Ahead of the Game - London

AUTHOR & JOURNALIST

Sam Peters is an award-winning author and former journalist who spearheaded the Mail on Sunday’s acclaimed concussion in rugby campaign.

In 2023 Sam authored ‘Concussed; Sport’s Uncomfortable Truth’, recounting the huge challenges he’s faced reporting on concussion while also highlighting player welfare failings in professional sport.

In 2024 Concussed won the UK Sports Book Award for outstanding sports writing and was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year. It was also named a Times and Telegraph Book of the Year and Waterstones Sports Book of the Year.

He was twice shortlisted as rugby journalist of the year at the Sports Journalists Awards and also shortlisted for sports journalist of the year at the Press Gazette Awards.

He has since covered rugby for the Sunday Times and set up Concussed Media in 2023.

He has written two other books; The Row to Recovery and Broadside with England cricketer Stuart Broad.

AUTHOR & JOURNALIST

Alison Kervin became the first female sports editor of a national newspaper when she took over the reigns at the Mail on Sunday newspaper in 2013. She ran the sports desk for eight years, and was awarded an OBE in the 2017 New Year's Honours list for her achievements, most notably her concussion campaign which ran for five years, pressuring the authorities and sports’ governing bodies into taking head injuries seriously. 

Before her editing job, Alison worked as Chief Sports Feature Writer for The Times, Chief Sports Interviewer for the Daily Telegraph and editor of Rugby World magazine.

She has a hugely varied sporting CV: she was in the England gymnastics squad before qualifying as a coach for no fewer than 10 sports. In 1991, she became the first woman to referee a rugby match at Twickenham.

“Alison's work on behalf of women in sport has helped break the gender barrier for women on the field of play and in administration.” Lord Sebastian Coe

CONSULTANT IN SPORT AND EXERCISE MEDICINE

Professor Loosemore MBE is a lead consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine, treating all types of sportspeople and children for musculoskeletal issues, concussions, and sports injuries. 

He is at the forefront of research and development in the prevention and treatment of concussions, and he believes that exercise is a highly effective tool in therapeutic intervention, disease prevention, and treatment of chronic non-communicable diseases.

He travels extensively with national squads to Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and World and European Championships. 

Holding a PhD in the Pathophysiology of Boxing Injuries, he has published numerous works supporting his wide field of knowledge. An honorary doctorate in science was awarded for "outstanding contribution to sport and exercise medicine", while serving as the Head of Speciality to future SEM doctors. He has also received the Sir Robert Atkins Award, the David Hemery Award, and was greatly honoured to receive an MBE for services to Sports Medicine.

ROWING WORLD CHAMPION, OLYMPIAN & CONFLICT DIPLOMAT

Cath is a triple Olympian, a former diplomat, and now a leadership and culture coach working with leaders across business, sport and education to raise performance, transform cultures and develop effective leadership and teams. Her book 'The Long Win' was published in 2020 and acclaimed by both business and sports audiences.

As an Olympic rower, Cath competed at three Olympic Games. Highlights include winning the World Championships in 2003 and an Olympic silver medal in 2004.  As a diplomat for over a decade, Cath specialised in conflict issues and negotiations. Alongside her work advising leadership teams and working on Executive Education programmes at the Judge Business School, Cambridge, Cath now writes a monthly column for The Guardian on topics relating to culture in sport, and acts as an independent expert and member of the Cultural Oversight Board of British Gymnastics advising them on culture change following the Whyte Review into abuse in gymnastics.

CONSULTANT NEUROPATHOLOGIST

Professor Willie Stewart is a consultant neuropathologist at the University of Glasgow and a leading expert in brain injury in sport.

He published the famous FIELD study in 2019, which demonstrated that professional footballers are 5 times more likely to suffer from dementia than the normal population. His influential work has triggered football authorities across the world to listen to these serious health risks and his ongoing work has ignited change.

SPORTS INDUSTRY RESEARCH SCIENTIST

Dr Lisa Ryan is Head of School of Science and Computing at Atlantic Technological University (ATU, Galway City), Ireland.  Since arriving at ATU in 2015 from Monash University, Australia, Dr Ryan has established the Department of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition and new areas of study in Sport & Exercise Science, Sports Coaching, Strength and Conditioning, Biomechanics, Sport & Exercise Nutrition, and Public Health Nutrition and received Enterprise Ireland funding in 2017 to establish the Medicinal Nutrition and Sport thematic research group extending the capabilities of the MET Gateway at ATU. 

Dr Ryan previously helped to establish the 1st Functional Food Centre in the UK while working at Oxford Brookes University and has a particular interest in the role of bioactives in health and sport performance. In 2018 she co-founded the ‘Irish Concussion Research Centre’ , and is a leading researcher on concussion management in Sport.  She has a particular interest in sex-based differences in concussion presentation and management and the potential role of nutrition in concussion recovery. She is currently leading six European Projects focused primarily on Sport, Exercise and Nutrition fields. Dr Ryan is an advocate for all aspects of women’s health and the promotion and support of women in sport. In 2024 she is co-leading a national group to support and develop all aspects of Women in Sport in Ireland.

CO-FOUNDER - LUCA HEALTH

Nick is a former professional rugby player who had to retire aged just 20 because of injury. Following 6 years at a startup and then after completing an MBA at Oxford University, he co-founded Luca Health, with the simple but ambitious mission of making “sport safer, for all”. Nick’s a huge believer in the power of sport to inspire, to unite and to change lives. For that to remain true, it must retain grassroots participation, and that depends on closing the welfare gap with pro sport. Sport is now operating in a high scrutiny, high awareness environment, especially with regard to head injuries.

Schools arguably feel this pressure more than most due to worried parents and because of a potential lack of specialist provision. Luca’s innovative concussion management solution alleviates these fears by combining a best in class medical service with cutting edge technology to keep pupils safe and stakeholders informed.

COO - YOUR BRAIN HEALTH

David Bartlett is a physiotherapist with a distinguished career in elite sports. He began his journey with Middlesex Cricket, honing his skills in athlete rehabilitation and performance. David then advanced to Head of Medical at Gloucestershire CCC, where he oversaw injury prevention and player welfare before later joining Welsh Fire as the Men’s Team Physiotherapist in The Hundred competition, a role he continues to do.

Beyond physiotherapy, David has developed expertise in brain health, in 2023/24 season developing and delivering educational sessions to Premier League football clubs. He has promoted the need for better education around concussion care to clinicians and has defended historical practises as naivety rather than malpractice. Currently, he plays a key role at Your Brain Health, championing evidence-based strategies to roll out a network of clinicians to deliver best care. David is passionate about wellbeing and performance, and helping to develop environments that allow both athletes and staff to thrive.

Founder - This Is The Changing Room

Sam Smith helps visionary leaders create the life that they are too scared to admit they want, whilst also writing a book on what happens when you trust your inner wisdom. His clients live in alignment with who they truly are, beneath the false identities they created to get by in life. They live full lives in absolute integrity with who they want to be. The results are extraordinary. Sam played professional rugby for Harlequins and Worcester Warriors before suffering a career ending injury at 26.

PROFESSIONAL CRICKETER

Tom Kohler-Cadmore is a professional cricketer who plays for Somerset, Welsh Fire, Sharjah Warriors and Sydney Thunder. He is a right-handed batsman who also bowls right-arm off spin.

On 1 December 2021, he made the highest individual score in T10 history, scoring 96 off just 39 balls against Bangla Tigers in the Abu Dhabi T10 League.

In 2022 he spent 6 months on the sideline from professional cricket having suffered with a serious concussion, sustained whilst playing for Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League.

Tom will be able to share how this concussion changed his approach to preparation and what effect it has had on his cricket.

SURGEON AND SPORTS DOCTOR

Bill Ribbans is a Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon and Professor of Sports Medicine at the University of Northampton. He has been involved medically in elite sport since 1981.

As a surgeon, he has looked after numerous professional sporting organisations and athletes – both nationally and internationally. As a sports doctor, he has worked pitch side for many teams including Northampton Saints rugby, England senior men’s rugby, Northampton Town FC and Northamptonshire CCC. He has been responsible for the assessment and care of head injuries in various NHS positions for over 30 years.

He detailed in his 2020 book, Knife in the Fast Lane, his concerns over head injuries in sport and became a founder member of Progressive Rugby in February 2021. He campaigns for optimal welfare for athletes at all levels further raising concerns in his 2024 book, A Plague on all our Sports, detailing issues during the COVID pandemic.

DIRECTOR - ICE EDUCATION

Neil Rollings was Director of Sport and Head of Rugby at four schools over a 21 year career in schools.  This included ten years coaching the 1st XV at Sedbergh School.  He was also Head Coach of North Under 18 and England Schools’ President’s XV, and coached in the National League for 15 years.  He now works with schools to develop sports programmes and appoint Directors of Sport. 

He is former Chairman of the Professional Association of Directors of Sport in Independent Schools, member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on a Fit and Healthy  Childhood and Course Director of the University of Buckingham MA programme in Leading Sport in Schools.   Previously a member of the RFU Coaching Committee, he is now heavily involved with the RFU Schools and Partners Advisory Group (SPAG).