The Doctor Will Give the Go Signal to Terry

It is the doctor’s perogative whether John Terry would be allowed to play on Saturday’s Barclays Premiership clash with Portsmouth.

FA has this statement on Terry’s case: Following John Terry’s injury in yesterday’s League Cup Final, The FA can clarify that the rules on head injuries do not set down an automatic rest period for players suffering from concussion, but rather stipulate that each injury must be assessed individually by a doctor.

Since all head injuries are different in terms of the effects on the brain, no fixed time periods are applicable in professional football as to when the player should return to training and playing.

The brain’s response to the injury determines the time of return and playing and must be clinically assessed by the club medical officer or a specialist neurosurgeon/neurologist.

The clinical rule is that no player should return to training or playing until symptom-free and sign-free at rest and on provocation.

The FA supplies clubs with a list of neurological specialists and units around the country.

BOOKMARK FOR REFERENCE