When professional bull rider learned that his friend was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy at the time of his death, he said the news came as little surprise.
鈥淚t kind of made sense,鈥� Byrne told 麻豆传媒 Channel from his home in Prince Albert, Sask. 鈥淗e had a very successful career, but [there were] a lot of injuries involved and a lot of concussions, so looking back now, you know, you can see the signs.鈥�
On Tuesday, that the champion bull rider from Merritt, B.C., had suffered from the brain condition, also known as CTE, before dying of suicide in January at the age of 25. Suspecting that the repeated head injuries Pozzobon sustained during his rodeo career were linked to his death, his family had donated his brain to the university.
CTE, which can only be diagnosed post-mortem, is a neurodegenerative disease that is often found in people who have suffered multiple head injuries. Recent studies have shown that the condition is widespread in those who have played professional contact sports, such as football. CTE has also been linked to mental health issues such as depression and suicide. Pozzobon is the first professional bull rider to be confirmed to have CTE.
The results of the testing, Byrne said, has brought Pozzobon鈥檚 family 鈥渁 little bit of closure.鈥� It has also brought a degree of soul-searching to Canada鈥檚 bull riding community.
鈥淲e know the risks to the sport -- we know what we鈥檙e getting ourselves into,鈥� Byrne said. 鈥淏ut when something like this happens, it makes it a real gut check for all of us to take care of ourselves a little bit better because the ultimate could end up happening.鈥�
Byrne said that he saw his friend get knocked out cold at least a dozen times and that the constant head blows Pozzobon suffered had a noticeable effect on the athlete.
鈥淚t was just a change in his personality, a change in his demeanour,鈥� Byrne said. 鈥淗e just wasn鈥檛 himself in the last few months.鈥�
Now, to honour his friend鈥檚 memory and help make their sport safer, Byrne is part of the group that operates the , which, according to its website, aims 鈥渢o protect and support the health and well-being of rodeo competitors inside and outside the arena.鈥�
鈥淭hrough that foundation, we鈥檙e trying to educate and push forward with more protocols, with more information to those kids that are starting out [in bull riding],鈥� Byrne said. 鈥淚f they get hit, they鈥檒l know more on how to take care of themselves or how to go to the right people that can help them do it. So, through Ty鈥檚 legacy, through Ty鈥檚 name and his foundation, we鈥檒l hopefully make it a better sport.鈥�
With files from The Canadian Press
