Epidemic of deaths in Italian footballers

What's most curious is that the disease in question is motor neuron disease, presumably ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease (best known as the affliction endured by Stephen Hawking).

And it's not just a few players. Reportedly 41 Italian footballers have been affected since 1973, but no cases are known among players for Spain or France.

The latest to be stricken is Stefano Borgonovo, a 44-year-old former striker for AC Milan. His announcement that he was suffering from motor neurone disease (MND) was made from a wheelchair with a computer-generated voice and has chilled a nation of football fans who are used to considering players as idols rather than martyrs.

There are many theories for why such a cluster should occur, including the use of pesticides on the pitch, or a side effect of performance-enhancing drugs, but no answers have been found to date. More discussion at this link.