Premier League reputation ‘on the line’ over head injuries, says leading charity

Brain injury charity Headway said the Premier League’s reputation was “on the line” as it claimed protocol was not followed when Leeds’ Robin Koch sustained a blow to the head in Sunday’s defeat to Manchester United.

Headway said “enough is enough” and demanded answers from league bosses after Koch was allowed to play on at Elland Road after suffering a head injury in a collision with Scott McTominay.

The Professional Footballers’ Association has also called again for the introduction of temporary substitutions for head injuries.

Leeds insist they followed the league’s protocol and that they have always supported temporary substitutions if injured players are at risk.

Headway deputy chief executive Luke Griggs said: “Yet again we are left completely frustrated and confused by football’s approach to concussion.

“Medics have a tough time when trying to make on-pitch concussion assessments. The game simply has to help them by implementing temporary concussion substitutes.

“It is hard to believe that if they had 10 minutes to assess the player in the quiet confines of the dressing room that they would have come to the conclusion that he was fit to continue.

We need urgent answers from the Premier League as their reputation is on the line here- Headway deputy chief executive Luke Griggs

“We need urgent answers from the Premier League as their reputation is on the line here.

“Concussion protocols in all sports clearly state ‘if in doubt, sit it out’. The Premier League needs to come out and explain to everyone – particularly impressionable youngsters and grassroots players – what the word ‘doubt’ actually means because I think we have a different definition.”

Griggs added: “The days of Terry Butcher soldiering on with a bloody