It’s well known that humidity and heat are suffocating in Singapore. The drivers sweat a lot and so lose mineral salts and calcium, essential for muscle function which in turn affects physical performance on track”. This compromises thermoregulation, the body’s ability to dissipate heat. Making the situation even more challenging is the Singapore climate, with very high temperatures and levels of humidity. Furthermore, there are no long straights, so the driver can never take a breather, as it is only in a straight line that the heartbeat can slow down a bit to give the athlete a break. It’s a traditional street circuit with the walls punishing the slightest lack of concentration. The changes come days after the latest concussion suffered by Kalyn Ponga, with Newcastle weighing up how best to deal with his fourth brain injury in 10 months.What physical challenges does a driver face at the Singapore track?Īndrea Ferrari: “On the current Formula 1 calendar, Singapore is the most demanding track. The protocols have the support of the players’ union, and bring the sport into line with World Rugby, which last year introduced an 11-day stand-down period for the 15-player game. The 11-day stand down marks the biggest change to the NRL’s approach to concussions since the introduction of the head injury assessment system in 2014. The US Food and Drug Administration last week approved a commercial blood test to assess concussions, with results available within 18 minutes. Two years ago, British researchers reported a study of 150 rugby players between 20 had shown 94% accuracy in picking up concussions via saliva testing. The NRL confirmed it would consider monitoring technologies such as blood and saliva testing as a tool for diagnosing concussions. “We don’t want players not reporting concussions for fear of a mild concussion ruling them out for a period that is longer than necessary.” Our policy needs to take that into account. “It is all case-by-case and very individual. “There is no exact science that points to how long it takes a player to recover from a concussion,” he said. This is purely based on what we know listening to our experts and what we know is right for our sport.”Ībdo insisted the ability for players to potentially return earlier was important, and backed the 11-day timeline. “What is in our control are our policies and procedures and making sure we can do everything we can to create a safe environment. “That is not a matter that is within our control,” NRL chief Andrew Abdo said. The NRL say their changes are about player safety rather than legal threats, following advice from experts and after watching worldwide trends. ![]() The rule change comes as injured players launch a class action against the AFL, seeking up to $1bn in damages. Players will be ineligible to apply for an early return if they have had five or more concussions previously, experienced a concussion in the past three months or have already gone through a prolonged recovery.Įxemptions will not be available to any player deemed to have received a category-one concussion in a match or in training – determined by a player losing consciousness, failing to protect themselves while falling, or showing unsteadiness on their feet after a head knock. To return early, the player must be asymptomatic the day following the concussion and cognitive testing must have returned to normal. Players will only be able to return sooner in exceptional circumstances, and after approval from an NRL-appointed independent neurologist. That will mean they are guaranteed to miss the following weekend’s match, and potentially a second game depending on turnaround times.
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