A concussion awareness campaign has been launched by FIFA, the international football federation, in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO), in line with the Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023-2027.
The campaign– Suspect and Protect: No Match is Worth the Risk – aims to raise awareness of the fact that concussion is a traumatic brain injury and a risk to every single player. It has been endorsed by players, coaches and team doctors from around the world.
Developed through extensive consultation with FIFA Medical and WHO brain health experts, the campaign hopes to increase sign and symptom recognition among players, coaches and medical staff, as well as the general public.
The campaign highlights that symptoms may take up to 72 hours to appear and offers guidance on how to return to play safely after a suspected or confirmed concussion. These tailored resources are designed to empower national team stakeholders, professional clubs and leagues and grassroots and amateur communities.
Suspect and Protect will be delivered at a global level across FIFA channels, while toolkits are being distributed to the 211 FIFA Member Associations for delivery at a national, regional and local level.
“Concussion is a brain injury and should always be taken seriously. Playing football should be something enjoyed safely, by everyone, everywhere,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. “By knowing the signs of concussion, by being aware of the risks, and by treating a concussion correctly, you can help to put player safety first.”
Suspect and Protect will be available through FIFA channels a number of languages and will be adapted by member associations in additional languages.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
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Even one, moderate concussion can lead to cognitive deterioration – large study