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Concussion plan slated

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Fifa's new plans for dealing with concussions have been criticised by some in the United States for not involving an independent medical inspection, but Major League Soccer's medical chief believes team doctors should be trusted.

The proposed protocol from Fifa states that when a suspected concussion occurs, the referee should stop the game for three minutes, allowing a team doctor to make an on-pitch assessment and decide if the player has a suspected concussion.

Under the plan, a referee would only allow the injured player to continue with the authorisation of the team doctor.

But some campaigners have argued that an independent or neutral medical official should make the final call as a team doctor may be influenced by the team's short-term needs.

John Gallucci, medical coordinator for the MLS, said at the Soccerex Americas Forum on Tuesday that team doctors would not risk their careers by wrongly putting a player back into the game.

"I don't think there is any medical professional out there that would garner their licence by saying that an athlete is not concussed and put them back on the pitch," said Gallucci.

"I think no matter how much money you throw out there nobody is going to want to lose their livelihood.

"Of course in sport there is always a component of concern but I think as medical professions are learning more and more about the harmful effects of a concussion that's not treated appropriately, that we can take away that the medical community of soccer definitely are getting it.

"They understand that it is about being able to diagnose, treat and progress the athlete back to the field safely."

 

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