Soccer leagues and tournaments around the world will be allowed to experiment with concussion substitutes starting in January, the body that oversees the sport’s rules announced Wednesday. The change is the most tangible action to be taken by soccer leaders amid growing concerns about the effects of head injuries at all levels of the game.
Teams involved in the trials will be allowed to make additional substitutions in the event of an actual or suspected concussion, the rules body, the International Football Association Board, said in a news release. The ability to grant substitutes beyond those already allowed would protect players by giving medical personnel more time to assess their condition, it said, but do so without forcing their teams to resume play at a competitive disadvantage.