 |
| Wales winger George North has played 64 times for Northampton Saints since joining in 2013 |
Rugby union authorities are "experimenting on players' brains" by failing to address concussion, a former World Rugby medical advisor says.
A review panel has not punished Northampton despite finding that George North should not have played on for Saints after a head knock this month.
It was the fifth blow to the head the Wales winger has suffered in two years.
"They have had enough examples of how it has gone wrong to say 'enough is enough'," said Dr Barry O'Driscoll.
"If you have to take a player off to have a concussion assessment you must suspect concussion and he must stay off. But they are experimenting in that part of the game that is the most brutal."
The Rugby Players' Association (RPA) said North's return to the field was a "significant failing", and believes sanctions would have sent a "clear message" about the "gravity of concussion management".
The union added the recommendations in the report "must be adopted" to ensure North's case is an "isolated incident".
Former Scotland international John Beattie added that he was worried for the future of young players, and that they "have to be protected" from brain damage.
"We can't have a game where the end product is a brain-damaged super-human who's made a bit of money," the 59-year-old BBC pundit told BBC Radio 5 live.
"I know blokes my age and younger who have brain damage. I worry about George North, I think we need to be much more careful with players."
The report states that, although North, 24, appeared to lie motionless after the incident against Leicester Tigers on 3 December, he told medics he had stayed still because he was "concerned about his neck".
North also "continued to deny any loss of consciousness with immediate recall of events", with the "only symptom recorded being neck pain".
But Beattie said that "the last person you should listen to is the player" as they are "trapped in a money-earning spiral".
North's concussion history
The Northampton back suffered four head blows in five months between November 2014 and March 2015, leading to a spell on the sidelines that lasted from 27 March until 29 August.
- 22 November 2014: North suffers first concussion in Wales' 34-16 defeat by New Zealand
- 6 February 2015: Suffers accidental kick to the head during first half of 21-16 loss to England, but after assessment returns to the field
- 6 February 2015: Receives second blow to the head in second half of same game, appears to have been knocked out but finishes match
- 27 March 2015: North is knocked unconscious scoring a try in Northampton's 52-30 win over Wasps
What are the rules?
- With suspected concussion, club doctors have 13 minutes to decide if a player can return to the field.
- All Premiership grounds and Twickenham have medical teams with access to replays to help that decision.
- Any player with confirmed or suspected concussion will be permanently removed.
Protocols 'not fit for purpose'
Despite describing video technology in concussion assessments as "a great idea", O'Driscoll said the current protocols are "not fit for purpose".
"These protocols are terribly poor, they're dangerous - they're putting brain-damaged players back on the field time and time again," he said.
"In community rugby, women's rugby, school kids rugby, there's no such thing as a protocol test because it doesn't work. It's black and white with them, if they have to come off they stay off."
Peter McCabe, chief executive of brain injury association Headway, said that "serious questions have to be asked" of the existing concussion protocols.
"This incident sends out a confusing message around the issue of concussion, particularly for children who follow the example of famous players and favourite clubs," he said.
"It is essential that a safety-first approach is taken."
Meanwhile, sports injury lawyer Ian Christian said the decision was "hugely disappointing", and a missed opportunity for rugby authorities to "make a statement" on the importance of the issue.
"This isn't the first time George North has played on when all those watching thought he should be off the pitch and it proves that players need protecting from themselves," he said.
"This was an opportunity for the panel to make a statement about concussion and the importance of a safety first approach and it has been wasted."
Medics 'would never jeopardise a player's health'
Former England international Andy Hazell - who retired because of a concussion injury in 2014 - told BBC Radio 5 live that player welfare is "100%" at the forefront of decision-making by club doctors.
"People forget that the medical team and the players see each other daily, there's a bond," he said.
"The rugby community is a tight community, at the end of the day these are your friends, and people would never jeopardise a player's health.
"There's never any question that a medical team would want to put the player at harm."
0 comments:
Post a Comment