Former Maori All Blacks player Shane Christie has been posthumously diagnosed with advanced chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative brain condition linked to repeated head knocks. The diagnosis was confirmed during a preliminary hearing into his death, which occurred in August last year at his home in Nelson, New Zealand, just a day before his 40th birthday.
Christie, who also played for the Highlanders, Crusaders, and the All Blacks' sevens team before retiring in 2018, had publicly expressed concerns about his brain health after experiencing symptoms such as headaches, speech and memory issues, depression, and mood swings. He had campaigned for greater study into the links between concussion and long-term brain injuries, calling on governing bodies to provide a duty of care for players.
At the hearing, coroner Ian Telford stated that pathologist Dr. Clinton Turner of the University of Auckland's brain bank had confirmed a diagnosis of high-stage CTE. Christie had donated his brain to the bank, following the example of his close friend Billy Guyton, another former New Zealand Maori player who died in 2023 and was also diagnosed with CTE post-mortem.
Former Wales international Alix Popham, who has early onset dementia and probable CTE, reacted angrily to the news. In a social media post, he wrote, "SHAME ON YOU @NZRugby @AllBlacks WORLD RUGBY," accompanied by tearful and angry emojis. Popham has previously criticised rugby authorities for their handling of head injuries.
New Zealand Rugby chief Steve Lancaster issued a statement acknowledging the CTE results and expressing support for ongoing research. "We share the concerns about the potential long-term effects of repeated head knocks in rugby and support the need for ongoing research into this," he said.
