Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – IFAB & The Australian Open
Every Monday we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.
HIT – IFAB INTRODUCES CONCUSSION SUBSTITUTES
It’s been a long time coming, but the International Football Association Board (IFAB), finally approved the use of concussion substitutes from January should leagues and competitions decide to use them.
Now, if a player suffers a head injury, a substitution can be made even if regular replacements have already been used.
A statement read: “The IFAB confirmed that it has agreed on the implementation of protocols that will be the basis for the trials.
“The members agreed that, in the event of an actual or suspected concussion, the player in question should be permanently removed from the match to protect their welfare, but the player’s team should not suffer a numerical disadvantage.”
The Football Association supported the announcement and said: “Player welfare is of paramount importance and we have played an active role in lobbying for the IFAB to support the introduction of head injury substitutes within the rules of football. The IFAB trial for an additional permanent head injury substitute has been officially supported by a wide range of medical experts.”
While the IFAB announcement has to be welcomed, it does raise questions about why it has taken so long to introduce such protocols when head injuries continue to occur.
Dementia in football has been in the news recently following the deaths of World Cup winners Nobby Stiles and Jack Charlton and revelations that Sir Bobby Charlton is also living with the condition.
Former Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen also recently explained how he had felt the effects of a concussion he sustained playing for Tottenham Hotspur for the following nine months.
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), who established a taskforce to study the issue of brain diseases in football, recently also called for an immediate reduction in the number of headers players undertake in training after research suggested heading could put players at risk.
MISS – PLAYERS TO ISOLATE AHEAD OF AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2021
The Australian Open tennis championship, the first Grand Slam of the year, is always a fantastic event at the start of a new year.
Understandably the COVID-19 crisis has challenged all sports events around the world but the ‘happy slam’ as it is affectionately known, will be markedly different in 2021.
The good news is that the tournament, that was in doubt for some time, will now go ahead, albeit later than planned in February.
The bad news is that the 256 main-draw players will be forced to 19 hours of daily isolation in hotel rooms for two weeks, a move which has raised concerns about player wellbeing.
“This will be an historic Australian Open on so many levels,” said Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley.
“We look forward to offering the players what we believe will be one of their best playing experiences in 2021. From the outset, ensuring players have the best possible preparation for the Australian Open, while at all times protecting the precious COVID-free environment that the Victorian community has built through incredible sacrifice and hard work over the past six months, has been paramount.”
Australia has had incredibly strict COVID laws in place since the pandemic emerged earlier this year and an equally low number of infections – and it wants to keep it that way.
But it does beg the question why other sports teams have been able to travel across the world for sporting competition, remaining in bubbles and undertaking strict protocols in order to compete and yet Australian Open competitors have to go through such extreme controls?
Players will be housed in hotels and allowed one daily block of five hours for practice and treatment and have to undertake six coronavirus tests during their quarantine.
British number one Johanna Konta has voiced her concerns about the implications of taking part when isolating.
She said: “My body wouldn’t be able to handle two weeks of deconditioning [in quarantine], and then pushing me into the deep end.
“I think it would make it very difficult for players to be able to compete at the highest level without risking their bodies in the process.”
Brazilian doubles specialist Bruno Soares, a member of the ATP player council, is equally concerned: “If we have to quarantine for 14 days inside a room and then go play a Grand Slam, I mean, I will do it because it's my job and I have to find a way.
“But I think it's quite dangerous for the players with no preparation I think to go there and compete right away. I think it's physically very dangerous.”
Given that Hollywood stars such as Nicole Kidman have secured exemptions from hotel quarantine (twice in her case) suggests that the Australian authorities have got this one wrong.
Observing the actions that have allowed football and other sports to take place around the world within sporting bubbles would have been simple to apply.
Melbourne has a great reputation for sport but could have maintained strict COVID protocols without forcing elite sports stars into such strict isolation.