Chabal won the prestigious Six Nations twice and represented the French national team 62 times. The powerful forward, recognizable with his long hair and large beard, was during his active time one of France's most popular sports personalities.
However, he remembers nothing from his successful career.
I don't remember a single second from any rugby match I've played. And I don't remember a single one of the 62 national anthems I've experienced, says Sébastien Chabal in an interview with
.
I have no memory of what has been.
A major problem in sports
The memory lapses are due to the many concussions he suffered during his active time, he says.
Head injuries in sports, and the consequences they can have, have been debated frequently in recent years. Several football leagues have, for example, introduced extra substitutions marked for head injuries, to better protect the players.
Sébastien Chabal won the English league with Sale (he doesn't remember that) and was part of the French team that achieved a grand slam in the Six Nations in 2010 by defeating all other countries in one year (he doesn't remember that either). A delighted French crowd used to shout out his name when he made one of his patented tackles, but even those memories are gone.
When I talk about it with my wife, I say that it feels like it wasn't me who played rugby. It doesn't feel like it, especially since I don't remember the moments, says the now 47-year-old Chabal.
The birth of his daughter – gone
He doesn't even remember when his daughter was born, and only experiences vague memories from his own childhood.
I have two-three memories from when I was a child. But I don't even know if they're real memories or if I've just been told about them.
Sébastien Chabal's career ended in 2014.
