England boss Gareth Southgate is to take part in a study exploring the links between football and dementia and has urged other former professionals to do the same.

The 50-year-old has volunteered to join the HEADING study, led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

A second independently led study by the University of Nottingham, called FOCUS, is being backed by funding from the Football Association and Professional Footballers' Association.

It is hoped the research can further understanding of possible links between professional footballers and an increased risk of neurodegenerative disorders. Former England international Nobby Stiles had dementia when he died last year, while fellow 1966 World Cup winner Bobby Charlton has the disease.

"This is an incredibly important issue in our game and I'm very happy to play my part in supporting this research," Southgate said via the FA.

"Having turned 50 last year, I am now eligible to take part in the HEADING study, which could provide crucial and valuable insight to help people who play the game now and in the future.

"I would encourage any former professional footballer who is willing and able to take part in the HEADING or the FOCUS study to do so.

"Our involvement is absolutely essential if we are to have a greater understanding of this issue;

Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Tripper must serve the rest of his 10-week ban after his appeal was dismissed by FIFA.

The defender was issued a suspension and a fine of £70,000 on December 23 after England's Football Association found him guilty of breaking rules related to betting.

Trippier was charged with seven alleged breaches of rule E8(1)(b), four of which were proven.

The regulation states: "Where a participant provides to any other person any information relating to football which the participant has obtained by virtue of his or her position within the game and which is not publicly available at that time, the participant shall be in breach of this rule where any of that information is used by that other person for, or in relation to, betting."

Trippier denied the charges and his ban was put on hold while FIFA's Appeal Committee considered his case.

However, in a statement on Monday, football's governing body said: "The FIFA Appeal Committee has dismissed the appeal lodged by the club Atletico Madrid in a case concerning the player Kieran Trippier.

"As a consequence, the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee passed on December 23 2020 is confirmed, extending sanctions imposed on the player by the English FA to have worldwide effect."

Trippier will now be unavailable for Diego Simeone's side until February 28.

The England international will miss LaLiga matches against Eibar, Valencia, Cadiz, Celta Vigo, Granada and Levante, but he will be back in time for the derby with Real Madrid, which is scheduled for March 7.

Trippier will also sit out the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie with Chelsea at the Wanda Metropolitano on February 23.

The Football Association (FA) panel accepted Edinson Cavani did not mean to cause offence with a social media post which resulted in the player receiving a three-match ban. 

A three-man independent regulatory commission deemed Manchester United striker Cavani should only be imposed with the minimum sanction possible for a response to praise from a friend on Instagram. 

Following his decisive double in a 3-2 Premier League win at Southampton on November 29, Cavani used a Spanish word often used as a term of endearment in Latin America. He later deleted the post and apologised when it was made clear to him that the phrase could be construed as having racist connotations in English.

When the FA published the written reasons for Cavani's punishment on Thursday, it was suggested the 33-year-old - who arrived at Old Trafford in October - should have been given media training by United. 

Among the explanation for the verdict, the FA revealed: "The commission readily concluded that it was satisfied that there was no intent on the part of the player to be discriminatory or offensive in any way. 

"The commission were satisfied that the player wrote his reply in affectionate appreciation of a message from his Uruguayan friend and that it was not designed or intended to be racist or offensive either to his friend or others reading the content of the Instagram post. 

"Such a conclusion was supported by all the available evidence relevant to the circumstances in which the post was made and having regard to the character and response of the player." 

Cavani was fined £100,000 and ordered to attend a mandatory face-to-face education programme, as well as serving a three-game suspension. 

The commission also stated: "In light of the player's high profile in the game, his inability to speak English and the fact that he had approaching eight million Instagram followers, the commission were surprised that no such 'training’ had been specifically put in place for the player by his club. 

It did, however, acknowledge United had "taken steps to ensure that the player has a greater understanding of his responsibilities on social media".

Kieran Trippier's 10-week suspension for betting offences has been put on hold by FIFA following an appeal by Atletico Madrid.

The defender was issued a ban and a fine of £70,000 on December 23 after the Football Association found him guilty of four of seven alleged breaches of rule E8(1)(b).

The regulation states: "Where a participant provides to any other person any information relating to football which the participant has obtained by virtue of his or her position within the game and which is not publicly available at that time, the participant shall be in breach of this rule where any of that information is used by that other person for, or in relation to, betting."

Trippier, who denied the charges, was facing the prospect of missing 14 Atletico games up until February 28, a run that includes the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Chelsea.

However, the 30-year-old England international will be free to play again while the appeal process continues.

A FIFA spokesperson confirmed on Sunday: "Following the appeal and, specifically, the request for provisional measures lodged by the club Atletico Madrid, the FIFA Appeal Committee has approved to stay the extension of the suspension against Kieran Trippier until the procedure is over before the FIFA Appeal Committee."

Trippier will miss Sunday's game between Atleti and Deportivo Alaves after being left out of the squad.

The former Tottenham man has played in 19 matches in all competitions this season for the LaLiga title-hopefuls, who are a point behind Real Madrid at the top of the table but with three games in hand.

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