FA confirms concussion substitution trials in Premier League, WSL and FA Cup
The Premier League have confirmed that the International Football Association Board have approved their application to introduce concussion substitute trials across the top level of English football.
The trials will take place across the Premier League, FA Cup, Women's Super League and Women's Championship starting from 6 February.
Teams in those competitions will be granted an additional two substitutions on top of their standard allocation, to be used when a player is diagnosed with or suspected of having a concussion.
Learn about how #PL teams can replace a player who has suffered a possible neurological head injury
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 29, 2021
➡ https://t.co/Z6gOnGKLAn pic.twitter.com/MatkU8x2TL
A joint statement from the FA and Premier League says: "The Football Association and the Premier League have successfully applied to the IFAB to introduce additional permanent concussion substitution trials across the Premier League, Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship and Emirates FA Cup.
"With player welfare the 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.
"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."
BREAKING
— Rich Laverty (@RichJLaverty) January 29, 2021
Concussion substitutes will be introduced to the Barclays FA Women's Super League and FA Women's Championship from next weekend.
Teams will be able to make two concussion subs on top of the five subs teams can already make during a game. pic.twitter.com/sVvw56ccD3
It comes amid widespread calls for an inquest into head injuries in football and how they relate to dementia diagnoses later in life. Last year, England's 1966 World Cup winners Jack Charlton and Nobby Stiles died after being diagnosed with dementia, while it was announced that Sir Bobby Charlton is also suffering from the disease.
The introduction of concussion substitutes represents a step in the right direction, allowing clubs to offer more protection to players against the potential ramifications of head injuries, without having to take a potential numerical advantage on the field into consideration.
The new rule will be implemented for the first time in Aston Villa's Premier League clash with Arsenal and the WSL encounter between Villa and Spurs - both of which kick off at 12.30 on 6 February.