Life as a professional rugby player can be taxing on the body; however, one former international star has shared that he suffered from health problems during his career, which led to him being recognised as having a disability.
In England there have been concerns in recent years about the impact that rugby is having on former players due to concerns surrounding head injuries, with Ben Youngs exploring the safety of the sport in a BBC documentary focusing on concussions and long-term brain health risks.
The recent news about a former France star now being told he has a disability due to injuries sustained throughout his career.
Maxime Mermoz revealed last week that he had just been officially recognised as having a disability, after facing ‘serious health problems’, spreading this information on social media.
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The former Toulouse and Toulon star previously spoke to the website Actu Rugby after his retirement from the sport in 2020.
He said: “What happened to me is clearly linked to rugby because I took some direct hits.
"In my day, it was 'sink or swim.'If you complained about anything, you were seen as weak."
The now 39-year-old recounts that his suffering dates back to 2015, when he was playing for Toulon during a high-altitude training camp where he experienced tinnitus.
Just a couple of years later in 2017, while playing for Newcastle Falcons, the name of Newcastle Red Bulls at the time, he suffered bouts of vertigo that weakened him for months.
Mermoz would explain that his condition would not get any better upon his return to Toulouse in 2018, as reported in L’Equipe.
He said: “Some days I couldn't even look at my phone because the screens made me dizzy. All my reflexes and my nervous system were affected. I couldn't even look someone in the eyes because my eyes wouldn't stay open; I would fall over."
While Mermoz had a fine career in the sport, he made 35 caps for France, even starting in the 2011 World Cup final against New Zealand.
His treatment improved from 2022 onwards, when he received a diagnosis. Mermoz was suffering from a haematoma bylline rupture in the inner ear.
Anti-inflammatory drugs have almost completely eliminated his symptoms, although he still experiences hearing problems.
Topics: Rugby, Rugby Union
Brendan McGilligan