A New Zealand rugby player who had wanted his brain to be studied after suffering from the effects of multiple concussions has died aged 39, police said.

Police were called early on Wednesday morning to the Nelson home of Shane Christie, who played for the Highlanders in Super Rugby and for New Zealand Maori, where he was found dead.

Police said “the death will be referred to the coroner and we have no further information or comment we can provide”.

Christie suspected he was suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disorder that has been linked in the United States to a number of suicides among players in the National Football League. The NFL in 2016 acknowledged a connection between American football and CTE.

The condition can only be detected post-m

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