Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell says the AFL’s choice to spend $25m on a long-term research into the consequences of concussion is a vital step for participant security.
The AFL launched up to date concussion pointers and a five-year strategic plan on Tuesday because it emphasised the necessity for gamers to fastidiously transfer via all 11 steps of the return-to-play program.
The protocols, by which 12 days is the minimal timeframe for a participant to get better earlier than returning to play, may even be prolonged to all different ranges of Australian soccer.
Mitchell mentioned the $25m research funding could be essential for serving to membership docs higher perceive find out how to determine concussion signs in gamers.
“It’s such an unknown situation. What I do know is the way we’ve changed our attitude towards it is significant,” he mentioned.
“I think back when I played it wasn’t a heavily respected injury, it was something like a lot of things where you just sort of got by or tried to play as quickly as you can and didn’t have the respect for it.
“Now our players are really honest with the doctors, and the doctors are in a really difficult situation where they have to really know the player to understand what symptoms might look like … and I think the whole world, but the AFL in particular, is taking it very seriously and try to go about it in the right way.”
The AFL expressed a frustration with the branding of the return-to-play pointers because the “12-day concussion protocols” and can push to make sure gamers are moved via all steps of this system at a cautious tempo in 2023.
Four full-time workers might be employed this season with a give attention to concussion administration, whereas a hardship fund is about to be established to offer ex-players one-off funds and ongoing care price tens of millions of {dollars}.
Mitchell mentioned Hawthorn would solely choose gamers who had “12 days of feeling perfect” below their belts following a concussion.
“There’s certainly no pressure as a coach to try to get players back any more quickly than is medically allowed,” he mentioned.
Source: www.news.com.au
