IFAB criticised for opting against trial of temporary concussion subs

Football’s lawmakers have been accused of taking a “blinkered view” towards concussion by the wife of former England captain Dave Watson.

Watson, who won 65 England caps, is living with dementia and researchers in the United States last year identified abnormalities in his brain consistent with the progressive neurodegenerative disease CTE, which is associated with repeated blows to the head.

Watson’s wife Penny signed an open letter to football’s law-making body the International Football Association Board (IFAB), along with former players, union executives and medics, stating that the existing concussion protocols which only allow for additional permanent concussion substitutes failed to provide sufficient protection to players.

The signatories called for temporary concussion subs to be trialled, which would give medics an extended period of time to carry out an assessment on the player suspected of having concussion away from the pitch.

While the IFAB reconsidered the idea of temporary substitutions at its annual general meeting in Doha, it has decided to keep its focus on permanent concussion subs, with those trials extended until August 2023.

Penny Watson told the PA news agency: “It’s disappointing to hear that IFAB do not seem to listen to the suggestions and advice from those eminent people involved in the head injury debate.

“The pressure put on the medical teams and players to make snap decisions is enormous, especially with spectators watching everything and thanks to TV coverage thousands more.

“Apart from anything else, medical clinical examinations should be conducted privately. I cannot understand this blinkered view.

“I was also disappointed that not a single question was posed about concussion at the