Leeds United and fellow Premier League shareholders agree to trial of permanent concussion substitutes

Leeds United and their fellow Premier League shareholders have today agreed to introduce a trial of concussion substitutes.
NEW PROTOCOL - Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers receives medical treatment during the Premier League match between Wolves and West Ham United at Molineux. Pic: GettyNEW PROTOCOL - Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers receives medical treatment during the Premier League match between Wolves and West Ham United at Molineux. Pic: Getty
NEW PROTOCOL - Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers receives medical treatment during the Premier League match between Wolves and West Ham United at Molineux. Pic: Getty

The trial will begin once the International Football Association Board and FIFA have agreed the implementation of the reporting processes, including private medical information.

A statement on behalf of the Premier League says the health and safety of players is paramount, so new protocols will allow teams to make a maximum of two concussion substitutes, in addition to their normal allocation of replacements.

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"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," said a spokesperson.

"The additional concussion substitutions may be made regardless of the number of substitutions a team has made already.

"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."

Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa was asked about the potential introduction of concussion subs, recently, but deferred to the game's authorities on the matter.

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"I think that the people who evaluate these situations, they will have a lot more data on this as to whether this would be something that is more feasible and they can give you a better opinion than I can," he said.

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