Concussed: Sport's Uncomfortable Truth: SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023

*SHORTLISTED for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2023* *A TIMES AND DAILY TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR* *A WATERSTONES BEST SPORTS BOOK OF 2023* *FOREWORD BY SIR CLIVE WOODWARD* 'There is a real sense of mission in his voice - and vitriol for those who held back the sport for so long' The Observer The definitive account of sport's concussion crisis, how its 'dirty secret' was finally made public and what rugby union must now do to save itself. 'Peters' work is in the greatest tradition of British journalism: fearless, unstoppable and committed to righting a profound wrong.' DAN SNOW 'Sam Peters has fought a truly magnificent campaign on concussion in rugby . . . sport will be safer because of it.' STEPHEN JONES By recounting the untold story of the most influential sports campaign in British newspaper history, which turned concussion in professional rugby from a niche issue into front and back page news, Concussed poses the questions all sports lovers need answering as evidence grows linking sports-related concussions to premature deaths and dementia. Expanding his research from rugby to football, NFL and other contact sports, Sam Peters brings an unparalleled breadth of experience, depth of knowledge and journalistic rigour to a subject he has written about and campaigned over for a decade. Now sport's 'dirty secret' is out in the open, Peters asks: how can rugby and other sports save themselves from the vested interests which threaten their very existence? By recounting the untold story of the most influential sports campaign in British newspaper history, which turned concussion in professional rugby from a niche issue into front and back page news, Concussed poses the questions all sports lovers need answering as evidence grows linking sports-related concussions to premature deaths and dementia.Written by Sam Peters, the journalist who spearheaded the Mail on Sunday's Cudlipp Prize nominated concussion campaign, Concussed reveals one man's attempts to blow the whistle on a mounting head injury crisis. For years, his efforts saw him labelled a 'pariah' and almost forced him out of the sport he loved for good.Including exclusive interviews with bereaved families whose stories have never been told before, as well as high-profile administrators, medics, current and past players, coaches, lawyers and media figures, Peters recounts the countless battles he fought and the threats he faced in a sport whose macho culture masked the urgent need to radically overhaul player welfare standards. Expanding his research from rugby to football, NFL and cricket, Peters brings an unparalleled breadth of experience and depth of knowledge to a subject he has written about and campaigned over for almost a decade. Now sport's 'dirty secret' is out in the open, Peters asks what it must now do to ensure future generations of players are not left permanently damaged and how parents can be persuaded their children are safe to play contact sports. Ultimately, in an increasingly risk-averse world, Concussed: Sport's Ticking Timebomb asks: will concussion kill sport?