Former French rugby star Sébastien Chabal has revealed that he has no memory of his international playing days, possibly due to repeated head impacts during his career.
Chabal earned 62 caps for France between 2000 and 2011, playing mostly as a back-row forward. But in a recent interview published Wednesday on the Legend YouTube channel, the 46-year-old said he cannot recall any moments from his time on the field.
“I don’t remember a single second of a rugby match I played,” Chabal said. “I don’t remember a single one of the 62 Marseillaises [the French national anthem] I experienced.”
Although Chabal did not use the word “concussion,” his memory loss raises concerns about the long-term effects of head injuries in rugby. He also said he has not consulted a neurologist about his condition.
“What would you do, my memory won’t return,” he added, noting he no longer remembers the birth of his daughter either.
Chabal’s revelation comes as concerns about brain injuries in rugby continue to grow. In December 2023, nearly 300 former players launched legal action against World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union, and England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU). The group includes England World Cup winners Steve Thompson and Phil Vickery.
The lawsuit claims the governing bodies failed to take reasonable steps to protect players’ health and safety. Some players, including Thompson and former Wales international Alix Popham, have been diagnosed with early-onset dementia.
Head injuries in rugby have also been linked to serious neurological conditions such as motor neurone disease, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease.
Related topics: