Several new soccer fans, specifically those who come from hockey and football backgrounds, have approached me over their first few months watching the sport to ask why our head injury protocol appears to arbitrary and/or archaic.
And when you watch clearly dazed men allowed to continue, as Dejan Lovren appeared last week, you have to at least admit the appearances aren’t very good. Remember Christoph Kramer and the World Cup Final? Alvaro Pereira against England?
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FIFA apparently is ready to discuss these things, and the vote is coming. From the BBC:[The plans] included a referee being able to stop a game for three minutes in order for a team doctor to carry out an on-pitch assessment.
The doctor will also decide if a player can continue to play.
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If approved by Fifa and Uefa, they will be implemented by the beginning of October and apply to the Champions League and Europa League as well as international fixtures.
It’s hard to imagine the measures won’t pass quickly.