Shane Christie, rugby concussion campaigner who wanted to donate his brain, dead at 39

New Zealander suffered multiple concussions

Shane Christie, while Assistant Coach of Tasman. Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images

Shane Christie, the former Māori All Blacks player who had wanted his brain to be studied after suffering from the effects of multiple concussions, has died aged 39.

The New Zealand rugby player had campaigned for greater awareness in rugby of the impact of repeated blows to the head. After retiring from the game in 2017, Christie reportedly suffered from headaches, memory lapses, speech problems, depression and mood swings consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).