The first test of concussion protocols at the World Cup has been condemned as an “abject failure” by brain injury campaigners who are calling for better protection for players from the impact of head injury.
In today’s World Cup match between England and Iran, Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand sustained a head injury and was visibly disorientated after treatment on the pitch lasting 14 minutes, yet remained on the field.
Whilst it became apparent less than a minute afterwards that he was unable to continue, the fact he was not substituted immediately has attracted huge controversy and reignited calls for temporary concussion substitutions to be allowed.
BBC pundit and England legend Alan Shearer said after the incident he believes that IFAB is “failing players” through not allowing this.
Luke Griggs, interim chief executive of brain injury charity Headway – a prominent campaigner on the matter – said: “It is an utter disgrace that the Iran keeper Alireza Beiranvand was allowed to stay on the pitch.
“It was irrelevant that he came off a minute later, he shouldn’t have stayed on for a second, let alone a minute.
“He was clearly distressed and unfit to continue, this seems to be another case of the decision being made by the player and not medical staff.
“This was the first test of the FIFA World Cup concussion protocol and it was an abject failure.”
Dr Chris Nowinski, founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation – who is credited with being fundamental to changes of concussion protocols in the NFL – said: “The World Cup is off to a disastrous start on concussion management. Sets an example that puts tens of millions of global youth players at risk. Shameful.”
Dr Adam J White, head of brain health at the PFA, added on Twitter: “We need to be better. When players are concussed, we need to get them off immediately. Let’s do better FIFA.”
The PFA also Tweeted: “It’s devastating for any player, like Alireza Beiranvand, to come off so early in a World Cup.
“On day two, though, we have seen a clear example, on the world’s biggest stage, of the current concussion protocols not being applied under match pressure.”
