LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Rugby league legend Wally Lewis has been given distressing news about his health as he was informed that he is likely suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition that affects the brain.
Lewis, who is widely known as "the king" in Queensland State of Origin, sought medical advice due to his recurring memory loss.
CTE is a degenerative disease that is caused by repeated head trauma, often associated with contact sports.
Unfortunately, it can only be definitively diagnosed postmortem through autopsy.
Lewis's diagnosis was made using research criteria for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES), a controversial practice as there are currently no universally accepted diagnostic criteria for clinical use.
Throughout his illustrious career, Lewis experienced numerous head injuries, despite his remarkable achievements, including eight State of Origin player-of-the-match awards and the honor of having a bronze statue erected in his likeness outside Suncorp Stadium.