Years of campaigning for concussion substitutions to be introduced into football look set to deliver some success, with Premier League clubs preparing to adopt the policy to help address the need to protect players from the effects of head injury.
In a trial move, expected to take effect from fixtures next week, teams can use up to two substitutes in the event of head injuries, which will be in addition to the usual three substitutions that can be made in a normal match.
The substitutions – which will be permanent and not for 10-minute durations as in rugby, to allow for players to leave the pitch for medical assessment and return if deemed able – are expected to be approved at a meeting of the Premier League tomorrow.
Pressure has been mounting on football to address the issue of players suffering concussion and head injuries during matches, with on-pitch medics having to make decisions in three minutes on a player’s ability to continue, returning him to the pitch, or else removing him from the match completely.
The Premier League will become the first league to adopt concussion substitutes, and the finer details are currently being agreed with FIFA ahead of their expected introduction in a matter of days.
However, brain injury charity Headway argue that the move still does not go far enough in awarding protection to players, and argued permanent substitutions are not the way forward.
“We’ve been pushing for many years to bring football up to date with other sports in terms of concussion substitutes, but this plan involves permanent substitutes rather than concussion substitutes,” deputy chief executive Luke Griggs tells NR Times.
“So in that sense, it’s a bit disappointing.
“The FA chief executive said in December they needed to explain why permanent substitutes are better than temporary substitutes in this situation, but that has not happened.”
While it is a step forward that players are being protected, say Headway, the 10-minute alternative that works in sports like rugby has much greater benefits.
“In sounds great that football are introducing this measure which has been needed for a long time, but in practice, the medical assessment of the player is still going to have to be made in that three minute window on the pitch, rather than in the quiet confines of the dressing room if you had ten minutes,” says Luke.
“You also need a degree of honesty from the players in being able to assess them properly, and for them to say they feel nauseous and have blurred vision after a collision. If they know they are going to be taken off for the whole match, rather than the potential to return after ten minutes, then they might not want to be so honest.
“Of course we realise that even in ten minutes some symptoms may not present themselves, and it could be 24 hours later or maybe longer, ten minutes off the pitch to make an assessment is an awful lot better than three minutes on it.”
