FIFA hit with concussion lawsuit

[Con M]

A group in California is suing FIFA & various U.S. Soccer Associations for failing to protect players by their failure to enact best practices in providing proper concussion management.

They want youngsters to not head the ball at training or be limited in the number of times they head the ball per week.

They refer to incidents like Christophe Kramer in the World Cup Final who was concussed and allowed to play on, only to be eventually subbed & admitting he remembered little of his involvement in the Final.

The report mentions former England player Jeff Astle who died in 2002 & was found by a coroner to have suffered brain damage caused by repeatedly heading footballs during his career.

FIFA said it was awaiting legal papers, but that in general terms it assigns high priority to prevention & treatment of head injuries & pointed to the fact that a change to the Laws of the Game in 2006 meant incidents of foul play that cause concussion became red card offences.

[Stuckey]

Just another reason why players that require medical attention during the game should be made to stay off the pitch for an agreed minimum period of time. Give the medical staff time without pressure to assess the situation.

[swannsong]

Just another reason why players that require medical attention during the game should be made to stay off the pitch for an agreed minimum period of time. Give the medical staff time without pressure to assess the situation.

Another reason for interchange maybe...

[astonvilla91]

Considering the country this came out of it is probably more to do with a money making opportunity off the back of successful NFL lawsuits instead of genuine player concern.

[Bomber]

"Only in America"

[Stuckey]

Just another reason why players that require medical attention during the game should be made to stay off the pitch for an agreed minimum period of time. Give the medical staff time without pressure to assess the situation.

Another reason for interchange maybe...

Of course but in the heat of the moment medical staff sometimes has seconds to make an assessment. When you're dealing with important players there can be coaches pushing for what they feel is the best for the team and getting their star player back out there. If a medical staff member has an agreed period of time to assess the player properly say 3 minutes then better assessments can be made and players aren't just rushed back on to the pitch. This would also reduce the use of medical staff coming on to the pitch when sides are trying to waste time and run the clock down.

[Nice One Cyril]

A group in California is suing FIFA & various U.S. Soccer Associations for failing to protect players by their failure to enact best practices in providing proper concussion management.

They want youngsters to not head the ball at training or be limited in the number of times they head the ball per week.

They refer to incidents like Christophe Kramer in the World Cup Final who was concussed and allowed to play on, only to be eventually subbed & admitting he remembered little of his involvement in the Final.

The report mentions former England player Jeff Astle who died in 2002 & was found by a coroner to have suffered brain damage caused by repeatedly heading footballs during his career.

FIFA said it was awaiting legal papers, but that in general terms it assigns high priority to prevention & treatment of head injuries & pointed to the fact that a change to the Laws of the Game in 2006 meant incidents of foul play that cause concussion became red card offences.

Footballs in Astle's day, especially wet ones, weighed about three times the modern balls. It was like heading a suet pudding with a rock in it.

If the parents are genuinely worried about heading the ball, let their kids play NFL instead. No danger of getting injured there

[ruud]

Someone in america creating a lawsuit? I dont believe it

[Stuckey]

Considering the country this came out of it is probably more to do with a money making opportunity off the back of successful NFL lawsuits instead of genuine player concern.

That's usually the only reason FIFA make decisions on thing ever though!

[Old Master]

A group in California is suing FIFA & various U.S. Soccer Associations for failing to protect players by their failure to enact best practices in providing proper concussion management.

They want youngsters to not head the ball at training or be limited in the number of times they head the ball per week.

They refer to incidents like Christophe Kramer in the World Cup Final who was concussed and allowed to play on, only to be eventually subbed & admitting he remembered little of his involvement in the Final.

The report mentions former England player Jeff Astle who died in 2002 & was found by a coroner to have suffered brain damage caused by repeatedly heading footballs during his career.

FIFA said it was awaiting legal papers, but that in general terms it assigns high priority to prevention & treatment of head injuries & pointed to the fact that a change to the Laws of the Game in 2006 meant incidents of foul play that cause concussion became red card offences.

Footballs in Astle's day, especially wet ones, weighed about three times the modern balls. It was like heading a suet pudding with a rock in it.

If the parents are genuinely worried about heading the ball, let their kids play NFL instead. No danger of getting injured there

I grew up playing with those balls too and think a lot of the noise over brain damage is just hype.

I used to drive my poor old Mum crazy practicing my heading 100 times a day against the side of the house for at least ten years.
Heading those heavy balls forced you to learn how to head a ball properly to avoid it hurting - eyes open and focusing on the ball so you hit it with the top part of your forehead.

Modern players are nearly always pictured with their eyes closed so they can't see the ball - correct technique is essential.

You also rarely see players today setting them selves to head a ball coming at them fast - they tend to duck because they don't know how to head a fast ball.

[God is an Englishman]

A simple answer to this one, if you don't want to head the ball you don't have to. No one forces you to play football