Olsi Krasniqi: Former London Broncos and Salford Red Devils forward on mental health impacts of concussion

Krasniqi announced his retirement from rugby league earlier this week after suffering a concussion at the start of the 2021 season. "It just became a fact I wasn't going to recover from it," he told Sky Sports News

By Sky Sports Rugby League

Image: Former Broncos and Salford forward Olsi Krasniqi has announced his retirement from rugby league

Former Super League forward Olsi Krasniqi has revealed the mental impact concussion has had on him after announcing his decision to retire from rugby league aged 29.

Krasniqi, who featured in the top flight for both London Broncos and Salford Red Devils, as well as spending time at Toronto Wolfpack, has called time on his playing career after suffering a head injury while playing for the Broncos in the opening game of the 2021 Championship season.

It was not the first time he sustained a concussion during his career, but being left suffering with physical symptoms such as noise and light sensitivity, plus balance issues and tiredness during the day alerted him to the fact this was something serious.

Krasniqi has struggled with mental health issues over the past year as well, admitting to being in a very dark place at times. While he has overcome those, he is in no doubt that it is the side of concussion more awareness is needed in.

"The most important part of the story is the mental aspect of 'Where do you go now?'" Krasniqi told Sky Sports News. "You're constantly lying to yourself thinking you're going to be okay; you're going to be back soon and it's just a little blip.

"I went through some dark times around May, June and July where I spiralled into quite a dark place, really. I was struggling with anxiety... and these are the parts you don't really see.

"Mental health is massive in our sport and we talk about it quite a lot, but we need to talk about it more in regard to head knocks.

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"You're getting them all the time in training and games and you can't prevent them, but we can educate more on how to recover and move forward from them."

Krasniqi's announcement came in the same week Sky Sports premiered a documentary focusing on the challenges former Leeds Rhinos captain Stevie Ward has faced since his career was ended by a concussion suffered in the opening game of the 2020 Super League season.

Much of what he saw in that documentary resonated with the Albania-born player, who recalled how he realised the extent of the problems he was facing when playing with his son at home.

"I watched quite a bit of that documentary and I couldn't believe how much of it was similar to the symptoms I'm having and the reasons why I have stopped playing," Krasniqi said.

RFL statement on Stevie Ward

"The RFL has been very saddened to hear about Stevie’s difficulties.

“The RFL has always taken and continues to take the safety and welfare of all players extremely seriously. Rugby League is a contact sport and there is an element of risk to playing any sport.

"As a result of the continuing developments in scientific and medical knowledge relating to those risks, the sport of Rugby League continues to improve and develop its approach to concussion, head injury assessment, education, management and prevention across the whole game.

"We will continue to use medical evidence and research to reinforce, improve and enhance our approach as we have always done."

"I had a concussion at the start of last season in the first game of the year after multiple ones across my career, and it just became a fact I wasn't going to recover from it.

"Three or four months in, I was still struggling with symptoms and I've got a young lad now, and I remember picking him up and running around the house with him, and I had to sit down after. That was probably the first sign which made me want to stop playing."

Krasniqi now feels prepared for leaving behind the sport he has played professionally since his teens - he made his debut for the Broncos aged 17 when they were known as Harlequins RL - thanks to help he has received from both Sporting Chance and Rugby League Cares.

He is thankful to both charities for everything they have done for him, including arranging counselling, but feels that for all the advances rugby league has made in concussion protocols, there still needs to be more work done by the sport's governing bodies.

Image: Olsi Krasniqi made his professional bow as a teenager with Harlequins RL

Krasniqi also believes a culture shift is needed in both codes of rugby to make players more comfortable to say when something is wrong rather than trying to get back out on the field at all costs.

"That was a part of the game I loved," Krasniqi said. "Essentially, you're a gladiator out there and you're entertaining people playing this great game. It's given me everything I've got to this day, but at the same time it's taken away a lot.

"Lads need to make that decision and be wise with it. That attitude of cracking on maybe wasn't always the right thing, but it's kind of what you were bred to do and if I can give any advice it would be think twice.

"If you come off the pitch and you're not feeling right, just put your hands up and there is nothing wrong with that. You might upset a coach or a team-mate for a game or so, but in the long run, you've got a long career ahead of you and even longer life.

"The progress I'm making gives me hope there will be better things to come...I'd just like to see more progress come through from a governing body level."