The project's proposal by this Madrid native is as simple as it is revolutionary: a headband made of unified thermoplastic, hard but softer than the skull, which absorbs 93% of the impact received on the head, reducing the chances of suffering motor neuron diseases, and in its most advanced version, records impacts in real-time, their severity, and therefore, what the brain is experiencing. "It complies with regulations. We will release the latest model next year, and it's like mapping the brain. We can decide in the moment if a player should play or not."
According to a study conducted by the University of Glasgow in collaboration with FIFA, professional footballers have five times more risk of developing Alzheimer's and twice the risk of developing Parkinson's than the general population. The research was led by Dr. Willie Stewart, who insists that footballers "have higher rates of dementia."
A professional footballer heads the ball between 1,000 and 3,000 times a year, between training and matches. "It's like a slap on the head," compares Pelayo. An accumulated habit that is a silent risk, and if not controlled, as in schools or amateur football, it becomes even more harmful. "The brain doesn't forget, it accumulates. Three mild impacts can end up being moderate. And it's not just about the ball. A head-to-head collision can require months without playing," explains Pelayo. However, the reality tells us that footballers return to the field as soon as possible to continue playing.
Jeff Astle, former West Bromwich Albion player, is the symbol of this issue. "He died in 2002 from the so-called 'punch drunk' inheritance. His family had noticed drastic changes: constant forgetfulness, disorientation, inability to remember his own daughters' names. After his death, they requested to have his skull opened," Pelayo recounts. The diagnosis set a precedent: chronic traumatic encephalopathy. His brain was destroyed.
Since then, more and more footballers undergo analysis and tests to discover the extent of daily impacts with the ball. And the result is worrying: "Professional footballers have five times more chances of developing Alzheimer's and twice the Parkinson's than the rest of the population," Pelayo points out. "At 40 years old, they have diseases they should have at 80 or 90," he adds. "When you look at their foreheads, almost all of them have scars."
"With the Mikasa in the 90s, it was worse," you might think if you crossed paths with the most iconic stone ball in Spanish football history. But you would be wrong. The Mikasa, heavy and slow, affected the brain less than a current ball. "The speed is worse than the force. If the ball weighs more, it seems like the impact is more severe, but for the brain, speed is much worse."
Pelayo and his team analyze players' blood to detect proteins released after impacts, an indicator of neuronal damage. Additionally, they have conducted reflex tests that demonstrate that "in many cases," footballers have "less reaction capacity or take longer to perform a basic math calculation" than a normal person.
But the battle is not only technological, it is also cultural. "For a club, a footballer is a product that lasts two, three, or four years. What happens to them at 40 is not their problem. They say they follow FIFA rules and that's it," criticizes Pelayo, recalling the case of Gavi, who suffered a head blow and "didn't know where he was."
Furthermore, the business aspect beyond health is observed. "There is no greater advertising space than a footballer's head. It's worth eight times more than the rest of the gear. In the future, we could put advertising on the headband," he acknowledges about a product that absorbs up to 93% of the impact in critical areas and does not increase the force of headers. "It's not technological doping," he jokes.
The Proteckthor project has received a significant boost in recent months. Players like Álvaro Morata are testing it, and various lower division Spanish football clubs have raised almost two million euros through investment rounds and public aid. They will represent Spain in the international final of the prestigious Global eAwards entrepreneurship awards from the NTT DATA Foundation. Achievements that will bring them even closer to the football industry. "We will work with several clubs on their youth teams, conducting analyses with and without the headband to assess the impact on adolescents," he concludes. A revolution.