Brain Injury Charity Headway Questions Concussion Protocol in Football After Harry Maguire's On-Field Head Injury

Charity condemns football's "stubborn refusal to put players’ health above all else," highlighting need for temporary concussion substitutes, even though Maguire passed onsite concussion protocol after collision.

• Harry Maguire, the Manchester United defender, received blows to the head during a Premier League match against Fulham but was allowed to continue playing despite on-field treatment and apparent discomfort.
• Maguire underwent initial on-pitch assessment for a suspected concussion, following the English Football Association's concussion guidelines, and was deemed fit to continue. Later, he left the field momentarily for treatment of an unrelated hand injury.
• The incident raised concerns by brain injury charity, Headway, over football's 'stubborn refusal' to prioritize players' health. The CEO, Luke Griggs, explained how every high-profile incident erodes progress in safety management, highlighting the urgent need for an evolution in attitude and implementation of temporary concussion substitutes.
• Maguire, nevertheless, mentioned post-match that he had passed the concussion tests on the pitch, stating, 'If the doc says I'm okay to carry on, then I'm always going to carry on.'
• Headway blames the culture of football for such scenarios and believes temporary concussion substitutes can immediately help return some credibility to the process. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) rejected a trial for temporary concussion substitutes earlier this year.

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