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Sport Nation
Ian Healy: The pressures facing global sport in the wake of concussion crackdowns
Ian Healy • April 8th, 2025 12:14 pm
I'm just trying to break down for myself the pressures of our magnificent collision sports in Australia with this head contact that rugby league is struggling with.
The first issue is pushing opponents into traffic. In the AFL, the ball might fall your way and (players are) forgetting the harm that might be done to the off-balance victim.
The second issue is contact with the head, (whether) deliberate or accidental. In sport, it's probably inevitable and definitely impossible to rule consistently.
(We need to be) getting the rulings more consistent so the behaviour changes. Pushback from players and coaches is very fierce in rugby league.
Rugby Union has the weirdest rules to prevent head contact but then it allows its 125 kilogram trojans to steam, bend and hit packs head first. It's very difficult to untangle. The increased size of participants, strength and numbers in each contest are contributing factors in increasing concussions in today's sport.
Elite seniors want to play their way. This is how we've always done it. Sports need HR policies that minimise a lack of care. Parents of juniors want to know there's a future in whatever sports they enter their kids into.
It's one thing for the seniors to sign a no claim type waiver to continue playing at their own risk. But what message does that then send to parents? Is it enough for sporst to have contact rules, that are policed most times, to prevent legal challenges against sports? And against their clubs who have become the employers with that duty of care?
This is so messy and I'd like to know what the lawyers say about it. It's hard to rectify at the top levels it seems. It's so difficult to turn back these coaches and staff and players on these issues.
Do crackdowns work at changing the behaviours? What else can help with concussion rates? Are mandatory stand downs long enough? Or should we be doing longer than 12 days? 11 and 12 days to heal certain injuries might not seem enough to a lot of people. Let's hope no participant of an accidental contact has to fork out $3,000 plus the suspension.
Time out of the game is huge enough so maybe that would minimise the collisions. Why do we need to fine players? Are fines necessary? (Do we persist with) suspensions and try to get better and better and better at minimising these conditions?
You've only got to look at a photograph of two or three tacklers and an attacker and see how fast they've (engaged in a contest) and then how close their heads are to colliding.
It's amazing the stresses and strains on bodies and faces as they're going into each and every tackle.
It's amazing the stresses and strains on bodies and faces as they're going into each and every tackle.
