Due to the recent attention focused on the rise of head injuries in professional sports, and the speculation that the suicide of former NFL player Andre Waters was due in part to an untreated traumatic brain injury, the National Football League has increased standards for players both on and off the field.
Commissioner Roger Goodell and other club officials state that the new regulations are based on “extensive medical research and discussion” by “the NFL’s independent committee on mild-traumatic brain injury.”
Some of the new regulations include:
- medical decisions must always override competitive considerations
- neurological baseline tests will be administered annually to all players in training camp beginning this year
- the league will establish a “whistle-blower” system so that anyone may anonymously report incidents in which a doctor or medical person pressures a player to return to the field before he’s ready after sustaining a concussion
I believe these steps will be critical in preventing traumatic brain injuries in professional sports, and will increase the attention paid to the severity of this problem. I think attempting to prevent these injuries before they occur will also assist in raising awareness for the need of safety on the field for younger sports viewers.
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