Hatton ‘received repeated blows to his head’ over his career, inquest into his death told
Tests carried out on former boxer Ricky Hatton’s brain after his death showed evidence of a neurodegenerative disorder at the centre of a campaign.
The same condition has been highlighted in the deaths of several former footballers, including most recently Manchester United’s former defender Gordon McQueen.
Hatton, who was 46, died at his home in Hyde in September last year. At an inquest into his death on Friday at South Manchester Coroners’ Court in Stockport, a cause of death was given as ‘hanging’ and evidence heard ‘The Hitman’ was found by his agent and close friend on a pool table in an upstairs games room.
Hatton – one of Greater Manchester’s most-loved sporting sons – was said to have been around twice the legal drink-drive limit, with wine found around the pool table.
The inquest also heard a pathologist found evidence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) – a neurodegenerative disorder which is thought to be connected to repetitive head injuries. In Hatton’s case, it was said to be at the ‘milder end of the spectrum’, but it was referenced by the coroner in her conclusion.
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Alison Mutch, a senior coroner, recorded a narrative verdict, saying Hatton had made ‘significant future plans’ and that no notes were found. She said as a result, she wasn’t satisfied he intended to take his own life.
Ms Mutch said: “Therefore, it is not possible in law for me to conclude suicide. I have concluded a narrative verdict. His intention remains unclear as he was under the influence of alcohol and the neuropathological post-mortem found evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and that’s the conclusion I draw.”
Dr Neil Papworth, who carried out the post-mortem examination, said analysis of Hatton’s brain showed ‘degenerative changes’ associated with people older than the boxer, and often associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
He said overall the changes seen were suggestive of CTE associated with repeated trauma to the brain, but at the milder end of the spectrum, resulting in memory loss and cognitive impairment. None of the damage to Hatton’s brain, however, could be said to have contributed to his death, the pathologist said.
The court heard that several samples of his brain were analysed. While ‘no macroscopic abnormalities’ were identified, there was a ‘degree of chronic neuronal loss which is the loss of nerve cells’ in the ‘microscopic’ analysis of the brain, according to Dr Papworth.
He noted that as a boxer, Hatton ‘received repeated blows to his head’ over his career, but he said it was ‘not possible’ to determine the process by which Mr Hatton was affected by CTE.
According to the NHS, Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain condition thought to be linked to repeated head injuries and blows to the head. It slowly gets worse over time and can lead to dementia. The NHS says people who have suffered ‘repeated blows to the head’ or concussions over many years have a higher chance of getting the condition.
Contact sports – including boxing and football – are referenced on the NHS website. It cannot be cured, but symptoms can be managed. It was once known as ‘punch-drunk’ syndrome.
Dozens of former footballers and their families are currently suing the FA, the Football Association of Wales and the English Football League over claims they were ‘negligent and in breach of their duty of care’ to the former players who all developed the condition. They include the family of former Manchester United and England midfielder Norbert ‘Nobby’ Stiles, who won the 1966 World Cup with England.
Stiles died in 2020 after suffering from dementia and was also found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
The FA, however, has told the High Court it has ‘not been established by science’ that heading a ball or ‘occasional’ concussion can lead to permanent brain damage.
Lawyers for the former players and their families have previously said that the bodies knew or should have known that repeatedly heading a ball in training and during matches was likely to cause brain injuries, and that the risks were known for decades.
In 2020, the FA announced it would introduce updated guidance for heading balls for all age groups between under-six and under-18, which was followed by further guidance for all levels of the sport in England in 2021.
Then, in 2022, it became the first national association to adopt the International Football Association Board’s trial to remove deliberate heading from grassroots matches for players under the age of 12. The association said in 2024 that it was investing and supporting “multiple research projects” to “gain a greater insight and understanding of this complex area”.
The widow of one former footballer – Jeff Astle – has called for the Government to recognise neurodegenerative conditions among footballers as industrial disease.
Her call came after a coroner ruled heading a football was “likely” to have contributed to a brain injury which was a factor in the death of former Manchester United and Leeds defender Gordon McQueen. His death due to pneumonia was owing to frailty, found to be through a combination of vascular dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
McQueen – who was capped for Scotland 30 times between 1974 and 1981, and played for both Manchester United and Leeds United during a 16-year career – died at his home in North Yorkshire in June 2023, aged 70.
It was another landmark ruling for those campaigning for greater protection for current players and improved support for past generations, following on from the verdict of death by industrial disease recorded for former England striker Jeff Astle in November 2002.
In a narrative conclusion, the coroner said: “It is likely that repetitive head impacts sustained by heading the ball while playing football contributed to the CTE.”
After the hearing, McQueen’s Sky Sports TV presenter daughter Hayley McQueen and her sister Anna Forbes, spoke about the dangers of heading. Ms McQueen said: “It should have been a turning point many, many years ago when we learned the same thing with Jeff Astle and not much has happened between that time and now.”
Mrs Astle, in her role at the Professional Footballers’ Association, continues to lobby the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council to officially recognise sports-related or sports-caused neurodegenerative diseases, including CTE, as industrial diseases, with the family of former England captain Dave Watson is also challenging the Department of Work and Pensions over the same issue.
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