During Saturday’s match between Sandefjord and Bodø/Glimt, Glimt stopper Jostein Gundersen was down with a head injury twice. Bodø/Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen then went against the assessments of Sandefjord’s doctor and Glimt’s manual therapist, and decided that Gundersen should play on. On Tuesday, Knutsen spoke to news about the situation, for the first time after Saturday’s game. CRITICISM RECEIVED: Kjetil Knutsen answered questions for the first time on Tuesday after the head injury debate of the last few days. Photo: Thomas Andersen / NTB – First of all, it is something taken out of context. I am pre-judged, says Knutsen. – We cannot use people from the other team to look after our players. Because he the doctor has never met Jostein Gundersen or any of our players. For me, that would just be a fundamental mistake. Will change the rules The Glimt player who was at the center of the situation, Jostein Gundersen, believes the guidelines should have been different. – Neither I nor Kjetil are perhaps the best to sit and make such a decision in the heat of the match. In my opinion, it should be the case that the judge and the doctor talk together, and if the doctor says “no he has to go out”, then the judge gets to say “yes he will change”. – Then it would probably have turned out like that in that situation, even if I felt I could play. Photo: NTB Knutsen himself emphasizes that he is concerned with the best interests of the players. – I relate to the procedures. The procedures are that Bodø/Glimt has medical personnel. I live off the players’ health and well-being, continues the Glimt coach. – Should have laid low Knutsen receives strong criticism from NISO. – We do not understand the situation that is occurring in Sandefjord. That a trainer checks those protocols is completely mind-boggling, says NISO leader Kristoffer Vatshaug. Photo: NTB He thinks Knutsen should lie down. – Here there is only one thing to do, that is to lie flat on your toes. And say sorry. It’s the players’ health we’re talking about here. Vatshaug points out that Knutsen does not follow the guidelines for head injuries in football. – It is the medical staff who decide whether a player will be allowed to return to the pitch or not. There is no one else, continues Vatshaug. NFF’s procedures for head injuries Concussion can be very harmful if treated incorrectly, and there is a great risk of serious spinal injuries. In some cases, it can be career-threatening if players are not replaced immediately after a head injury. In the event of a head injury, only the doctor or the medical apparatus must decide whether it is safe for the player to continue the match. If one of the teams does not have its own doctor/medical device with them on the bench, then the teams agree that the opponent’s doctor/medical device assists in the assessment and treatment of head injuries. It is expected that both teams’ head coaches are informed of the importance and background of the procedure, and that they follow the decision of the doctor/medical apparatus. Source: NFF Heated discussion After the match, there have been plenty of pictures of a discussion at the coaches’ bench when 70 minutes had been played. There you can clearly see that Knutsen does not listen to either Sandefjord doctor Magnus Kvisten or Glimt’s manual therapist Einar Hauglid. – He is not leaving, says Knutsen on the TV 2 images. – It is not you who decides that, Hauglid replies bluntly. After this, Gundersen played on until he was replaced just before the end. Gundersen got a hit in every round. First he received a Sandefjord insert in the head after 30 minutes, before after 65 minutes of play he was once again laid up after a clash with Sandefjord’s goalkeeper. Knutsen does not recognize himself in the pictures. – It is TV 2 that makes a story, a short story that becomes the story. I don’t recognize myself in that story, says Knutsen. HEAD SLAM: Jostein Gundersen was down with a head injury twice during Saturday’s match. Photo: Christoffer Andersen / NTB Must assess own protocols NISO leader Vatshaug says they now have to assess their own protocols. – The consequences of mistakes here can be fatal for the athlete. The deviation means that we both have to look at the procedures and then the NFF has to look at the consequences of breaking the procedure, he says. The Norwegian Football Association has contacted Bodø/Glimt for an answer. – We have asked Bodø/Glimt for a written explanation. The case will then be presented to the NFF’s prosecution committee. The tribunal will assess whether there is a breach of the NFF’s regulations, and if so, whether this should be pursued further, writes NFF’s legal adviser, Rinor Tahiri, to news. Published 16.07.2024, at 12.07 Updated 16.07.2024, at 12.40 p.m
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