Premier League clubs vote in principle to introduce permanent concussion substitutions
IFAB have approved trials for permanent concussion substitutes
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A statement released by the Premier League has revealed that clubs have agreed in principle to introduce permanent concussion substitutions following extensive trials by the IFAB. The International Football Association Board announced yesterday that they approved the trials over the same.
In a landmark decision yesterday, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) announced that they have approved trial of permanent concussion substitutes from January. This comes not even a few weeks after a collision between Raul Jimenez and David Luiz saw the former rushed to the hospital over a fractured skull. Furthermore, it saw Luiz finish off the half before the Brazilian defender was substituted off by Arsenal.
However, while the trials have been approved by footballâs lawmaking body, the Premier League has announced today that after a shareholdersâ meeting between all 20 clubs, the rule has been agreed in principle. The new rule is set to allow a maximum of two permanent concussion replacements, regardless of how many substitutions a team has already made. That will also apply to the opposing team and the leagueâs statement revealed that it could be implemented as soon as January.
âWith player welfare the Premier Leagueâs priority, clubs agreed in principle to introduce additional permanent concussion substitutions following approval of the trial by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) yesterday. The trial is a result of IFABâs consultation with stakeholders and recommendations from their concussion expert group to allow additional substitutions for players with actual or suspected concussion,â reads the statement on the leagueâs official website.
âThe Premier League will look to implement protocols which will allow a maximum of two concussion substitutes to be used per team, with the opposition side able to use the equivalent number. The additional concussion substitutions may be made regardless of the number of substitutions a team have made already.â
âThe League will now apply for permission from IFAB, via The FA, to take part in the trial, which could be implemented as early as January 2021. The Leagueâs Medical Working Group will meet on Friday to further consider the protocols and their implementation following the publication of guidance by IFAB and FIFA.â
Shareholders also approved an amendment to Premier League rules to increase the number of substitutes a club may include in their team sheet from seven to nine, from Match Round 14 in Season 2020/21 only
â Premier League (@premierleague) December 17, 2020
