FIFA will let teams use concussion substitutes at next month’s Club World Cup in an effort to better protect players with head injuries. The seven-team tournament in Qatar will be “the first international competition to test” improved concussion protocols in soccer, FIFA said Friday, January 8.
FIFA cited a key aim of “reducing the pressure on medical personnel to make a quick assessment” of an injured player on the field. Players with suspected head injuries can be replaced permanently in Club World Cup games in addition to the team’s five substitutes.
The Club World Cup features title holders from each of the six continental confederations, plus the domestic champion of host Qatar. The tournament draw will be made on Jan. 19 in Zurich.
BWF bans three Indonesian players for life for match-fixing
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Friday, January 8, handed life bans to three Indonesian shuttlers for involvement in match-fixing, match manipulation and betting.
The sport’s governing body said “eight Indonesian players who knew each other, and competed in lower-level international competitions mostly in Asia up until 2019, breached BWF Integrity Regulations related to match fixing, match manipulation and/or betting on badminton.”
“Three of them were found to have coordinated and organised others into being complicit in the behaviour and have been suspended from all badminton related activities for life,” BWF said in a statement.
“Five others were suspended for between six to 12 years and fined between USD 3,000 and USD 12,000 each.” The BWF said it was a report by a whistleblower which allowed its integrity unit to start a probe and interview a number of players about the matter, following which all eight players were provisionally suspended in January last year. The apex body said the players can appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days. The BWF also suspended a Malaysian citizen, who is a representative of an equipment brand that sponsors international badminton players., from all badminton-related activities for life.