Project ACL, a three-year study launched on Tuesday (April 30) in the hopes of reducing ACL injuries in women's soccer, is a response to female players calling for research into anterior cruciate ligament tears.

Manchester

Project ACL, a groundbreaking three-year study, was introduced recently with the aim to combat the prevalent issue of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in women's soccer. The study is a collaborative effort among player unions such as FIFPRO and the Professional Footballers Association, global sports brand Nike, and Leeds Beckett University. It centers on England’s 12-team women's Super League, seeking to understand and ultimately reduce the incidence of ACL injuries in the sport.

The initiative is largely a response to calls from female soccer players for more research into ACL injuries, which are among the most severe setbacks an athlete can face, often sidelining them for a year or more. Ellen White, a former England forward, expressed relief and enthusiasm for the study, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to protect future generations of footballers. The project aims to bring player experiences and needs to the forefront in developing injury prevention strategies.

Dr. Stacey Edmonds, a lecturer in sports coaching at Leeds Beckett University, described the severity of ACL injuries, noting their extensive recovery time and the observed higher susceptibility among female athletes. Statistics suggest that female soccer players are significantly more at risk of ACL injuries compared to their male counterparts. The research will delve into factors contributing to these injuries, such as workload and travel schedules, and will assess teams' access to resources and facilities.

The issue has gained attention partly due to high-profile cases, like the ACL tear suffered by Australian and Chelsea striker Sam Kerr. Despite the increased incidence of such injuries, research has not kept pace with the women's game, which has grown in popularity and demands on players. Dr. Alex Colvin from FIFPro highlighted the need for a shift in understanding and addressing ACL injuries, moving toward evidence-based solutions that consider the full range of risk factors.

Project ACL represents a significant step towards better protecting female soccer players from one of the game’s most daunting injuries by leveraging new research and existing knowledge to inform prevention and recovery strategies.



Project ACL to study injuries in women's soccer

One of the most debilitating injuries in women's soccer, a torn anterior cruciate ligament, more commonly known as the ACL, is finally getting the attention it deserves. A three-year study called Project ACL was launched Tuesday by several collaborating partners. They include player unions FIFPRO and the Professional Footballers Association, as well as Nike and Leeds Beckett University. The research project will focus on England's 12-team women's Super League, with the hope of reducing ACL injuries. I feel like we've been crying out for it for so long. Ellen White is a former forward for England. So it's listening to the players. What do they want? What do they see? What's their environment like? But then also the experiences of what people have experienced with ACLs, and you don't want that to happen to the next generation of footballers. So I think this research is great. Project ACL will review existing research and injury reduction programs, study teams' resources and access to facilities, and track in real-time factors such as players' workload and travel. Dr. Stacey Edmonds is a lecturer in sports coaching at Leeds Beckett University. In basic terms, ACL injury is an injury to the knee. It's one of the most severe knee injuries, which generally results in players being out for a long period of time, so 12 months, missing a full season, sometimes longer. We tend to see a higher rate within females and a higher rate within female football. There's sort of conflicting numbers within the research, but generally suggesting that female players are two to six times more likely to sustain an ACL injury versus male players. Numerous high-profile players have made headlines for recent ACL tears, including Australia and Chelsea striker Sam Kerr, who tore hers in January. Dr. Alex Colvin of FIFPro says it's not that there's been a huge explosion of cases, but that research into the injury has not kept pace with the growing popularity of the women's game, which has meant greater workloads and crowded schedules for players. If we can shift the narrative away from these very singular understandings of ACL injuries, provide players with evidence-based, robust information that moves them away from nitpicking around different factors that may or may not influence them, like the menstrual cycle, and give them actually concrete evidence, and also provide clubs, federations, leagues with an understanding of these holistic risk factors, and also solutions to mitigate the risk factors, I think that the project will be a really big success.

Heavy rains caused flooding in parts of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands overnight into this morning, swamping streets and buildings and sparking evacuations.

Berlin

Floods in parts of northern Europe after heavy rains

One more person was killed and two injured in France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia as security personnel tried to restore order after a fifth night of riots and looting that has now claimed six lives.

Nouméa

Some neighbourhoods out of control in New Caledonia riots

Three Spanish tourists were killed and at least one Spaniard was injured in an attack by gunmen in Afghanistan's central Bamyan province, Spain's foreign ministry said on Friday.

Bamyan

Spanish tourists killed in Afghanistan shooting

Gregor Haas, father of Brisbane Broncos star Payne Haas, has been arrested in the Philippines. Authorities allege that he attempted to smuggle five kilograms of methamphetamine into Indonesia, a crime that carries the death penalty.

Cebu City

Father of NRL star arrested in Philippines

A new temporary pier built by the U.S. is helping bring desperately needed aid to Gaza. The first shipment of humanitarian aid has already started rolling into the besieged enclave, but UN officials say it's no replacement for deliveries by land.

Rafah

Israel-Gaza War

Aid rolls into Gaza as U.S. constructed pier opens

Surveillance video from a hotel in 2016 appears to show rapper and record mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs grab, shove, drag and kick his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, matching allegations she made in a now-settled civil suit against him.

Los Angeles

Video emerges of Sean 'Diddy' Combs assaulting woman

The world's number one ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler was arrested early this morning on his way to the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. He is facing four charges including assault of an officer, after allegedly dodging a pedestrian death investigation.

Louisville

Scheffler, top ranked golfer arrested outside tournament

Hundreds of French police reinforcements have arrived in Noumea amid deadly riots that have claimed the lives of five people. The unrest follows plans to change electoral rolls to allow more French residents to vote.

