The SFA are set to usher in radical new protocols that will prohibit teams from participating in heading practice more than once a week.
MailSport has been told the new plans will be put in place for the health of the professionals after studies have shown a dangerous link between footballers and dementia.
The SFA will ban heading practice of more than once a week and will also prohibit that training from taking place the day before or after a match has taken place.
Back in 2019 a study by the University of Glasgow found alarming evidence that ex-footballers were three and a half times more likely to die of dementia. The study was was put up against the same age range from the general population.
We have lost some major figures to dementia in Celtic’s history. Both Billy McNeill and Bertie Auld were diagnosed with the illness and both passed away as a result.
Any protocols put in place to protect the longterm health of footballers should be welcome by all.
MailSport report there is a lot of support for these measures from clubs and individuals within the game.
The rules will have to be self policed, and clubs will be expected to abide by them, but there’s always the chance some will ignore the new rules.
Concussions in sport and football have been under the microscope for years. Football is way behind on the research, and is slow at catching up with things.
If players have head injuries the rules are now that they should be taken off. However, as we’ve witnessed at the World Cup, it’s rules that aren’t being followed.
The idea of a rolling sub for concussion protocols seems sensible. This is where a player can go off after a head knock and be throughly vetted before being allowed or not allowed to continue while someone takes their place for the time being.
We’ll see how things pan out.
