RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- The world players union on Friday accused World Cup organizer FIFA of failing to protect Uruguay midfielder Alvaro Pereira after he
played on following a hard blow to the head that he said felt "like the lights
went out.
Cheap Authentic Jerseys ." Pereira lay motionless after colliding with Raheem Sterlings knee in the 61st minute of
Uruguays 2-1 victory on Thursday. Even though he appeared like a punch-drunk
boxer, Pereira ultimately was allowed to return in the 63rd minute. The union
urged FIFA "to conduct a thorough investigation into its own competition
concussion protocol which failed to protect Uruguayan footballer Alvaro
Pereira." It asked for "urgent talks and immediate assurances that FIFA can
guarantee the safety of the players." It also suggested possible rule changes so
players suspected of being concussed can be temporarily substituted while theyre
diagnosed. "Football is awash with incidents in which players suffer potentially
concussive blows to the head and stay on the pitch. In Pereiras case, he
demanded to play on, overruling advice from Uruguays team physician for him to
be immediately substituted," FIFPro said in a statement. "FIFPro understands
that in certain moments, faced by the pressures of such an important
international stage, many players would react in this way. There are times,
however, when the players also require greater protection against the prospect
of making any rash decisions." As he slid for a ball just outside Uruguays
penalty area, Pereiras temple inadvertently struck Sterlings left knee. "After
the hit, I only recall that I was unconscious for an instant," he said. "It was
like the lights went out a little bit." Teammates surrounding the motionless
player signalled for a stretcher. Team medical staff came onto the field.
Pereira wobbled to the sideline. Uruguay physician Dr. Alberto Pan signalled for
a substitution. Pereira seemed to be having trouble maintaining his balance. He
argued and angrily wagged a finger to signal he didnt want to be substituted. "I
said sorry a thousand times to the doctor because I was dizzy. It was that
moment your adrenaline flowing in your body, maybe without thinking ... what I
really wanted to do was to help get the result," the 28-year-old Sao Paulo FC
player recalled. "What really matters is that everything is OK. Nothing
happened. It was just a scare". Pereira said a team doctor and a FIFA physician
checked him after the match. There was no immediate confirmation on whether he
sustained a concussion, a subject that is slowly moving up the agenda in the
sport. FIFPro said it would monitor Pereiras health on Friday. "He must be
subjected to further evaluation and follow-up procedures that help determine if
and when he can return to training," it said. The union said it also is
considering appointing its own independent doctors "for all future FIFA
competitions." "The World Cup must set the standard for player health and safety
to educate the international football community. Medical evidence shows that a
person faces the risk of very serious brain injury, or worse, if he or she
suffers a severe head trauma from a concussive blow," FIFPro said. "Furthermore,
FIFPro states any sideline concussion assessment must not be conducted solely by
a national team physician. In order to ensure real independence, FIFPros
involvement, as the international authority representing the interests of the
players, would ensure they are insulated at all times." In the English Premier
League, Tottenham came under scrutiny in November for an incident involving
goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. Currently with the France squad at the World Cup, Lloris
was allowed to play on after he was briefly knocked unconscious during a game
after colliding with Evertons Romelu Lukaku, despite medical advice he leave the
match.
Cheap Jerseys Authentic . If there is one club built to handle an off-field controversy, its the Bill Belichick era
Patriots. Even if New Englands offence stumbles a bit out of the gate, their
defence can help them stay in games, especially in the AFC East with the Buffalo
Bills and New York Jets in the first two weeks.
Cheap NFL Jerseys . George Hill had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Pacers, who stayed atop the overall NBA standings despite losing twice on their
West Coast trip. Los Angeles kept it close into the second half before the
Pacers finished an easy win over the injury-riddled Lakers, who have lost five
straight.ROTTERDAM, Netherlands -- Robin van Persie scored his second goal in as
many pre-World Cup friendlies as the Netherlands beat Ghana 1-0 on Saturday. On
the day Louis van Gaal announced his final 23-man squad for Brazil, the
Netherlands coach looked to have picked his strongest side for the match at
Feyenoords De Kuip stadium, with the vastly experienced striking partnership of
Van Persie and Arjen Robben fed by playmaker Wesley Sneijder. It was that trio
who teamed up to unlock the Ghana defence in just the fifth minute. Sneijder
played a one-two with Robben and then cut back the ball past the advancing
goalkeeper to Van Persie who only had to tap into the open goal for his 43rd
international goal. Robben should have doubled the lead seven minutes later but
scuffed a close-range shot over the bar after a cross from left back Daley Blind
set him free in front of goal at the end of a flowing attack. The Bayern Munich
winger squandered another great chance when goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey blocked his
shot when Robben was again on his own in front of goal after a cross from right
back Daryl Janmaat. "I shhould have scored two.
Cheap NFL Jerseys China. Im saving them up," Robben said. Both final passes came from backs functioning almost as wingers in Van Gaals new 5-3-2 formation.
The defenders -- seen by many as the teams Achilles heel -- also ensured Jasper
Cillessen kept a clean sheet. "In the second half, we created less but we gave
away absolutely nothing," Van Gaal said. Ghana, which has a tough draw in Brazil
together with Germany, Portugal and the United States in Group G, never looked
like breaking down the Dutch back five. Coach James Kwesi Appiahs team stayed in
the game thanks to Robbens misses and aggressive tackling and pressure that
broke up the fluency of Dutch build-up play. "Ghana pinned us back and that
makes it difficult," Van Gaal said. But he expects the attacking fluency to come
as the squad continues to train together. "It will get better," Van Gaal said.
"Weve only just started." The Netherlands plays Wales on Wednesday in Amsterdam
and flies to Rio de Janeiro the following day. It is in Group B with Spain,
Chile and Australia.
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