PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS have agreed to trial permanent concussion substitutes in response to mounting concern over head injuries.
The League announced today that clubs will adopt an initiative announced by the International Football Association Board (Ifab) in December under which teams will be allowed to make up to two additional substitutions for players with suspected or confirmed concussion.
A Premier League statement said: “Premier League shareholders today formally agreed to introduce the International Football Association Board’s additional permanent concussion substitutions trial.
“The trial will be confirmed when the implementation of the reporting processes, including private medical information, has been resolved with Ifab and Fifa.
“With player welfare the Premier League’s priority, the protocols will allow a maximum of two concussion substitutes to be used per team, with the opposition side able to use the equivalent number.
“The additional concussion substitutions may be made regardless of the number of substitutions a team has already made.
“The trial is a result of the Ifab’s consultation with stakeholders and recommendations from their concussion expert group to allow additional substitutions for players with actual or suspected concussion.”
The move comes with Wolves striker Raul Jimenez still working his way back from the fractured skull he suffered in a clash of heads with Arsenal defender David Luiz on 29 November. Luiz initially played on, but had to be replaced at half-time as a result of the collision.
In addition, a series of high-profile former players have been diagnosed with dementia, leading to concerted calls for greater consideration of the impact of head trauma in the game.
