Premier League approves trial of permanent concussion substitutes
- Published
Doctors already test players for possible concussion when they suffer a suspected head injury
The Premier League has formally agreed to trial the use of permanent concussion substitutes.
Clubs approved the trial during a shareholders meeting on Wednesday, although there is no start date yet.
The trial will begin when the "implementation of the reporting processes" has been resolved.
The new rule means up to two permanent substitutions can be made in the event of head injuries, even if all replacements have already been used.
To avoid potential abuse of the rule, opposition teams will also be able to make a change at the same time.
The International Football Association Board (Ifab), the body that makes and approves the laws of football, approved the trials of concussion substitutes at a meeting in December.
Fifa has already announced it will trial substitutions for actual or suspected concussion at the Club World Cup in Qatar later this month.
The decision was welcomed by the Professional Footballers Association (PFA).
PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said: "We are pleased that English football is taking the lead on this vital issue.
"Player safety and welfare is paramount; we hope that the trials will be successful and leads to permanent adoption within football globally."
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