Published on : 02/21/2022 – 17:34

As of 2020, the custodian of the Laws of Football, the International Board of Control (IFAB), has started an experiment by authorizing competition organizers to test concussion protocols, allowing permanent replacement of one player per team in the event of a suspected setback. Is. Up to five replacements.

“As the representative body of players in England, we have made a categorical request to Ifab for the introduction of temporary replacements for concussion cases,” the PFA said in a statement.

Continuing the PFA, “These temporary concussion replacements will allow medical teams to work more calmly in order to provide the best possible diagnosis (…) without having to number a team, on players and medical teams.” pressure can be reduced”.

Against Manchester United (4-2) on Sunday, Leeds player Robin Koch, injured in the skull and head surrounded by a giant bandage, resumed play 19 minutes later before going on course.

In the same scenario in rugby, for example, the player may have left the field, temporarily replaced, and the temporary replacement may become a permanent replacement if the replaced player does not return.

“The example of Robin Koch provides further evidence that current concussion protocols in football do not prioritize player safety,” the PFA said. “It often happens that players return to play after an injury, and are forced to leave the field permanently after a while after their symptoms have worsened.”

The Premier League, like Ligue 1 in France, is part of the national championship, which has agreed to lend itself to the experiment proposed by IFAB.

But Leeds did not use their right to additional replacements given as part of this experiment, because according to their coach Marcelo Bilsa, the coach suffered a cut in the skull and not an injury.

© 2022 AFP