A concussion expert tells the Associated Press that FIFA and the World Cup organizers repeatedly failed to follow their own concussion protocol and then did not take advantage of theopportunity to use the international event to teach fans and young players about the danger of head injuries.
“I’m worried about how many kids emulate these athletes. It wasn’t just oneathlete hurt; it was one multiplied by one million,” expert Chris Nowinski said on Tuesday. “They didn’t even use a bully pulpit and say: ‘This is unacceptable.’” Nowinski is a former Americanfootball player turned professional wrestler who retired because of concussions. He helped start the Sports Legacy Institute to educate the public about head injuries.
On several occasionsduring the month-long tournament, players sustained obvious concussions but continued to play, putting them at risk of severe brain damage. One of the clearest examples was in Sunday’s final,where Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer had to be helped off the field after colliding with Argentina’s Ezequiel Garay, saying he didn’t remember much about the collision,which is a clear sign of a concussion.
“Clearly if there is a protocol, it isn’t being followed,” Nowinski added. “It was a great teaching point: Immediately after the injury, you can’tleave it up to the athlete. Some of these concussions, they clearly weren’t able to make decisions for themselves.”