Soccer organizations release statement on concussion litigation
CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – Earlier today, a joint statement was issued regarding the fact that a resolution has been reached in the concussion litigation filed in August of 2014 against U.S. Soccer, United States Youth Soccer Association, American Youth Soccer Organization, US Club Soccer and the California Youth Soccer Association.
To provide additional clarification on the joint statement, U.S. Soccer is providing the following details:
PLAYER SAFETY CAMPAIGN
In the statement, it was announced that U.S. Soccer will be releasing a comprehensive player safety campaign in the coming months. The genesis for developing the campaign was unrelated to the lawsuit as U.S. Soccer has been working on a player safety campaign since long before the lawsuit was filed. The campaign was developed with the help of medical experts to provide coaches, players, parents and referees with information, guidance and additional educational materials to improve the management of injuries, including concussions.
The initiative will not only include information about head injuries, but also other important player safety topics such as heat-related illness and injury prevention.
CHANGES TO RULES ON SUBSTITUTIONS AND HEADING
The statement also provided information on specific initiatives that will be implemented soon, including modifications to substitution rules in relation to concussions, eliminating heading for children 10 and under, and limiting the amount of heading in practice for children between the ages of 11 and 13.
These are recommendations for youth members because some of the youth members joining in the initiative do not have direct authority at the local level to require the adaption of the rules. Although these are only recommendations, they are based on the advice of the U.S. Soccer medical committee, and therefore U.S. Soccer strongly urges that they be followed.
U.S. Soccer has implemented these rules as requirements for players that are part of U.S. Soccer’s Youth National Teams and the Development Academy. It should be noted that Youth National Teams will continue to be bound by the substitution rules of the events in which they participate.
Protecting the health and safety of athletes and preventing injuries is critically important to U.S. Soccer. U.S. Soccer has taken a lead in education, research and proposing rule changes to improve player safety for several years, and is looking forward to continuing in that leadership position with the release of the player safety campaign.
For more information, please refer to the frequently asked questions document which should help clarify questions regarding the new initiatives.
See below for the joint statement regarding the resolution:
“The named Plaintiffs in the Mehr youth soccer concussion litigation and the U.S. Defendants, the United States Soccer Federation, United States Youth Soccer Association, American Youth Soccer Organization, US Club Soccer and the California Youth Soccer Association are pleased to announce a resolution of the lawsuit.
The United States Soccer Federation and the other youth member defendants, with input from counsel for the plaintiffs, have developed a sweeping youth soccer initiative designed to (a) improve concussion awareness and education among youth coaches, referees, parents and players; (b) implement more uniform concussion management and return-to-play protocols for youth players suspected of having suffered a concussion; (c) modify the substitution rules to insure such rules do not serve as an impediment to the evaluation of players who may have suffered a concussion during games; and (d) eliminate heading for children 10 and under and limit heading in practice for children between the ages of 11 and 13. The complete details of the initiative along with a more comprehensive player safety campaign will be announced by U.S. Soccer in the next 30 days.
Steve Berman, lead counsel for the plaintiffs said: “We filed this litigation in effort to focus the attention of U.S. Soccer and its youth member organizations on the issue of concussions in youth soccer. With the development of the youth concussion initiative by U.S. Soccer and its youth members, we feel we have accomplished our primary goal and, therefore, do not see any need to continue the pursuit of the litigation. We are pleased that we were able to play a role in improving the safety of the sport for soccer-playing children in this country.”
U.S. Soccer CEO/Secretary General Dan Flynn of the United States Soccer Federation representing the Federation and the other youth members said: “We are proud to be leaders in the areas of concussion education and management. The development of a player safety initiative was under way before the current lawsuit was filed. In constructing the concussion component, U.S. Soccer sought input from its medical science committee which includes experts in the field of concussion diagnosis and management, as well as from its technical advisors, and worked with its youth members to develop a true consensus-based program. We are pleased that the plaintiffs and their counsel recognize the steps we have taken and look forward to sharing the benefits of the youth concussion initiative with players, coaches, officials and parents.”
