Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz will make history at next month’s Copa America as the first Caribbean team to try out concussion replacements.
Their coach will have the ability to make a sixth and extra substitution in cases of suspected head trauma or concussion.
South American football’s governing body, CONMEBOL, announced the decision on Tuesday, making it valid for all its competitions starting with the Copa America in the United States on June 20.
CONMEBOL issued a statement explaining that coaches will need to notify the referee or the fourth-match official of the concussion replacement through a pink substitution pass. This method was previously implemented in Major League Soccer in 2021 as part of a FIFA pilot program.
24 hours to send a medical report to CONMEBOL
The player who leaves the pitch under these conditions will have to go to the locker rooms or a hospital for assessment.
“The substitution for concussion will take place regardless of the number of substitutions until the moment it happens,” CONMEBOL stated. “When the concussion substitution takes place, the opposing team will automatically be allowed to make an additional substitution.”
Team doctors who detect a suspected concussion or head trauma on the pitch will have up to 24 hours to send a medical report to CONMEBOL, the South American body added.
This ground-breaking decision aims to prioritize player safety and ensure proper medical evaluation following any incidents of head trauma. The Reggae Boyz, alongside other teams participating in the Copa America, will adhere to these new guidelines as part of a broader effort to enhance player welfare and safety in football.
