FIFA introduced a new concussion protocol ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and it did not take long for it to become a major talking point.
In the Group B opener between England and Saudi Arabia, the former were forced to replace goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand midway through the first half after he took a nasty blow to the head from a collision with a teammate.
Despite receiving treatment for an extended period, Beiranvand was allowed to continue for some minutes before the decision was made to replace him – at which point he was carried off on a stretcher.
In the minds of many, including a leading head injury charity, that should not have been allowed to happen due to FIFA’s new concussion protocol.
We’ve broken down exactly what the newly introduced protocol involves to help you get a grip on the debate and so you know what to expect in future matches.
RadioTimes.com brings you everything you need to know about the concussion protocol at World Cup 2022.
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What is the concussion protocol at World Cup 2022?
According to FIFA rules, if during an assessment by a team doctor after a head injury or blow to the head “there are signs or symptoms of damage to the brain, or a concussive injury is suspected despite the absence of signs or symptoms, the doctor/therapist should remove the player from the pitch for a more detailed examination (using a concussion substitute if available/required)”.
Under the new protocol introduced for Qatar 2022, teams that are forced to remove players will be able to use an additional permanent concussion substitution (APCS) to do so and will not lose one of their five normal substitutions. In some competitions, the opposing team is allowed another substitution as well for balance but that is not the case at this tournament.
If there is no immediate evidence of what FIFA calls “red or orange flags” team doctors are instructed to continue to monitor the affected player throughout the game for worsening or emerging signs of symptoms and to re-evaluate if necessary.
Players that have been removed from games due to the concussion protocol will then be evaluated within 72 hours with further steps taken that could see the affected missing further games for their own safety if symptoms persist.
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