- Launched in 2019, Drake Football Study is a 10-year project tracking the physical and mental health of around 170 men’s and women’s footballers
- Over the last 18 months, the study has published data on knee and hip osteoarthritis in men’s players, as well as mental health symptoms and gynaecological health of women's players
- FIFPRO caught up with Finnish current and former players taking part in the study in Helsinki via their domestic union
7 April marks World Health Day, a time where health is celebrated annually under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization.
On World Health Day – and year-round – FIFPRO and its national member associations remain committed to elevating the quality of players’ physical and mental health.
Launched in 2019, Drake Football Study is a 10-year project tracking the physical and mental health of around 170 men’s and women’s footballers – beginning during their playing careers and transitioning through to retirement.
Over the last 18 months, the study has published data on knee and hip osteoarthritis in men’s players, as well as mental health symptoms and gynaecological health of women's players.
FIFPRO caught up with Finnish current and former players taking part in the study in Helsinki via their domestic union Jalkapallon Pelaajayhdistys Ry (JPY).
Timi Lahti, the Finnish player union’s contact manager, played professionally for 13 years at top-flight clubs such as Haka, HJK, VPS, FC Lahti and IFK Mariehamn, as well as having stints in Italy with Padova and Belluno. Lahti is one of the participants in the Drake Football Study.
Talking about the study, Lahti explains: "The idea is to follow a player’s career from when they’re still playing football and follow their health over the next 10 years to see how their body feels. If there’s a chance I can help the footballers of the future, then I want to do it."
"It’s not only the physical side; the mental side is as huge," says Akim Sairinen, a centre-back at Finnish second-tier side TPS, who is also involved in the study. "As a footballer you get a lot of uncomfortable feelings and situations. If you can see how you can improve these things and be more ready for anything, it’s a good thing."
With a focus on the physical and mental health of women’s players, the Drake Football Study also aims to bridge existing knowledge gaps that exists when it comes to the health of female athletes.
Milla Punsar, a midfielder for Honka, is one of the women’s players involved in the study. Punsar says: "It’s important for female footballers because, unfortunately, there is not enough studies for women’s footballers; it’s vital to get more information about the health of women’s injuries because women and men have different bodies, different hormones. That is one thing that makes the Drake Football Study special."
Coordinated by FIFPRO, the Drake Football Study is seed-funded by The Drake Foundation and supported by Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Mehilainen (Finland) and Push Sports (The Netherlands).
FIFPRO Medical Director Prof Dr Vincent Gouttebarge is the project lead together with Prof Dr Gino Kerkhoffs, chair of the Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine department at the Amsterdam University Medical Centres.
