FIFPRO asks players to be protected more from concussions

The international players union (FIFPro) recognized the intention of the International Board (IFAB) to create protocols for concussion cases, but claimed “more protection for players” and a ten minute period with temporary substitutions so that the medical team can make a proper diagnosis.

FIFPro's recommendation for IFAB is that its group of experts on the subject start working as soon as possible with the other agents in “pilot programs, including the use of temporary replacements during a ten-minute diagnostic period, to obtain evidence on the next steps.”

“The introduction of an extra substitution after three minutes of shock is not enough to protect the players. Again and again, medical teams working under pressure and with limited information are making wrong decisions about players with possible shocks“FIFPro said.

For the union, “give the medical team as much as ten minutes of time to make a decision before a shock, an injury that is extremely difficult to diagnose, It is essential to handle the problem“.

He also requested that in these situations organizers share video images with doctors so they can have more information about the cause of possible shocks.

FIFPro manifested itself this way two days after the last annual meeting of the IFAB, the body that develops the rules of the game, in Belfast, where agreed to develop protocols for situations of possible shocks, although it requested more data before proposing regulatory modifications.

FIFA showed great interest in test about it in the soccer tournaments of the Tokyo Olympics this summer and in other competitions.

IFAB also agreed review the rules regarding offside, to foster the spirit of attack, the one referring to the hands to differentiate more clearly between the arm and the shoulder and the one related to situations of harassment of the players to the referees in the matches.