AFL-Backed Helmet Maker Retracts Concussion Claims Amid ACCC Complaint
GameGear, an Australian football helmet manufacturer endorsed by the Australian Football League (AFL), has removed marketing claims asserting superior protection against concussion from its website. This retraction follows media scrutiny and a formal complaint lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) by player manager Peter Jess. Jess accuses the AFL of misleading the public regarding headgear safety standards, arguing that implying helmets prevent brain injury is dangerous and scientifically unsupported. While GameGear states its products are currently undergoing independent study by Monash University to assess real-world efficacy, it admitted no headgear is proven to prevent concussions in live play. The AFL, which recently introduced its first headgear standards satisfied only by GameGear, faces allegations of deceptive conduct for potentially creating a false sense of security among players and parents. Neuroscientists have labeled the sale of unproven protective gear as potentially dangerous. The ACCC is now reviewing the complaint concerning whether the league and manufacturer engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct regarding consumer safety expectations in professional sports.
Wire timeline
AFL-Backed Helmet Maker Retracts Concussion Claims Amid ACCC Complaint
GameGear, an Australian football helmet manufacturer endorsed by the Australian Football League (AFL), has removed marketing claims asserting superior protection against concussion from its website. This retraction follows media scrutiny and a formal complaint lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) by player manager Peter Jess. Jess accuses the AFL of misleading the public regarding headgear safety standards, arguing that implying helmets prevent brain injury is dangerous and scientifically unsupported. While GameGear states its products are currently undergoing independent study by Monash University to assess real-world efficacy, it admitted no headgear is proven to prevent concussions in live play. The AFL, which recently introduced its first headgear standards satisfied only by GameGear, faces allegations of deceptive conduct for potentially creating a false sense of security among players and parents. Neuroscientists have labeled the sale of unproven protective gear as potentially dangerous. The ACCC is now reviewing the complaint concerning whether the league and manufacturer engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct regarding consumer safety expectations in professional sports.
Just In