An interim trial of a concussion replacement next season in the Premier League is believed to have the support of most of the UK’s four football associations as they prepare for a key meeting of the game’s MPs on Wednesday.
Activists have been calling for the test for nearly a decade, believing it offers players better protection against the risk of serious brain injury than the permanent concussion replacement protocol being tested in competitions around the world.
The issue is on the agenda at the FIFA Council’s annual trade meeting at Wembley this week.
The Premier League, Ligue 1 and Major League Soccer in the US are all set to trial concussion replacements in their upcoming seasons if Ifab gives the go-ahead, with global players association Fifpro and the World Leagues Forum submitting an application to Ifab on behalf of those leagues last month.
The English Football Association coordinated international efforts to push for a trial, and organized a meeting of four British associations on Monday to agree on a common position and protocol.
The PA news agency understands that the Northern Ireland and Scottish FAs supported the ruling at that meeting, but the Football Association of Wales maintains a more neutral position. FIFA, another Ifab member, has not commented on the matter since sending a letter last month.
The ruling can be voted on in the ABM, where a simple majority of the five components is sufficient to pass it.
If the decision is deferred until the annual general meeting in March, a majority of 75% will be needed for the ruling. FIFA has four votes at its annual general meeting, with each of the national federations having one vote.
Proponents of temporary concussion replacements argue that they give doctors more time to assess whether a player has suffered a concussion, away from the pressure of the court.
Ifab has faced criticism after it chose to keep its focus on permanent testing of concussion alternatives at its last general assembly meeting in Doha last June. Concerns have previously been raised about temporary substitutes being misused by teams to gain a sporting advantage. There was also concern that such a protocol could not be implemented at all levels of the game, including the rules.
Existing concussion protocols have come under criticism since they were passed in 2020, with campaigners highlighting several instances where a player was allowed to remain on the field – at risk of a serious secondary concussion – before being subsequently substituted.
However, Ifab sources say that the problem is that the protocol is not being implemented correctly, and is not a problem with the protocol itself.
An interim trial of a concussion replacement next season in the Premier League is believed to have the support of most of the UK’s four football associations as they prepare for a key meeting of the game’s MPs on Wednesday.
Activists have been calling for the test for nearly a decade, believing it offers players better protection against the risk of serious brain injury than the permanent concussion replacement protocol being tested in competitions around the world.
The issue is on the agenda at the FIFA Council’s annual trade meeting at Wembley this week.
The Premier League, Ligue 1 and Major League Soccer in the US are all set to trial concussion replacements in their upcoming seasons if Ifab gives the go-ahead, with global players association Fifpro and the World Leagues Forum submitting an application to Ifab on behalf of those leagues last month.
The English Football Association coordinated international efforts to push for a trial, and organized a meeting of four British associations on Monday to agree on a common position and protocol.
The PA news agency understands that the Northern Ireland and Scottish FAs upheld a ruling at that meeting, but the Football Association of Wales maintains a more neutral position. FIFA, another Ifab member, has not commented on the matter since sending a letter last month.
The ruling can be voted on in the ABM, where a simple majority of the five components is sufficient to pass it.
If the decision is deferred until the annual general meeting in March, a majority of 75% will be needed for the ruling. FIFA has four votes at its annual general meeting, with each of the national federations having one vote.
Proponents of temporary concussion replacements argue that they give doctors more time to assess whether a player has suffered a concussion, away from the pressure of the court.
Ifab has faced criticism after it chose to keep its focus on permanent testing of concussion alternatives at its last general assembly meeting in Doha last June. Concerns have previously been raised about temporary substitutes being misused by teams to gain a sporting advantage. There was also concern that such a protocol could not be implemented at all levels of the game, including the rules.
Existing concussion protocols have come under criticism since they were passed in 2020, with campaigners highlighting several instances where a player was allowed to remain on the field – at risk of a serious secondary concussion – before being subsequently substituted.
However, Ifab sources say that the problem is that the protocol is not being implemented correctly, and is not a problem with the protocol itself.
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