Arsenal star Beth Mead suffered a head harm within the Gunners’ 1-0 Champions League qualifying win over Ajax that resulted in her staff ending the sport with solely 10 gamers after the match officers denied them the chance to carry on a concussion sub.
Mead didn’t begin the sport in Amsterdam, which was finally determined by a single Vivianne Miedema aim, however got here off the bench solely to then depart the sector with stoppage time remaining.
The Ballon d’Or nominee took a blow to the again of the pinnacle from Ajax defender Lisa Doorn. Arsenal accurately have been ready to take no probabilities along with her well being and security and commenced to arrange Lina Hurtig as a substitute, regardless of having used all of their allotted substitutions.
However the match officers put a cease to it, with concussion substitutes not but truly adopted by UEFA regardless of launching a concussion constitution in 2021 and trialling the usage of further replacements within the ultimate stage of final yr’s Below-21 European Championship. An IFAB trial that was seen within the WSL and Girls’s Championship resulted in July of this yr.
Below UEFA’s concussion protocol, the choice was made by Arsenal’s staff 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. On condition that he thought Hurtig may substitute Mead, Eidevall had no purpose to arrange his staff for being lowered to 10 gamers throughout the break in play whereas the concussion evaluation was occurring.
“I feel that’s misinformation from the referee,” he stated. “I truthfully don’t know the way and why that may be, as a result of for me it’s simply such a easy query to reply sure or no.
Discussing the implications of concussion, Eidevall added, “In Sweden, the place I come from, in ice hockey it’s very huge. Should you sort out in the direction of the pinnacle, they’ve realised how harmful that’s, they’re so harsh on penalising violence in the direction of the pinnacle. As a result of that’s not solely ache, it may possibly have affect for the remainder of your life, so meaning the selections must be excellent 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’ moderately 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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