PFA: CHANGE CONCUSSION SUB RULES

MORE TIME FOR TESTS

PERMANENT concussion substitutions have ‘jeopardised player health’ and ramped up pressure on medical teams, and temporary replacements should come in from June, according to the Professional Footballers’ Association. A strongly worded letter, written with the world players union FIFPro, tells rule makers the International Football Association Board (IFAB) that if they do not make

changes to their concussion protocol they risk further issues when fans return.

In February, a trial of permanent concussion substitutions was introduced into the Premier League. The option is also being used in the FA Cup and across the elite levels of the women’s game.

However, this newspaper has called for temporary replacements as part of our campaign calling on football to finally tackle its dementia scandal. Both the PFA and FIFPro want that to happen this summer.

The letter highlights the cases of West Ham’s Issa Diop (below) and Sheffield United’s George Baldock and points out that the ability to make a temporary substitution — and the additional time medical staff would have been allowed to make a proper diagnosis — ‘would have better protected both h players’.

‘These cases underline our concern that permanent substitutions do not give medical teams the appropriate environment to assess a player with a potentially serious head injury,’ the letter reads.

‘The reality of the in-game situation is loaded with pressure. Medical teams can be presented with a situation where a globally broadcast match is on hold, awaiting their assessment. They have to make a potentially game-altering decision in a multi- billionpound industry. Pressure on them will be amplified with the return of crowds.

‘ Since the beginning of IFAB’s permanent concussion substitute trial, we have seen several incidents where the new laws of the game have fallen short of their objective and jeopardised player health and safety. We write to ask for the existing trial to be extended in order to test in parallel temporary concussion substitutions as soon as possible.’ The Sportsmail campaign was formulated with the help of Dr Willie Stewart, whose groundbreaking FIELD study first identified the increased link between footballers and neurodegenerative diseases. He recently described football’s concussion protocols as ‘a shambles’ to a parliamentary committee. And the letter says a FIFPro popoll found 83 per cent of medics surveyed acacross Europe felt tetemporary subs should be introduced. Sportsmail columnist iscolumnist Chris Sutton, who has long called for temporary replacements, welcomed the development. ‘It’s another step in tthe right direction,’ thet former Celtic, NNorwichih and Blackburn striker said. ‘It’s the sensible option, the right option. It’s a good letter, a strong letter. Good on the PFA for doing this. ‘Since we started the campaign in mid-November there’s been a lot of progress and we’re getting there. Now it’s up to IFAB to make that step. It’s absolutely bonkers that they haven’t. Eightythree per cent of medical people back it — the experts are saying one thing and IFAB are doing another.’ Sutton also called on the FA, one of the member nations who make up the IFAB, along with FIFA to get involved. ‘ Where’s the FA in this?’ he asked. ‘Can they explain why it’s permanent and not temporary?’

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