Sport-related concussion (SCR) prevention and the nature of sport: possibilities and limitations

• Published in: Sport, ethics and philosophy Vol. 18; no. 3-4; pp. 373 - 382
• Main Author: Loland, Sigmund
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cardiff Routledge 01-10-2024; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Concussion; Concussions; constitutive rules; Prevention; reform; risks; sport
• ISSN: 1751-1321; 1751-133X
• DOI: 10.1080/17511321.2024.2361920

Concussions are traumatic brain injuries that can result from a blow to the head or a jolt to the body. Athletes in many sports are exposed to concussion risks. There is a growing concern in sport and society about sport-related concussions (SRC) and an increasing awareness of the importance of proper diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. A traditional, reactive approach emphasizes sound protocols in cases of suspected SRC. A proactive approach involves identifying various causes of SRC and implementing preventive measures. For example, to reduce SRC prevalence in Canadian youth ice hockey, a ban on body checking has been introduced. When a preventive SRC measure implies a change in the main rules of a sport, it impacts its nature and alters how it is played. This can lead to tensions between SRC prevention and sporting concerns. By employing an extended consequentialist framework that includes normative analyses of the values of sport, I will examine the possibilities and limitations of preventive SRC measures in terms of constitutive rule changes. More specifically, I will propose a consequentialist framework to determine the conditions under which athlete exposure to SRC risks in a given sport can be considered unacceptable, acceptable, and even valuable.