Rugby-Moody says it will not sue for damages related to provocation without evidence

Reuters: Former England flair Lewis Moody has sympathy for his former team-mate Steve Thompson, who blames the game’s governing body for sports-related damages, but will not consider proceedings without evidence of medical negligence.

World Cup winner Hooker Thompson said this week that he had no recollection of the 2003 final against Australia and that players, along with other former players, would be held responsible for failing to protect themselves from long-term mental issues.

Moody’s said the lawsuit shows that further change is needed, but he feels “uncomfortable going after people” like the doctors who did their best.

“My decisions were my decisions. I was mad on the rugby pitch. I hurt myself for the benefit of my team, because that’s how I enjoyed playing the game. That was the only way,” Moody told the Times https: // www. .thetimes.co.uk / edition / sport / lewis-moody-i-chose-to-be-a-lunatic-on-the-pitch-so-i-wont-sue- 0lkhtgxvb.

“I’ve always felt supported by the medical team because I felt that the knowledge and information we were managing was totally different. I would never let individuals sue.”

Former Wales flancher and captain Sam Warburton echoed Moody’s sentiments, blaming a lack of knowledge of symptoms in his playing days.

“Like so many players, I didn’t know you would be knocked unconscious,” Warbert wrote in his column.

“In fact, most of the excitement happens this way. But as players we didn’t know it at the time.

“We still don’t know everything and we may have to wait for some first professional players to be analyzed when they go for it. But we know a lot more.”

(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, Editing by Ed Osmond)