Soccer leagues, player unions team up on concussion protocol

By: The Associated Press Posted: 4:42 AM CDT Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019

NYON, Switzerland - European soccer leagues and player unions are teaming up to improve how concussions are identified and treated during games.

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NYON, Switzerland - European soccer leagues and player unions are teaming up to improve how concussions are identified and treated during games.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/10/2019 (2515 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NYON, Switzerland – European soccer leagues and player unions are teaming up to improve how concussions are identified and treated during games.

The European Leagues group and FIFPro, the global network of national unions, said Tuesday they will make country-by-country agreements “over the course of the coming two seasons.”

The plan comes as soccer’s rule-making body IFAB is being urged to explore the idea of temporary substitutes to replace players being assessed for a head injury.

Everton's Theo Walcott is carried off after an injury during their English Premier League soccer match against Manchester City at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England, Saturday Sept. 28, 2019. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

“This is a critical issue for our players’ long term wellbeing,” said Jonas Baer-Hoffmann, general secretary of FIFPro’s Europe division. “Other sports such as rugby or American football have been able to improve the management of and awareness for concussions significantly in their sports. Football needs to now follow suit.”

European Leagues and FIFPro want domestic league rules to incorporate international standards of “concussion management procedures on the field as well as return to play protocols.”

Team medical staff could get access to live broadcast footage to help identify injuries quickly.

Disciplinary measures are being considered “such as the requirement of further training and education.” Pre-season training will be offered to teams, medical staff and referees.

European Leagues said its members will get more details at their annual meeting, in London on Oct. 18. The group includes 36 member leagues from 29 countries.

Soccer’s concussion rules are likely be discussed by IFAB’s expert advisory panels which meet Oct. 23 in Zurich.

The next annual meeting of IFAB, where the laws of soccer can be changed by FIFA and the four British soccer federations, is held Feb. 29 in Northern Ireland.

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