IRUPA chief: Munster players struggling with Anthony Foley tragedy
The 39-year-old Australian launched Headway’s new concussion awareness programme in Dublin yesterday and was visibly upset when speaking about the provisions being put in place to support the devastated Munster players, both past and present.
“We’ve been fairly active in trying to assist with the players and with Munster rugby itself as an organisation,” explained Hassanein, his voice shaking with emotion.
“I have been in touch with the senior management. I have spoken to the HR manager at Munster and I had a very good chat with Peter O’Mahony, the squad captain on Monday.
“There is no doubt some of the players are struggling, some of the young players in particular.
“We’ve always had in place a helpline through the IRUPA, that’s available and we are certainly promoting it to the players at the moment. There is also counselling services which IRUPA has in place and the IRUPA will foot the cost of the services which are available not only to full-time players but to academy players and past players as well.”
Hassanein was keen to emphasise that IRUPA support services were also available to past Munster players who are undoubtedly suffering with the sudden loss of their former team-mate and one of the provinces greatest servants.
“Guys like the great Marcus Horan, Frankie Sheahan, Jerry Flannery, and David Wallace who have all been through that era with Anthony, they are grieving very hard at the moment,” explained Hassanein.
“I know they are very upset. I was chatting to Marcus Horan just yesterday and he is distraught, as are his family and friends.”
“It is a very difficult time so we are trying to provide support to past players as well, just because they are not in the employment set-up with Munster at the moment, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t receive support, it definitely should be the case so we are doing as best we can.”
The Sydney native, IRUPA chief executive since 2011 and having played professionally in Australia, France, Italy, and Japan, admitted the entire rugby world was reeling from Foley’s sudden and untimely passing on Sunday.
“It’s terrible,” Hassanein sighed. “I mean you see the solidarity that it has brought around in the community, you see a whole stack of Munster supporters staying outside the stadium and singing the fields of Athenry.
“It’s sends a bit of a shiver down your spine I guess and then you see everyone laying flowers in Thomond Park, it really shows in such a tragic time the solidarity that rugby brings about in the community.”
Headway, the acquired brain injury service and support organisation, launched their new concussion awareness programme yesterday, in association with Laya Healthcare and supported by Lifestyle Sports, emphasising concussion was possible in all contact sports.
Hassanein also a director of Headway, also explained how parents should not let concussion concerns put them off allowing their children partake in the game of rugby or any other sport.
“There’s an obvious fear there,” explained Hassanein. “As someone who has spent all of his life since age seven in rugby I’m not going to deny it, there is a fear amongst mothers and fathers. There is a fear in the general community as well. Ultimately, the game of rugby and sport gives you so many values that you can take through your life and it has put me in such good stead.
“Obviously we try to encourage as much as possible to have team doctors on the sideline, that’s not always the case,” Hassanein explained, with team doctor’s being less present at underage and amateur games.
“There needs to be a whole range of people on the sideline who understand the signs and symptoms of concussion and that only comes about from people reading, listening and understanding what to look for.
“I would encourage people not to just walk away blankly from sport, we just have to be aware and understand how we apply the concussion management aspect of sport in future.”
- Further information available at www.concussionaware.ie
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