Wally Lewis passes to Mal Meninga during a Kanagaroos v Kiwis rugby league test in 1989. Photo: Bruce Jarvis / www.photosport.nz
Australia rugby league great Wally Lewis has revealed he has dementia brought on by years of head knocks across his playing career
In an interview with TV programme 60 Minutes Lewis revealed he's most likely suffering from the effects of a neurodegenerative condition known as CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy).
The 63-year-old Queensland rugby league great told the programme he had been struggling with short-term memory loss which lead him to step away from his television sports presenting role at the start of the year.
"For a lot of sports guys, I think most of us take on this belief that we've got to prove how tough we are … how rugged," Lewis told 60 Minutes.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated trauma to the head.
Wally Lewis (right) and Phil Gould - commentating for Channel Nine in 2011. Photo: www.photosport.nz
-ABC