Doddie Weir: Rugby not to blame for my motor neurone disease

Former Scotland international Doddie Weir insists he places no blame on rugby after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).

In June, Weir revealed that he was suffering with MND after first noticing the symptoms 18 months before when he trapped his hand in a door on his farm.

MND describes a group of diseases that affect the nerves in the brain and spinal cord that tell your muscles what to do. Gradually the messages from these nerves stop reaching the muscles, leading them to weaken, stiffen and waste.

Weir, who earned 61 Scotland caps, is the second international rugby star to have suffered with the condition, after former South Africa scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen lost his life earlier this year after a six-year battle.

“I asked the question to my professor and there’s no profound knowledge to say that rugby was involved in my condition,” the 47-year-old told the BBC.

“Yeah [I got head knocks], I think you always do in the way that we played, definitely, not often concussed but certainly a few bangs on the head. 

“But there’s maybe 450 to 500 sufferers of MND in Scotland – and quite a large majority probably wouldn’t have played rugby.

“I don’t think there’s any connection to it at the moment but the reason behind that is that there’s maybe not a lot of studies put together, not a lot of work or focus put on MND at the moment in the world, so hopefully we can try and change that and try to find the solution.”

https://twitter.com/DW5Trust/status/901151079769001984

Weir has set up the Doddie Weir’5 Discretionary Trust to help with research and supporting fellow sufferers, having taken inspiration from the work Van der Westhuizen did before his death.

“He [Van der Westhuizen] probably brought me on to understand what it was all about,” added Weir. 

“I met him at Murrayfield a number of years ago. A very inspirational character.

“So with his J9 Foundation it was really the first port of call that I was going to do, to see what he’s done before – because there’s a frustrating part with MND and that’s the solution. That’s not been found yet. It’s a terminal illness and that’s quite hard to take.”

Despite his condition Weir remains upbeat and hopes to help find a cure for MND.

“I’m very lucky in some ways because it’s directly started with my hands,” he said. 

“With other people it can start with their voice, their eating or their legs, so in a way I can still do everything, although maybe a bit slower than what they used to be.

“The reaction of everyone – rugby players especially – the support’s been unbelievable, very humbling. 

“Now the focus is about driving to secure a resolution. I’ve got to try and make a difference.”