“Ref, Is This the Final?” Concussion Issues at the 2014 FIFA Men’s World Cup: A Case Study

Abstract

As seen at the 2014 World Cup, concussions can occur in the heat of the moment even on the biggest stage of the world. According to World Cup policy, if a who suffers a concussion, the game still goes on and their teams have a choice, either continue to play a man down or substitute for the injured player. As a result, players want to stay in the game and time is of the essence. Yet, many athletes do not recognize their symptoms as being the result of a concussion, nor do they believe that sustaining a concussion is a potentially grave problem. This case study reveals how players react to potentially incurring a concussion as well as what international organizations are doing to combat this issue. What are sports leagues in the United States and globally doing to educate athletes and coaches about concussion symptoms? ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR