The Football Association published on Wednesday recommendations related to pushing, according to which it is not recommended for under 10s to practice kicking with football at all. For older age groups, training can be gradually increased according to age, first with a lighter ball. Push-up exercises should also be done in moderation in adulthood.
Chairman of the medical committee of the Finnish Football Association Tommi Vasankarin according to the guidelines are based on current research data and guidelines from other countries.
– Let’s be honest. If I say this with a background as a scientist, then none of the current recommendations are based on strong scientific fact, because we don’t know. We have no such fact.
What is certain, however, is that at least young children should not practice hitting the ball. Vasankari emphasizes that even though it is not yet known what is the completely right way, at least we know what is definitely wrong. Thus, the recommended age limit is set for the time being to an age that is easy to implement, for example, in terms of the series system. The recommendation is starting to be implemented at the club level through Pallloiito’s training channels.
The cause-and-effect relationship between brain diseases and puking has been demonstrated
The Swedish Football Association follows the international direction in its recommendations. For example, the Scottish Football Association gave in November of last year, new instructions related to pushing adults. Exercises containing repeated push-ups may not be done more than once a week. Such exercises may also not be performed the day before or the day after the match.
As early as 2020, the Scottish Federation published the guidelines from kicking the ball to the junior age groups. According to it, children under the age of 12 do not practice hitting the ball at all.
The guidelines are based on several studies. For example, a study by the University of Glasgow found that retired footballers have a higher risk compared to a control group with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Studies have been able to show that there are disturbances in players’ memory that last 24-48 hours after repeated tackles.
– You could say disgustingly that it (the study) was a very clear message. There’s something about the strikes in this game that diseases like this are overrepresented. It doesn’t give much room for jostling, Vasankari says.
According to Sky Sports A research team at the University of Glasgow has also found that soccer players are up to three and a half times more likely to die from brain diseases than a control group.
University of Glasgow Ph.D Willie Stewart said in the fall of 2021 According to The Guardianthat there should be a discussion in football whether Pushing the ball is “absolutely necessary”.
There had already been talk about the risk of dementia in soccer players, but now, according to Stewart, we were in a situation where we had been able to demonstrate cause-and-effect relationships. According to the study, for example, the risk of brain diseases in goalkeepers did not differ from the control group, while in defenders who often push the ball, the risk was five times higher.
– The football should be sold with a health warning stating that repeated pushing can increase the risk of dementia, Stewart said.
Prohibition of pushing with rules
The English Football Association has also made recommendations to limit the number of tackles. In addition, an experiment is underway, which may lead to Puskemen being banned from under 12-year-olds for the 2023–24 season.
Stewart is skeptical of different policies. Also Chairman of the Scottish Football Association Ian Maxwell has spoken of a “radical rethinking of football”.
– In football, we shouldn’t think so much about concussion protocols, which are not followed, or restrictions related to exercises that have no scientific basis. You should rather think about what football would look like without punting, Maxwell said.
The leftist is suspicious of the rule changes.
– If international football organizations are criticized, they have not been very active in this regard. There is no definitive researched information yet. And you certainly don’t really want to edit the world’s most popular exercise.
This is also why national actors can make recommendations, but rule changes take place through international organizations.
– There will be no rule changes from the new policy, but above all we are talking about recommendations. What is done in practice will certainly be seen in the game. In the future, it may also appear in the rules, says Vasankari.
In the future, for example, a goal scored over an 8-year-old will not be judged as a foul, because it is about recommendations related to training.