Head injury assessments

[Tealeaf]

This Saturday saw two concurrent games, two different sports and two vastly different ways of dealing with things.

At the Emirates, two Samoa Rugby League players clash heads and are taken off for head injury assessments. One passes, one fails, but they’re both replaced temporarily as a precaution.

Contrast that with the City - Brentford game today. Yet again a player (Laporte?) looked at on the field, taped up, and told he’s good to continue. Commentary also told its own depressing story - he’s treated on the field because City didn’t want to go down to 10 players.

How can this risk to players continue to be perpetuated by IFAB? In the week that more former players are suing for head injury related conditions, the case for temporary subs to allow for a proper HIA cannot be stronger, can it?

 

[george.g]

It's a good argument, IFAB are potentially hesitant due to recording those temporary substitutions, and implementing a whole set of new laws around them.

But players should be encouraged to receive a thorough HAI.

 

[es1]

It's a good argument, IFAB are potentially hesitant due to recording those temporary substitutions, and implementing a whole set of new laws around them.

But players should be encouraged to receive a thorough HAI.

I just don't get the reluctance. At this point it's bordering on negligence

 

[GraemeS]

IFAB have what now feels like a deliberate desire to not copy from other sports (VAR). But this is an example where Rugby have learnt how to do this exactly right (including introducing temporary subs) and where it would be simple and massively beneficial to just copy and paste their system. There's no reason other than stubbornness for not doing this now.

 

[RustyRef]

I suspect the concern is that some managers will abuse it for tactical purposes. But it really needs to happen, there are too many cases of players coming back on when they clearly aren't right only to then have to go off again.

 

[Josh the referee]

I suspect the concern is that some managers will abuse it for tactical purposes. But it really needs to happen, there are too many cases of players coming back on when they clearly aren't right only to then have to go off again.

Well then, the PL pay independent medical experts to assess the players to know whether they are actually concussed or seriously injured.

They've got enough money!!