February 22 – England’s Professional Footballers’ Association says the current rules relating to concussion are not working and “are failing to prioritise player safety” following an injury sustained by Leeds United’s Robin Koch in Sunday’s defeat to Manchester United.
Koch collided with Man United midfielder Scott McTominay after 13 minutes but was allowed to carry on playing, with his head bandaged, before eventually being substituted 18 minutes later.
Football’s lawmakers, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), approved the trial of concussion substitutes in December 2020 and they were adopted by the Premier League last year.
But the PFA, reiterating calls for the immediate introduction of temporary substitutes, commented: “The injury to Leeds United’s Robin Koch demonstrates again that the current concussion protocols within football are failing to prioritise player safety.
“The ‘if in doubt, sit them out’ protocol is not being applied consistently within the pressurised environment of elite competitive football.
“We see frequent incidents of players returning to play with a potential brain injury, only to be removed shortly afterwards once symptoms visibly worsen.
“As the representative voice of players in England, we have been clear to IFAB that we want to see the introduction of temporary concussion substitutes. Temporary concussion substitutes will allow medical teams additional time and an appropriate environment to make an initial assessment.
“Introducing temporary substitutes would allow a match to restart with neither side numerically disadvantaged, reducing pressure on players and medical teams to make quick decisions on whether an injured player continues.”
Headway, the UK’s leading brain injury charity, once again criticised the game for being too soft on concussion.
“Yet again we are left completely frustrated and confused by football’s approach to concussion,” said Luke Griggs, its deputy chief executive.
“Medics have a tough time when trying to make on-pitch concussion assessments. The game simply has to help them by implementing temporary concussion substitutes.”
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