This archive report was first published on 28 November 2019.
On the agenda for the International Football Association Board's (Ifab) annual business meeting next Tuesday is a proposal to introduce temporary concussion substitutions for the first time at the Euro 2020 finals.
According to a statement, the board will continue the debate on concussion assessment and management, which started during the advisory panel meeting in October.
Experts at Glasgow University found that ex-professional footballers are three and a half times more likely to die of dementia than people of the same age range in the general population.
The study began after claims that former West Brom striker Jeff Astle died because of repeated head trauma.
Dr John MacLean, co-author of the research, expressed hope that football will adopt a rugby-style system allowing temporary concussion substitutions.
Similar to rugby union, this system would allow team medics to withdraw an injured player from the pitch and temporarily replace them, with the option to reverse the substitution if the player is able to return to the field.
On February 2020, Ifab's annual general meeting (AGM) will also discuss the proposal, where law changes could be made before a potential roll-out for Euro 2020.
