Arsenal star Beth Mead suffered a head injury in the Gunners’ 1-0 Champions League qualifying win over Ajax that resulted in her workforce ending the sport with solely 10 gamers after the match officers denied them the chance to deliver on a concussion sub.
Mead didn’t begin the sport in Amsterdam, which was finally determined by a single Vivianne Miedema purpose, however got here off the bench solely to then go away the sector with stoppage time remaining.
The Ballon d’Or nominee took a blow to the again of the head from Ajax defender Lisa Doorn. Arsenal appropriately have been ready to take no possibilities along with her well being and security and started to organize Lina Hurtig as a alternative, regardless of having used all of their allotted substitutions.
But the match officers put a cease to it, with concussion substitutes not but really adopted by UEFA regardless of launching a concussion constitution in 2021 and trialling the usage of further replacements in the ultimate stage of final yr’s Under-21 European Championship. An IFAB trial that was seen in the WSL and Women’s Championship ended in July of this yr.
Under UEFA’s concussion protocol, the choice was made by Arsenal’s workforce physician that Mead wouldn’t proceed regardless of it doubtlessly coming at a sporting drawback.
Gunners boss Jonas Eidevall confirmed after the match that he had requested the fourth official whether or not a concussion substitute can be allowed and initially appeared to get indication that it was. Given that he thought Hurtig might exchange Mead, Eidevall had no purpose to organize his workforce for being diminished to 10 gamers through the break in play whereas the concussion evaluation was happening.
“I think that’s misinformation from the referee,” he mentioned. “I honestly don’t know how and why that can be, because for me it’s just such a simple question to answer yes or no.
Discussing the implications of concussion, Eidevall added, “In Sweden, where I come from, in ice hockey it’s very big. If you tackle towards the head, they’ve realised how dangerous that is, they are so harsh on penalising violence towards the head. Because that’s not only pain, it can have impact for the rest of your life, so that means the decisions need to be very good to not staying on.”
Eidevall questioned whether or not Doorn ought to have been despatched off for the problem on Mead, describing it as ‘careless’ quite than malicious, and added he wasn’t stunned to be leaving Amsterdam with two accidents, having additionally seen Rafaelle Souza undergo an ankle drawback.
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