The football players 'union FIFPro has criticized the European Football Union (UEFA) for its handling of players' health during the current European Championship and beyond.

FIFPro general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann referred to the handling of the collapse of the Dane Christian Eriksen, the non-stop playing stress and the handling of possible head injuries.

Christoph Becker

Sports editor.

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    The practice practiced during the European Championship, which resulted in players who were obviously ailing after clashes, such as the French Pavard (against Germany), the Austrian Baumgartner (against the Ukraine) and the Portuguese Danilo (against France), sometimes continued to play until the end of the game the unwillingness of football to adequately address the problem.

    "Bizarre weighing of interests"

    “Football should have taken urgent action five years ago, instead it continues contradicting itself.

    If the weaknesses are known, the rules are changed, but the decisive point is not the question of the health of the players, it amounts to moral bankruptcy, ”said Baer-Hoffmann.

    In this regard, the FIFPro also criticizes the rules-setting Interational Football Association Board, which, from Baer-Hoffmann's point of view, was guided by the question of effects on the flow of the game with regard to rule changes for substitutions due to possible head injuries and did not allow temporary player changes for more detailed investigations .

    “From my point of view, that's a very bizarre balance of interests - on the other hand, there is the health of the players.

    But the second best solution was taken so that the flow of the game is not disturbed.

    If there is an attempt with inevitable substitutions, why not test temporary substitutions?

    In almost all other sports there are better solutions than in football. "

    He referred to the practice in the NFL football league agreed upon by the league and professional players union.

    There, team doctors are accompanied by a second, independent doctor, whose judgment is ultimately decisive because a team doctor who ignores the diagnosis of the neutral doctor makes himself vulnerable to liability issues.

    His organization must also raise awareness of the dangers of concussions, said Baer-Hoffmann.

    “In Germany and other countries, the subject gets a quarter of the attention it receives in England.

    In America, through the work of the players' unions, there are many well-known fates, knowledge of the multitude of very serious illnesses, of suicides.

    We have more educational work to do. "

    Specific restrictions required

    Baer-Hoffmann also calls for specific restrictions in order to guarantee the professionals breaks in the game: "Every football organization agrees to our data analysis of health risks and the decline in performance of overload." Nevertheless, every association tries to "squeeze the last possible out of the players," quite a few played at the European Championships Player “almost burned out, exhausted. Every competition organizer should have an interest in ensuring that the players are in top form when the Champions League final or national team tournaments are coming up. But no association or league is willing to compromise when it comes to their own tournaments. There are massive conflicts of interest and conflicts of interest. The realignment of the game calendar in the coming months harbors explosive conflicts,In addition, the Winter World Cup in Qatar is only a year away, so you can say that there won't be a longer break until then. ”Further changes to the schedule should only be negotiated collectively.

    From the perspective of the players' union, dealing with the collapse of Dane Christian Eriksen raises "immense questions": "The decision-making process after traumatic incidents must be thoroughly reviewed and changed." The emotional situation of the players must be the decisive criterion, said Baer-Hoffmann , but letting them take responsibility for the decision under the shock or trauma is not responsible.

    In view of the problems that became clear during the European Championship, demanded Baer-Hoffmann, politics must also push a cultural change in sport. “The rules of sport exist largely undisturbed in a parallel universe. At the same time, sport does not meet the standards that it sets for itself. We are currently seeing this again and again in human rights issues. The change for a new social contract that keeps the interests of sport and society in balance must come from outside. "