Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
PFA WAR ON HEAD INJURIES
EXCLUSIVE BY
THE Professional Footballers’ Association is on a collision course with world football’s governing body over concussion rules for its players.
The PFA, which has more than 5,000 members, is pushing for a trial on the introduction of temporary concussion substitutes to potentially replace the current permanent substitute policy.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has repeatedly blocked attempts to introduce temporary concussion subs – a system already in place in both rugby union and rugby league.
Temporary subs would allow players to leave the field and return if they pass a Head Injury Assessment.
Presently, doctors are asked to make decisions in a far shorter time.
Dr Adam White, the PFA’s head of brain health (below), said: “We’ve got a really difficult position when clubs, leagues and unions are not able to put in place the protections for players on a really important safety issue.
“Whether leagues or others would look to go it alone in spite of IFAB is to be seen but it’s certainly one of a number of options on the table.
“I hope we don’t get to that point, but it’s definitely one of the options being discussed.
“Protecting players’ brains has to be one of our foremost priorities. “All we’re asking is for doctors to have the time and space to make really good decisions for player welfare.
“We want to check all bases to make sure if players are concussed or fit to return to play.
“There’s fairly widespread consensus that this is the appropriate thing to do. We’re bemused why IFAB are not following both the science and scientific views and also what every other sport is doing.”
The IFAB find themselves in an increasingly isolated position, with the move towards temporary concussion substitutes also supported by Ligue 1 in France and the MLS in the USA.
“IFAB haven’t been clear on why they’re not permitting this trial to take place,” Dr White said.
“This is what the players want, this is what the players’ union want, it’s what the clubs want, it’s what the league wants, it’s what the governing body wants. There are very few situations where everyone is as aligned as they are in this case.”