Concussion, injuries and first aid at the ground

The Australian Concussion Guidelines for Youth and Community Sport (Australian Institute of Sport, June 2024) say a player with a suspected concussion is removed from sport immediately, with no return on that day. They should not be left alone at first or sent home by themselves, and they should be seen by a health care practitioner.

Some signs mean the player needs emergency care now, such as neck pain, a seizure, loss of consciousness, repeated vomiting, a severe or worsening headache, or increasing confusion. Call Triple Zero (000).

For community and youth sport the guidelines set minimum times before a return: at least 14 days without symptoms (at rest) before contact training, and at least 21 days from the day of the injury before competitive contact sport. The 14 days start when the symptoms stop, not on the day of the knock.

This is general information, not medical advice. The player's own doctor or health care practitioner guides their recovery and return, and your sport may have its own concussion policy as well.

The statement was published in November 2024 and updates the one released in 2023. It is part of the Concussion in Australian Sport work led by the Australian Institute of Sport.

Its core principle is "If in doubt, sit them out." Where there is any suspicion of concussion, the athlete is removed from play and does not return until they have completed a graduated return to sport and learning program and been cleared by a health care practitioner.

For community clubs and junior sport, the companion Australian Concussion Guidelines for Youth and Community Sport (June 2024) turn the statement into practical steps, including the 14 day and 21 day minimum return times.

The statement is guidance, not law. The Australian Institute of Sport guides sports rather than instructing them, so check your own sport's concussion policy as well.

First aid and CPR in Australia follow the guidelines of the Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation (ANZCOR). In any emergency, ANZCOR's first steps are to check for danger and send for help: call Triple Zero (000). If the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, start CPR.

Training lets people practise those steps, including CPR and using a defibrillator (AED), before they need them at the ground.

Some sports also run their own sports trainer courses. Those are separate from nationally recognised first aid units, so check what your sport or league asks for.