Pavard Incident Calls for Head Injury Caution at Euro 2020

Head injuries, and the assessment of them, are top of the agenda again after a high-profile incident at Euro 2020.

When Benjamin Pavard was accidentally struck on the head during France’s clash with Germany, he hit the ground without bracing his body for impact.

It suggested a loss of consciousness during the 1-0 win for the French, but there was no withdrawal of the player and the game continued with the French full-back involved.

The Chief Executive of Headway Peter McCabe said; “It was plain for all to see that Pavard was unable to protect himself from the fall.

“Pavard’s later statement that he lost consciousness confirms the seriousness of the incident. Here we have yet another example where it is simply not credible to suggest that a concussion could not be ‘suspected’ or a possible consequence of the impact.

“However, after a brief on-pitch assessment the player was allowed to continue.”

Pavard commented after the game that he had been “a little knocked out for 10 to 15 seconds” following the incident. However, UEFA, after gathering evidence from the French medical team, concluded no loss of consciousness had occurred.

One of our serious injury specialist solicitors, David Burn, highlighted the difficulty in identifying the true extent of an impact to the head.

He said; “His treatment flies in the face of the concussion protocol as he should have been withdrawn from the game by the medical staff without being given the opportunity to state he was ok to continue.

“It is a decision the player should not be allowed to make, and for good reason. Unlike a fractured leg, a concussion is an ‘invisible’ injury to the brain which affects the way in which it functions.  

“Whilst the effects are usually temporary, they can have severe long-term implications. As such, any concussion should be treated seriously and monitored by the appropriate medical practitioners.”

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