Demons defend Bell handling

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The Melbourne Football Club has defended its management of former player Daniel Bell who is seeking compensation for brain damage linked to multiple concussions he sustained during his career.

The 25-year-old, who played 66 games for the Demons before being delisted at the end of last season, has been diagnosed with impaired cognitive function.

According to a report in 'The Age' newspaper, Bell's been advised that another concussion could hasten the development of Alzheimer's disease or dementia later in life.

"I know there's going to be a lot of concern and conjecture around this," said Melbourne chief executive Cameron Schwab.

"But I feel very comfortable with the fact that Daniel, the club and the industry is acting responsibly in regard to it all."

"As an industry, it's very important that we don't judge concussions from the grandstand."

"We see things happen on a football field which often are disturbing ... but the people who are best positioned in regard to that are the medical officers who have all the information available to them, the appropriate qualifications and the experience to deal with the issue."

Schwab said Bell's health concerns were first raised at a meeting with Melbourne's club doctor Andrew Daff shortly after his delisting.

He said the club had no inkling before that time that anything was amiss.

Bell, who nominated for the 2010 AFL draft with the presumed intention of playing on in 2011, is apparently yet to lodge a claim against Melbourne, but Schwab said the club would encourage him to explore all his options.

"The current collective bargaining agreement allows players to consider ... a form of compensation if it's shown that the injuries they suffered during their career stop them from playing any form of football beyond their AFL career," said Schwab.

"Daniel is well within his rights and should assess those options and the club is helping him to get the type of assessment he needs to make that decision."

"We're confident that the system and the rules as they apply will continue to serve him well."

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