Over a 4 months span during the summer of 2011, three different NHL players died: Wade Belak, Rick Rypien, and Derek Boogaard. All three players were thought to be suffering from severe depression at the time. Two of the deaths (Rypien and Belak) were confirmed suicides, and the third (Boogaard) was an accidental overdose on painkillers and alcohol. All three players were considered "enforcers" for their teams, meaning their primary job was to fight.
A couple of weeks ago, the family of Derek Boogaard filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the NHL, claiming the NHL was responsible for the brain damage Boogaard suffered during his time in the league, and therefore also for his addiction to painkillers. The suit also claims that the NHL said they would take care of Boogaard after they found out he was addicted to the painkillers, but according to the family's lawyers, they did not do so.
Similar cases have sprouted up around the NFL where former players are suing for damages suffered (mostly concussions) during their time playing the game.
Do you feel like the leagues in these instances are responsible for the physical well-being of the players during their careers and after them? The NHL example brings up another interesting question; should the leagues be responsible for the emotional well-being of their players as well?
I've always been of the opinion that it's the athletes choice to play the game and they get paid extraordinary amounts of money to do so, so any emotional or physical abuse taken while participating should be on them. If it gets to be too much for them, it's their decision to back out and leave the sport. However, after hearing that the NHL did know about Boogaard's substance abuse issues and did not do anything to help (according to the lawyers) I feel like the onus is on them in this regard.
A. Tibaldi
KIN 577
LT 24
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