At their Owners’ and Executives’ Conference and AGM, Football League clubs have discussed a range of matters relating to the future of their competition.
Topics included how to increase attendances at matches, the League’s future commercial strategy, refereeing standards, the League’s global fanbase, relationships with the media, job opportunities for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic managers & coaches and a range of other commercial, operational and governance issues.
Clubs have also agreed a number of changes to League regulations and policies ahead of the 2015/16 season which begins on the weekend of August 8th.
Clubs have also agreed a number of changes to League regulations and policies ahead of the 2015/16 season which begins on the weekend of August 8th.
Clubs have agreed changes to the League’s concussion and heart screening policies to protect the health and wellbeing of players.
From the 2015/16 season onwards the final decision as to whether a player can play, train or rest following a head injury will be made by the team doctor or any other medically qualified practitioner certified by the FA.
Additionally, clubs will be required to conduct mandatory heart screening on all players aged 16 or over. These tests will have to be reviewed by an experienced sports cardiologist and retained by each club.
The introduction of heart screening will be of particular interest to Walsall following the tragic death of apprentice Anton Reid, who passed away in August 2007 following what was later discovered to be a heart attack due to an undiagnosed heart defect, known as idiopathic left ventricular hypertrophy.
In the years since his death, Anton’s mother, Sonia Bailey, has set up The Anton Reid Foundation, and hosts events to raise funds for CRY – Cardiac Risk in the Young, a charity aiming to raise the awareness of Sudden Death Syndrome and other heart defects in the young. Sonia is also campaigning for all football clubs to increase heart screenings and install defibrillators in their stadiums and training facilities.
Since the tragedy, Walsall Football Club already ensures they have a defibrillator, entonox and oxygen at every training session, along with new robust emergency procedures. Although positive strides have been taken, Sonia Bailey, The Anton Reid Foundation, CRY and similar charities continue to strive for further improvements in screening and detection, with the hope of preventing a similar tragedy in the future.