President Barack Obama will hold a summit later this month to raise awareness about concussions and sports safety, according to The Wall Street Journal.
"As both a parent and an avid sports fan, the president appreciates the role that sports play in the lives of young people, and his administration is committed to helping ensure that children continue to be active and play sports safely," White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Friday.
Carney said the May 29 event will highlight certain safety issues and discuss ways to identify, treat, and prevent concussions, which research shows can lead to dementia, depression, and other illnesses, The Journal said.
The president will announce "new commitments from the public and private sectors" to support research into the causes and effects of concussions.
Obama made headlines after telling New Republic that he if he had a son, he might not let him play football due to the threat of concussions.
"I'm a big football fan, but I have to tell you if I had a son, I'd have to think long and hard before I let him play football. And I think that those of us who love the sport are going to have to wrestle with the fact that it will probably change gradually to try to reduce some of the violence," the president said.
According to Carney, a list of summit participants was not yet available.
In November, a report was released that warned athletes of the "culture of resistance" which encourages returning back to the field too quickly after a concussion, increasing the chance of a second brain injury with more dangerous side effects.
The research by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council claims that despite increased awareness about concussion injuries and tougher laws, some injuries go unreported and do not follow the suggested treatment plan.
