Why Iran Coach Decided Not To Substitute Goalie Despite Head Injury

Alireza Beiranvand, the Iranian goalkeeper, initially refused to leave the field after suffering a head injury in England’s opening World Cup game, sparking controversy.

Beiranvand was dealing with a threatening cross from the right flank when he collided with his own teammate, leaving him face-down on the ground with blood on his face. The Iranian No. 1 made the decision to play on after receiving medical attention for a while, despite concussion protocol requiring that serious head injuries result in immediate withdrawal. It wasn’t until he fell again a few minutes later that he was finally replaced.

The primary goal of the initial on-pitch evaluation of a player who has suffered a head trauma during training or game play is to screen the athlete for concussion or a more serious head or cervical spine damage, according to FIFA concussion rules. Even after the aforementioned checks were done, Beiranvand managed to convince the medical professionals to let him stay on the field.

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While providing commentary for BBC Sport, England international Jermaine Jenas stated: “I don’t see how continuing is appropriate for him. This absurdity must stop. In 2022, there are a lot of conversations about concussion protocols and how they can cause dementia. It’s not acceptable to do this.”