FIFA's protocol on concussion from injuries sustained during a tournament match has been exposed yet again during the highly-anticipated World Cup Finals match between Argentina and Germany on Sunday.
Buzzfeed said that during the 14th minute of the game, Cristoph Kramer was knocked out during a collision with two Argentine players. Although he stayed in the game, Kramer fell to the ground in the 32nd minute and needed help to get off the pitch.
After the match, Kramer disclosed to German newspaper Die Welt that he did not remember much of the game.
He was quoted as saying, "I don't know anything at all about the first half. I thought later that I left the game immediately after the tackle. I have no idea how I got to the changing rooms. I don't know anything else. In my head, the game starts from the second half."
Kramer's injury appeared to be one of the worse head injuries received in the tournament, Buzzfeed said. Apart from Kramer, Argentina's Javier Mascherano and Uruguay's Alvaro Pereirra also incurred head injuries during crucial matches in the World Cup. The two immediately returned on the field to continue playing for their teams, much to the concern of the World Footballers' Association FIFPro.
FIFPro has since appealed for FIFA to change their antiquated and toothless concussion protocols, which allows football players to override even medical doctors after being diagnosed to have signs of having a concussion after a serious head injury. Since the Pereira incident, the players union has been clamoring for talks and immediate assurances of football player safety from the world soccer body, Forbes reported. So far, FIFA has yet to address the concerns regarding the matter.
Nonetheless, FIFPro is expected to conduct a thorough probe about its own competition concussion measures, and will most likely release the results of the investigation soon.
