“Standing a player down for a match isn’t a difficult decision - turning a life-support machine is a difficult decision”
This article is written by Progressive Rugby
The father of a 14-year-old rugby player who died after incorrect concussion protocols were followed says leaving key players out of games needs to be put in perspective.
Benjamin Robinson died from second impact syndrome following a game for Carrickfergus Grammar in Antrim, Northern Ireland on 28th January 2011.
In the first-half Ben receives a boot the face which split his gumshield.
In the second half Ben is immediately involved in two heavy collisions.
The first sees his head whiplashes back violently as his chest collides with the shoulder of his rival centre and he is down for 90 seconds before being hauled to his feet.
Shortly afterwards he is down again but seems to make no effort to protect himself despite a melee of boots around him.
Ben walks to his coach who gives him a ‘concussion test’ and he’s given the nod to get back out there.
Ben suddenly confides in his mum Karen, who has been forcibly asking for him to come off, “I don’t feel right.” Karen wants to grab him, but the ebb and flow of play sweeps him away from her reach.
Another thundering challenge. Ben gets to his feet but almost immediately collapses backwards. The ref is heard to say: ‘clash of heads - same player.’
Ben never regains consciousness.
His dad Peter has rushed from Scotland to be by Ben’s side.
“I’ll never forget getting to the hospital and seeing the doctors face, I knew straight away our awesome, loving, vibrant boy wasn’t going to make it,” he said.
“The consultant said Ben had suffered a brain injury similar to what they’d expect to see in someone involved in a car crash.”
Two days later the agonising decision is made to turn Ben’s life support machine off.
At the subsequent inquest it emerges Ben was checked three times for concussion but allowed to play on. Correct protocol was to ‘recognise and remove’ – full stop. Any concern whatsoever, get them off the pitch. There was evidently concern. Opportunities were clearly missed.
At the hearing one teammate is asked how he is so confident his memory of what happened was accurate so many months later - “Because it’s the day I lost my best friend,” he responds.
Ben’s death is recorded as second impact syndrome as a result of playing rugby but frustratingly fails to highlight incorrect concussion procedures were followed.
Peter and Karen now plough their energy into promoting Sport Scotland’s ‘If in Doubt, Sit Them Out’ campaign that educates the grassroots community on how to recognise and manage concussion safely.
“We all have a role to play,” Peter said.
“The more players, parents, spectators, coaches and referees who are educated the smaller the chance a player with a brain injury will remain on the pitch.
“It’s about improving the ratio, we aren’t asking people to be neurologists or brain injury experts, we are asking them to be vigilant, remove children from the pitch, and make sure they get correctly managed afterwards by informing their parents, school and GP.”
The biggest thrill for Peter is hearing or seeing people informing coaches if they are concerned for a player or questioning them if they don’t follow protocol.
“Even now, I get coaches say to me it’s a difficult decision removing a player who only ‘may’ have suffered a brain injury. It’s not, turning your child’s life-support machine off is a difficult decision.
“That’s the thing. It’s not rugby that killed Ben, it was the mismanagement of his brain injury. So, while Ben’s story isn’t a positive one for rugby, it absolutely can be – I really believe that. I have to.”