Professional referees' knowledge of the FIFA Medical Concussion Protocol and their experiences with concussions during match-play
Objectives
This cross-sectional online self-administered survey aimed to investigate professional referees' experiences of concussion during match-play, and their knowledge of the then-current pre-2022 FIFA Medical Concussion Protocol.
Methods
A 25-question survey was emailed to 200 FIFA-accredited referees, with 83 completed responses being returned.
Results
75% of referees correctly answered five basic questions pertaining to the Concussion Protocol, but only 52% perceived that their concussion knowledge was appropriate, with 28% of referees reported attending structured education on concussion. Interest in learning more about concussions was high, 95%.
Conclusions
Concussion education tailored to future and current referees should be considered a priority.
© Copyright 2026 Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. Elsevier. All rights reserved.
| Subjects: | |
|---|---|
| Notations: | sport games biological and medical sciences |
| Tagging: | FIFA Gehirnerschütterung |
| Published in: | Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2026
|
| Document types: | article |
| Level: | advanced |