French force arrives in New Caledonia

Aid trucks have started moving through a U.S.-built pier anchored off Gaza's coast, the U.S. Central Command said on Friday (May 17), marking the first batch of aid to reach Gaza by sea in weeks.

Jerusalem

Aid trucks begin moving through Gaza pier, U.S. says

Israel was at the International Court of Justice Friday (May 17), defending its military operation in Gaza. The United Nations' top court wrapped up a third round of hearings on emergency measures requested by South Africa, which says Israel’s military incursion in Rafah threatens the “very survival of Palestinians in Gaza."

The Hague

Israel responds to genocide charges at U.N. court

Speaking at the end of his state visit to China, President Vladimir Putin said that Russian forces advancing in Ukraine's northeast were carving out a buffer zone to protect Russia from attacks. Ukraine's top commander warned of "heavy battles" looming on the war's new front in the Kharkiv region.

Kharkiv

Ukraine Invasion

Putin says Russia carving out 'buffer zone' around Kharkiv

FIFA will take independent legal advice on a call by the Palestinian Football Association to suspend its Israeli counterpart over events in Gaza, the world body's president said Friday (May 17).

Bangkok

FIFA to seek legal advice over Israel suspension

French police shot dead an armed man who set fire to a synagogue in the northwestern city of Rouen. Officers opened fire when the assailant threw an iron bar at them and threatened them with a knife as he left the building.

Rouen

French police kill attempted synagogue arsonist

The United States military on Thursday (May 17) said it had finished installing a floating pier for the Gaza Strip, with officials poised to begin ferrying humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave.

Gaza floating pier project for aid deliveries complete

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico is stable but his condition remains serious after undergoing several hours of surgery. Fico was shot five times in the central town of Handlova after he left a government meeting. The assassination attempt shocked the country and drew global condemnation.

Handlová

Slovakia PM in stable condition after surgery

At their bilateral meeting in Beijing, Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China stressed their close relationship through economic and military ties even though trade has come down since its peak in 2023. Some analysts say the drop may be related to Chinese banks' fears of U.S. sanctions for technology sales with Russia.

Beijing

Putin, Xi reinforce ties amid U.S. pressure to halt tech sales

A major reinforcement operation is underway to bolster security forces in the French Pacific island territory of New Caledonia. The airlift of police and soldiers follows three nights of protests over electoral reform. Four people have died in the unrest, including a police officer.

France sends forces to New Caledonia amid deadly riots

The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would force President Joe Biden to send weapons to Israel, seeking to rebuke the Democrat for delaying bomb shipments as he urges Israel to do more to protect civilians during its war with Hamas.

Washington

U.S. House bill requires Biden to send weapons to Israel

At the former U.S. president's trial on Thursday, Donald Trump's lawyer accused star witness Michael Cohen of lying about a phone conversation he claimed to have had with Trump about a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election.

Manhattan

Trump's lawyer accuses Cohen of lying at hush money trial

Authorities have charged an alleged gunman with the attempted murder of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Following emergency surgery, Fico's condition is now listed as stable but serious.

Banská Bystrica

Alleged gunman charged with Slovak PM's attempted murder

Peter Dutton has announced if the Opposition wins Government it will cut permanent migration numbers in half in an effort to ease the housing supply crisis.

Canberra

Opposition plans to slash foreign arrivals

France has deployed troops to New Caledonia's ports and international airport, banned TikTok and imposed a state of emergency after three nights of clashes that have left four dead and hundreds wounded.

TikTok banned in New Caledonia amid riots

Leaders Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin framed their nations' ties as a stabilizing force in a chaotic world as they met in Beijing. It is Putin's first trip abroad since his March re-election and the second in just over six months to China, an economic lifeline for Russia.

Russia's Vladimir Putin meets China's Xi Jinping in Beijing

This week, the U.S. Department of Justice said Boeing did not hold up their end of the bargain after 737 Max crashes and now it's a possibility the company could face charges.

U.S. Justice Department may prosecute Boeing

France declared a state of emergency on the Pacific island of New Caledonia after three young indigenous Kanak and a police official were killed in riots over electoral reform.

France declares state of emergency in New Caledonia

Israel's defense minister publicly challenged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the country's post-war plans for the Gaza Strip, with Yoav Gallant stressing his opposition of any long-term military rule by Israel in the ravaged Palestinian enclave.

Israel's defense chief challenges Netanyahu on Gaza

Peter Dutton is set to deliver a budget reply speech, hinting at a focus on migration intake to address the housing crisis. The Coalition expected to propose further cuts to migration numbers and align housing supply with immigration rates.

Opposition wants fewer migrants to ease housing crisis

Former Bulldogs and Tigers Brandon Wakeham has been charged over allegedly supplying large quantities of MDMA and cocaine. The 25-year-old, along with two co-accused arrested by Police and charged with commercial supply of illicit drugs.

Council of the City of Sydney

Former NRL player charged over alleged drug supply

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico has been undergoing surgery after being shot in a suspected assassination attempt, as he greeted supporters after a meeting. Five shots were fired at close range, while security scrambled to confront the shooter. The government says the attack, which has left the prime minister in a critical but stable condition, was politically motivated.

Bratislava

Slovakia PM's 'life in danger' after assassination attempt

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing for talks with Xi Jinping that the Kremlin hopes will deepen a strategic partnership between the two most powerful geopolitical rivals of the United States.