By Andrew Warshaw
November 5 – Far too risky or a calculated move that paid off? Very much the former according to both FIFA and the international players’ union FIFpro who have criticised English club Tottenham Hotspur for allowing their French international goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to play on last weekend after he briefly lost consciousness before recovering.
Pictures of Lloris being treated for concussion and then insisting he was well enough not to be substituted were flashed around the world after he was knocked unconscious in an accidental collision with Everton striker Romelu Lukaku shortly before the end of their 0-0 draw.
The game was held up for several minutes as Tottenham players swarmed round Lloris but after coming round he was allowed to play on after being examined by his club’s medical staff and subsequently made two excellent saves.
Lloris was later given the all-clear after a CT scan but both FIFA’s chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak and FIFpro said Spurs should not have risked letting him continue.
FIFA hosted a conference on concussion in sport a year ago, and earlier this year updated its guidelines.
“The player should have been substituted,” said Dvorak. “The fact the other player needed ice on his knee means it’s obvious the blow was extensive. It’s a 99% probability that losing consciousness in such an event will result in concussion.”
“When he has been knocked unconscious, the player himself may not see the reality . . . We have a slogan: if there is any doubt, keep the player out.
“We have a very clear recommendation for doctors if concussion occurs or even if there is a strong suspicion of concussion then the player should be taken out of the play. This injury could have led to more severe complications.”
Tottenham’s reserve goalkeeper Brad Friedel was on the verge of replacing Lloris before sitting back down. The club’s head of medical services Wayne Diesel said they would never have allowed their number one keeper to continue if there had been the slightest danger. “Once the relevant tests and assessments were carried out we were totally satisfied that he was fit to continue playing,” he said in a statement.
But FIFpro denounced the decision as “unacceptable”.
“FIFpro condemns that the health and safety of players are left to coaches, trainers or even to players themselves,” said the union’s medical advisor Vincent Gouttebarge.
“Medical professionals should be aware of any relevant medical guidelines and apply them in order to empower the health and safety on the field.”
He was supported by John Bramall of England’s Professional Footballers’ Association who added: “If anyone suffers severe trauma to the head and loses consciousness, they should be required to leave the field.”
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