Article taken from ABC news. Also watched a report on Sky News last night. Football players under the age of 10 will be banned from heading as part of a series of safety measures aimed at tackling head injuries in the sport, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) has announced, ending the threat of a proposed class-action lawsuit. The revised safety measures will also limit the amount of headers in practice for players aged between 11 and 13, a statement on the US Soccer website confirmed. The new rules will be followed strictly by USSF Soccer youth national teams and the youth sections of Major League Soccer teams but are only recommendations for teams and associations outside US Soccer control. The guidelines were drawn up to resolve a legal case launched in federal court in California by a group of parents and players alleging not enough was being done to treat and monitor head injuries. No damages were sought in the suit, only amendments to rules governing the sport in the United States. As part of the resolution, the USSF has developed an extensive program to improve concussion awareness and education amongst youth coaches, referees, parents and players, a statement said. Rules governing the maximum number of substitutions would also be tweaked to ensure they did not act as an impediment to the evaluation of players who have suffered a concussion during matches. "In constructing the concussion component, US Soccer sought input from its medical science committee which includes experts in the field of concussion diagnosis and management, as well as from its technical advisors, and worked with its youth members to develop a true consensus-based program," US Soccer chief executive Dan Flynn said in a statement. Steve Berman, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said the new safety measures met the objectives of the case, which would now be dropped. "We are pleased that we were able to play a role in improving the safety of the sport for soccer-playing children in this country," he said. A recent study by scientists in Denver looked at concussions in US high school soccer between 2005 and 2014. The study reported that while rules outlawing heading would likely reduce the number of concussions, the main causes of head injuries involved athlete-to-athlete contact.
I read a piece about the concussions study. The most damaging heading occurs most often when a central defender heads back a clearance from the opposition goalkeeper. I think we tend to think of it being the strikers who are most at risk.
Surely this can only be good for their future players even from a purely footballing point of view they will develop to be better technical players rather than lump it forward to try and win like in this country. I think it is in Spain or maybe Holland they play without goals until they are 7/8 years old to develop the technical side.
I know nothing about concussion but I can't see why anyone would object to these measures. Interesting though that they were only introduced to avert the threat of a class-action lawsuit, an example of supposed US litigious-ness (is that a word?) being used for the greater good.
Eee when i was a lad of 8 .. 9 and 10 we thought nowt of heading the old leather footballs that use weigh a ton when wet. Soft kids of today.. Having said that maybe its explains alot.
Work done out of my office a few years back. http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324432004578306092029472924
Yet after years of nailed on proof that helmets and the classic 3 point stance which allows NFL players to launch themselves at each other and the confirmed amount of concussions it causes. There isn't enough evidence to ban them. It would seem that lawsuits in the US only count if it's not a billion dollar sport.
No idea but do they do that in under 10s games? I've no idea but this only relates to young kids not teens or adults.
In total agreement guys remember them days well. Thick sponge pads with bamboo and hard toed boots with wooden studs.
I think you are missing my point. They are quick to ban kids heading an air filled bladder covered in leather with what must be shady evidence. Yet when they have cast iron evidence over grown men getting concussions from smashing head to head at the speeds of car crashes it's ok. I'm just pointing out how pathetic it is in comparison.
Not strictly true though... Didn't the NFL pay-out about $1bn in compensation to ex-players who were claiming concussions received during play had caused dimentia etc.?
No they did however they are still refusing to ban helmets and the 3 point stance. Your point about the pay outs just confirms the overwhelming evidence being ignored.
