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 to researchers from Boston University and other institutions trying to find a way to detect a disease believed to stem from repetitive trauma to the head.


Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., which at the moment can only be diagnosed after a person dies, has been found in many former athletes involved in contact sports, so what the researchers find could have a significant impact on the National Football League.

However, the league, which in 2012 pledged $30 million to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health for the study of C.T.E., is not funding any part of this research.

ESPN's Outside the Lines published a story

 based on unnamed sources that said the League had dragged its feet on funding this study and ultimately the National Institutes of Health decided to fund it on its own.


 that the N.I.H. had asked to use some of the $30 million to pay for the research but "it decided to finance the grant with other funds."
The NFL called the 

report inaccurate.
"NFL did not pull any funding," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy 

, the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health seemed to back up the NFL, saying the league's funding commitment remains intact.


"NFL was willing to contribute to the Boston University CTE study headed by Dr. Stern," the FNIH said. "NIH made the decision to fund this study in its entirety and to issue a Request for Applications (RFA) early next year to support an additional study on CTE using funds from SHRP, which will double the support for research in this area."

The FNIH also disputes ESPN's characterization. In an email to NPR, FNIH Director of Communications Abbey Meltzer wrote:

Science

Sports

In 2012, the NFL pledged $30 million for research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy. A $16 million study was unveiled but none of the NFL's money is being used for that research.

$16 million awarded to brain researchers, but NFL is contributing nothing

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