adminCape Town – The International Rugby Board (IRB) is considering stricter protocols to prevent players with possible concussion from returning to the field during matches.
According to a current protocol being tested in some tournaments, a player can return to the playing field if he passes a cognitive test within five minutes. It is called the Pitch Side Concussion Assessment (PSCA) trial – or ‘five-minute test’.
However, an IRB task team is of the view that a five-minute period is too short to make an accurate diagnosis.
According to Die Burger’s website, this five-minute period could be doubled to 10 minutes.
The IRB recently admitted that repeated concussions could lead to dementia. This stemmed from studies that showed boxers develop neurological problems later – and post – in their careers.
Statistics show that in tournaments where the five-minute concussion rule is being trialled (like the Currie Cup), fewer players stay on the field after being concussed (down from 56 percent to 13 percent).
Research done on American football players also showed that concussion causes players to suffer from long-term neurological issues.
This led to a legal battle after which $765m (about R8bn) was paid out to thousands of former players and their families. — Sport24
Online Reporter