entertainment purposes and negatively impacted their careers. The former players who featured in the acclaimed documentary series Last Chance U, have filed a $30 million lawsuit

Read More

Tue, February 18, 2025

Skaters campaign for same-sex pairs

Figure skating icons Gabriella Papadakis and Madison Hubbell are advocating for same-sex duos in official competitions, and put on a moving performance at the Art on Ice Gala in Switzerland as part of their activism

Read More

Wed, February 12, 2025

World Athletics launches new stakeholder consultation on updated female eligibility guidelines

World Athletics’ female eligibility guidelines are being updated to “reflect the latest developments in science, sport and law,” and widespread consultation will take place with key stakeholders

Read More