The World Health Organization (WHO) and FIFA have joined forces to launch “Suspect and Protect: No Match is Worth the Risk,” a global concussion awareness campaign. The initiative aims to educate players, coaches, medical staff, and fans about the risks of concussion and promote safer play in football.
“Concussion is a brain injury and should always be taken seriously,” emphasized FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “By knowing the signs of concussion and treating it correctly, you can help put player safety first.”
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed, “Concussion is a public health issue of concern at all levels of football and sports, requiring greater awareness and action.”
The campaign focuses on three key actions: BE AWARE: Understand concussion as a traumatic brain injury and recognize common signs and symptoms.
SUSPECT: Assess players for concussion symptoms after direct or indirect impacts to the head, face, neck, or body.
PROTECT: Immediately remove players with concussion symptoms from play and seek medical attention within 24 hours.
Symptoms may take up to 72 hours to appear and include headaches, nausea, balance problems, and sensitivity to light and noise. Players should follow medical guidance on return to play.
The campaign will be delivered globally through FIFA channels and distributed to 211 FIFA Member Associations for national, regional, and local implementation.
By working together, FIFA and WHO aim to make football safer for all players, from amateur to professional levels.
As Dr. Tedros emphasized, “WHO is proud to team up with FIFA to promote ways to protect the brains of footballers, young and old, around the world from the risks of concussion.”
WHO/Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
