Why FIFA needs to change its concussion protocols
“I’m totally ok with that. It’s his body.”
And with that the concussion debate reached the zenith of stupidity.
First, the details: Uruguay’s Alvaro Pereira suffered a head injury in the second half of Thursday’s 2-1 win over England. Raheem Sterling’s knee, performing the role of Floyd Mayweather’s right fist, smashed into Pereira’s temple. I thought he was dead. Several people thought he was dead. Thankfully Pereira’s mouth began to move, his chest as well.
What followed next is the crux of the debate. Pereira got up, stumbled and signaled to his coach that he was going to stay on. His desire to compete is commendable, nobody denies this, but the sight of Pereira barely able to walk, pleading to stay in the game is why FIFA needs to address their concussion protocols.
“It’s his body” was the line trotted out by the libertarian sect of sports writers, aiming to take back the rights of people they do not know, care about, or think about until the next major tournament.
“It’s his body” is the line used by the “you never played the game” sect of the mainstream press, looking under their bridge for the bluntest club to troll with, used to beat down the sane and those without cherished access.
“It’s his body” is why a number of NFL, NHL and other professional athletes are taking legal action because they and their families cannot cope when playing careers end and life goes on.
“I said 'sorry' a thousand times to the doctor because I was dizzy. It was that moment your adrenaline flowing in your body, maybe without thinking ... what I really wanted to do was to help get the result," Pereira said after the game.
Fifpro, the world players union, is looking into the matter.
“Football is awash with incidents in which players suffer potentially concussive blows to the head and stay on the pitch. In Pereira's case, he demanded to play on, overruling advice from Uruguay's team physician for him to be immediately substituted," FIFPro said in a statement.
"FIFPro understands that in certain moments, faced by the pressures of such an important international stage, many players would react in this way. There are times, however, when the players also require greater protection against the prospect of making any rash decisions."
Pereira acknowledged he was unconscious after the hit and that in the moment, he was incapable of assessing his health.
FIFPro continued to monitor Pereira’s health on Friday.
This isn’t new. A similar incident occurred with Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris last November. He stayed in the game after sustaining a head injury and Spurs were pilloried for their lethargic response to a serious issue. The thought was things would change after that: Checks and balances would be implemented in order to prevent a player with a concussion from continuing to play.
That didn’t happen.
The solution isn’t revolutionary. Team doctors aren’t allowed to do their job when games are at stake, as evidenced by Uruguay's medical staff quietly acquiescing to Pereira’s drunken demand.
Independent doctors, who will not be influenced by external factors are a must and should be implemented as soon as possible. It’s as simple as that.