Over the course of his career from 2000 to 2015, Sebastien Chabal became one of the most popular and recognisable players, with his trademark beard and long hair leading to his nickname ‘the Caveman’.
Having been capped 62 times by France, the forward was an extremely influential player and also enjoyed memorable stints with the Sale Sharks and Racing Metro.
However, Chabal has now made a poignant admission that he is suffering from serious memory loss, seemingly related to his rugby-playing days and the knocks he took at that time.
“I don’t remember a single second of a rugby match I played,” Chabal said in an interview with Legend, a YouTube channel. “I don’t remember a single one of the 62 Marseillaises [French national anthem] I experienced.
“My memory won’t return. I have a few childhood memories. I think it’s because people told me about them. I don’t have this memory of past moments.
“When I talk about it at home with my wife, I tell her that I have the impression that it wasn’t me who played rugby. And since I [have] always thought I was a bit of an imposter, I got there a bit by chance. With the fact of not remembering, I have the impression that it wasn’t me.”
Sebastien Chabal also can’t recall the birth of his child
These poignant admissions come at a time when there are ongoing legal actions against the sport, with numerous claimants suggesting that World Rugby and others didn’t take the necessary precautions to protect them from brain injuries while playing.
More than 1,000 former amateur and professional rugby players have joined the landmark group action against rugby governing bodies over concussion-related injuries.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS NEWS?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211.
Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Src: TheSouthAfrican.com - https://rugga.co.za/world-rugby/former-rugby-star-laments-massive-memory-loss/
