(Reuters) – The Association of Professional Footballers (PFA) and FIFPRO, the global players’ union, have called on football law makers to consider launching trials in temporary concussion substitutes to protect players suffering injuries to Their head is better.
The rules-making body of the IFAB game in December approved the trials of permanent concussion deputies and subsequently the Premier League and the Women’s Super League introduced the system in February.
According to league protocol, team doctors make an assessment of the player with a head injury and if the player shows clear symptoms, they will be deputed and prevented from returning to the field .
But concerns have been raised after West Ham United defender Issa Diop and Sheffield United defender George Baldock were allowed to continue playing after head injuries.
PFA and FIFPRO, in a letter to IFAB yesterday, said temporary substitutes, which would allow a player to be replaced while the doctor examined them but return if deemed fit to continue, better protect player health and reduces the pressure on medical staff to make snap decisions. .
“Since the start of the IFAB permanent concussion replacement trial, we have seen several incidents where the new game laws have failed to meet their objective and compromised player safety,” the letter stated.
“We request that the current trial be extended to test in parallel temporary concussion replacements.
“In England… we are aware of two incidents where a temporary option would have better protected players. These cases underscore our concern that permanent divisions do not provide medical teams with an appropriate environment to assess a player. ”
The letter also referred to an opinion poll of 96 professional club doctors from the Belgian, English and French leagues, who found that 83% believed the use of temporary concussion replacements should be part of the future protocol.
Last month, head injury expert Willie Stewart described the trial of permanent concussion deputies as “pig feet”, and the system was also criticized by former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer.