Mose Masoe calls for better education for players on insurance after his accident
MOSE Masoe believes change is needed as he battles to live as normal a life as possible after initially being left paralysed in a freak accident.
He believes players should be told what insurance cover they have or can get by clubs or the Rugby Football League.
The Hull KR star wants clubs to either increase insurance coverage on players, players to have the chance to take extra out after education or a pot of cash set up should any player suffer his fate.
Masoe has fought back to walk again after a ligament in his neck snapped and blocked his spinal cord in a pre-season match at Wakefield last year.
But the costs ahead of him and his family after his contract, which is still being paid, expires and he returns to Queensland are frightening – just to do the same rehab will cost more than £22,000 a year.
Round two’s Mose Masoe Round raised more than £100,000 for the 31-year-old’s future.
However, he hopes clubs can take notice of what he is going through while also wanting to make sure something is in place should another player suffer a similar injury.
Masoe said: “We really need to educate the players of what insurances there are.
“I wasn’t aware of the insurance we have. It should be mandatory for clubs or the governing body to make players know what insurance they have if things happen.
“It’ll be expensive for clubs to insure players for large amounts of money and I’m the first player it’s happened to in professional rugby league here.
“So the costs may outweigh the benefits to do it all the time but there has to be a structure in place, like a fund, that can top up if insurance isn’t enough.
“That’s what we want to do with the Mose Masoe Foundation, make sure that fund is available. I think there’ll be a time when someone else would need it.
“Also, it should be an option for players to up their own insurance, which they pay for out of their wages.”
Masoe’s fight has reached rugby league Down Under with Alex McKinnon, paralysed by a spinal injury in 2014, joined by Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson.
For a man who is the essence of not giving up, it meant doing something he was reluctant to do.
The 31-year-old, who admits he only knew when it was cold or hot when his head felt it, added: “I’d wanted to reach out to Alex for a while but I just didn’t ever have the guts to ask him anything.
“But we had a good chat about spinal stuff and things he’s going through. It was really good to get an insight. He’s an inspiration to many and he really understood.
“It’s gone worldwide now. We’re just sitting here going, ‘How lucky are we to have the support we have around the world?’
“People sent me messages all that week. I tried to reply to them but my fingers don’t work as quickly as they used to!”