Concussion substitute trial request welcomed

BRAIN injury charity Headway has welcomed a request from the Premier League to trial temporary concussion substitutes next season.

A joint application from the Premier League, Major League Soccer and Ligue 1 has been launched through the world players’ union, FIFPRO, and the World Leagues Forum to the game’s law- making body, the International Football Association Board ( IFAB).

Medics at all 20 Premier League clubs have been consulted during the past four to six weeks over the current concussion protocols in place in the top flight, where a head injury assessment is carried out on the pitch and a permanent concussion substitution used if required.

Headway has consistently criticised football’s concussion protocols and was scathing about how some head injuries were handled at the recent World Cup in Qatar but welcomed the efforts of the leagues and unions to introduce change.

“This would be a progressive development in better protecting the brain health of players,” Headway chief executive Luke Griggs said.

“Headway has repeatedly called for football to bring in temporary substitutes and, if this is confirmed, it will be warmly welcomed.

“The evolving nature of concussion means that a 10- minute off- pitch assessment will never be fool proof. But it will allow medics more time to make better informed decisions, in the quiet confines of the dressing room, rather than snap judgements made on the pitch.”

IFAB rejected calls to introduce temporary concussion substitutions at its annual general meeting in Doha this summer, stating the existing concussion protocols – that allow for additional permanent concussion substitutes – would remain in place with its trial extended until August next year.

A decision over whether the application from the leagues has been successful is expected in March at the IFAB annual general meeting.

The letter to IFAB, seen by the PA news agency, states: “While ( existing) trials are positive, WLF and FIFPRO do not believe that they properly address the issue at stake.

“Observation of current trials shows various cases of poor decisions being taken risking the players’ health.

“We do recognise that not all suspected concussions will successfully be determined during temporary substitution, but we are convinced that the probability for better informed decision- making will significantly increase.”

IFAB has been approached for comment regarding the letter.