June 21 – FIFA have been taken to task by the international players’ union FIFPro for allowing Morocco to field Nordin Amrabat against Portugal on Wednesday too soon after the player suffered concussion.
Amrabat appeared wearing a scrum cap five days after being diagnosed with the condition which is against new FIFA guidelines that state concussed players should not return for a minimum six days.
The Watford winger, who was concussed during Morocco’s previous match against Iran and substituted after a clash of heads, started his team’s match against Portugal wearing head protection before throwing it to the side of the pitch in the 16th minute.
FIFA tightened up the rules after the last World Cup in Brazil but have come under fire for seemingly ignoring their own guidelines.
“This is yet another alarming example of a player being put in harm’s way,” FIFPro said in a statement.
“Amrabat returned to action too soon according to medical guidelines. Four years on from the debacle of the last World Cup, where several players did not receive adequate care, football has not made sufficient progress in concussion management. Repeated calls to implement world-class safety standards have been overlooked.”
Morocco team doctor Abderazzak El Hifti insisted that he had respected the recommendations of FIFA even though Amrabat had shown “clear symptoms of cerebral concussion”
Coach Herve Renard, meanwhile, hailed him as a “warrior” for playing the full 90 minutes against Portugal.
“His spirit is incredible and I feel happy to have such a player. After all, I’m not a doctor, the medical reports are read by competent people… Then they take their responsibilities and the player also takes his own responsibilities.”
Amrabat, who spent one night in hospital after Friday’s game, admitted he had defied doctor’s orders by playing. “I am my own doctor,” he declared before conceding he had suffered from memory loss after the Iran game.
“From the first minute, ’til I wake up in the hospital. I think five, six hours, gone. Totally gone. When you think about it, it is a little bit scary.”
The chairman of FIFA’s medical committee, Michel D’Hooghe, said he would seek an explanation from Morocco’s medical team.
“I will ask for an explanation from the Moroccan team doctor about what has happened,” said d’Hooghe. “FIFA has no authority over this – we produce the guidelines but it is the team doctors who make the decision.”
A FIFA spokesperson commented: “FIFA takes its responsibility with regards to the issue of concussions very seriously.
“All team doctors of teams qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup took part in a workshop where they were provided with detailed information and guidelines concerning the proper handling of potential concussion incidents during the competition.
“Following the questionable handling of the concussion incident involving the Moroccan player Nouredine Amrabat during the match Morocco-Iran, FIFA wrote to the Moroccan team doctor to remind him of the importance to adhere to the guidelines that have been communicated.”
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