The Football-Specific Standardised On-Pitch Concussion Assessment Protocol (FOCUS) is a practical tool designed to help clinicians identify players who need to be removed from play for a formal concussion assessment following a head impact event in football.
Any player with a suspected concussion should be immediately removed from play in keeping with the evidence that footballers who continue to play are more likely to have prolonged recovery of symptoms, deterioration of performance and a potential risk to further injury.
FOCUS was developed based on a comprehensive review of scientific evidence in collaboration with a global group of clinicians and researchers with expertise in concussion identification and assessment among football players.