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ISSUE 19 | NOV 2014 |
27
US ‘soccer moms’ sue FIFA over concussions
A group of young American footballers and their parents have sued FIFA and US
football groups over the risks from concussions.
The California class-action lawsuit accuses the sport’s governing bodies of acting
“carelessly and negligently” and failing to protect young players.
The filing also calls for new safety rules, including limiting the number of headers for
young players.
The US collegiate sports authority settled a similar suit earlier this year. The National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) agreed to toughen rules over how long players
have to rest after a head injury, and to create a multi-million dollar fund to test athletes
for brain trauma.
The FIFA suit, filed by two former youth football players and parents of current
young players, does not seek monetary damages, but calls for a medical monitoring
programme for those who played football as children and young adults and may have
suffered concussions. The filing argues “there is an epidemic of concussion injuries in
soccer at all levels around the world” and that “FIFA presides over this epidemic and is
one of its primary causes” through its ability to set the rules of the game.
The US Soccer Federation, US Youth Soccer Associations and several other football
groups are also named as defendants.
The lawsuit particularly focuses on heading, citing research that the practice is more
damaging for young people because their neck muscles are weaker and cannot slow
the impact of the ball on the head.
Among the changes sought are limiting the number of times a player under 17 can
head the ball and allowing temporary substitutions in professional leagues if a player
has received a head injury.
Spanish
footballer
imprisoned for
push
The Criminal Court of
Vigo sentenced a local
football player to four
months imprisonment for
a personal injury offence
which occurred in a football
game in Vigo, a city situated
in north-west Spain.
The offence was committed
by the convicted football
player who pushed his
competitor against the
advertising hoardings.
As a consequence, the
competitor hit his head
on the steel pole of the
billboard and subsequently
suffered from serious skull
injury and an open wound
on the front.
The Judge decided that this
conduct was committed
with the “intention of
undermining the physical
integrity of the competitor”
and it constitutes a criminal
offence punishable under
Spanish Criminal Code.
In addition, the Judge
ordered the football player
to pay to the victim €1,210
to compensate for damage
suffered as a result of the
offence.
This is a pioneer court
ruling in Spain, which opens
the door to criminal liability
for sports injuries.