Concussions in sport a public health concern - WHO
The world football body, FIFA, has teamed up with World Health Organization to launch a global concussion awareness campaign.
FILE: Germany's Luca Waldschmidt grasps his face after a challenge in the qualification match of the German national football team against Belarus for the European Championship on 16 November 2019, North Rhine-Westphalia, Mönchengladbach. Picture: Picture-Alliance/AFP / DPA / FEDERICO GAMBARINI
CAPE TOWN - The world football body, FIFA, has teamed up with World Health Organization to launch a global concussion awareness campaign.
The campaign is aimed at raising awareness that concussion is a traumatic brain injury that can affect every player on the field.
The WHO, in partnership with FIFA, said that educational resources would be delivered at a global level across FIFA channels.
According to the health advocacy group, toolkits were also being distributed to over 211 FIFA member associations on national, regional and local level.
Research by Concussion South Africa revealed that in the USA, at least 1.2 million concussions occurred in contact and collision sports annually.
It stated that in South Africa, there were few incidents that occured on a professional level, while at least 10% to 15% of high school rugby players will suffer a concussion each season.
The campaign highlighted that symptoms may take up to 72 hours to appear and offered guidance on how to return to play safely after the impact.
The Stormers' rugby team doctor, Dr Raaghib Fredericks, explained the risk.
"So there's a multitude of symptoms that can occur, and we subdivide in essential three categories. One could be a clinical symptom ecology that you can experience for example, headache, neck pain, nausea, and vomiting. The second thing that can occur is cognition changes."
The WHO said concussions were a public health concern at all levels of football, and many other sports, requiring greater levels of awareness.