Head Injury?

[SM]

A bit of an oddity today. Ladies game - ball is crossed in to the box and a defender heads it away, nice clean forehead header, pretty much back to the crosser. I think nothing of it really, no contact on the defender by anyone, but then I see she is on the floor and there are the usual calls of "head injury ref!"

The ball luckily goes out of play while I am thinking about what has just happened. I stop the game and go over to her and she gets up. She says "I hurt my head, heading the ball"

No treatment, game restarts. Left me thinking. If a player goes down every time they head the ball away claiming head injury, Will the world of football implode into a ball of pseudo cheating mush of gamesmanship?

Thinking about it now, I probably would have stopped the game if the ball hadn't gone out before I got the chance. Head injury as a result of heading the ball though? Oddity.

 

[Jacko]

As referee's we aren't medical, best thing we can do is always air on the side of caution. We can always say " I was concerned for the players safety" than risk playing on whether right or wrong.

 

[Padfoot]

And then caution them for simulation when it becomes apparent there is nothing wrong with them........

 

[Brian Hamilton]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Astle

 

[haywain]

Good job she wasn't heading a 'casey', it would have taken her bl@@dy head off!

 

[PinnerPaul]

I had two incidents in a girls game (U16) a few years ago, which show how you should treat injuries with care
1) Girl got ball in face, painful but not an "Oh my God!" incident if you understand what I mean. Player's mum comes rushing on like she has broken her leg (player not the mum!). Manager explained that same player suffered a broken nose earlier in the season.

2) Another girl breaks down in tears for no reason - apparently she had mental health issues

So although players may want matches stopped for what may seem trivial incidents and/or reaction to a knock may seem to us disproportionate, always best to err on side of caution.