Moves to introduce infrared scanners which can detect brain bleeds at boxing matches have been welcomed by the girlfriend of tragic Dundee fighter, Mike Towell.
25-year-old Iron Mike died after collapsing during a fight in Glasgow in September.
The Dundee father had previously complained of pains in his head and had asked for a brain scan three times. However, doctors had advised him it was a migraine.
The British and Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA) will introduce new scanners at fights from the end of this month.
The £12,000 devices were used by the Russian boxing team at the Olympic Games in Rio and can spot possible brain trauma at an early stage.
A three minute-long procedure emits infrared light into the head from eight different points.
It is hoped they will prevent boxers from sustaining permanent brain damage by identifying trauma at an early stage.
The devices can detect damage during the so-called “golden hour” — the 60 minutes after a head injury where pre-hospital assessment is critical to the future neurological health of a patient.
Mike’s girlfriend Chloe Ross, who is also the mother of his young son, said she was pleased by the news.
Posting on Facebook she said: “I’m glad to be finally seeing something good coming from what happened to Michael. I do think it shouldn’t take someone’s life for these things to be used but if it saves someone else’s life then that can only be a good thing.”
Mike had complained of headaches prior to his final fight and had asked for a brain scan three times from doctors, but was told he was just suffering from migraines.
BIBA, a relatively new boxing authority, will become the first to introduce the device.
It is hoped the sport’s long-standing body, the British Boxing Board of Control, will follow in its footsteps.
Gianluca Di Caro, BIBA’s chief executive, said: “We are extremely proud to be the first to introduce Infrascanners at events in the UK and Ireland, as we wholeheartedly believe having them ringside will significantly prevent further tragedies within our sport.”
Dr Maurice Mann, a ringside medic for amateur and professional fights, has previously backed the idea.
