Rugby

Review finds Parra was correctly permitted to return to play

The match referee clearly stopped the play out of concern for the player’s welfare

Referee Ben Whitehouse helps Morgan Parra of Clermont at Stade Marcel- Michelin. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

Tue Oct 24 2017 - 15:59

An independent review has found that the ASM Clermont Auvergne scrumhalf Morgan Parra was correctly permitted to return to the field of play after an initial Head Injury Assessment (HIA) revealed no loss of consciousness.

Clermont were 24-7 winners against Northampton Saints last Saturday at Stade Marcel Michelin. European Professional Club Rugby revealed the review’s findings in a statement on Tuesday.

Parra passed the first stage of the HIA after leaving the field of play in the 27th minute of the match. The reports says that as the criteria for a permanent removal of the player were not satisfied, the Clermont medical staff then decided that was he was fit to return.

Any head injury event that occurs during matches in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup is subject to an independent review process managed by the UK-based company, Alligin Performance.

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The event involving Parra was referred in the first instance by Alligin Performance to Dr Mike Rossiter, Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine, who concluded that the clinical decision-making process was correct in allowing Parra to return to the field of play. Dr Rossiter viewed all available video imagery from the match and also sought detailed information from the ASM Clermont Auvergne medical representative, Dr Eliot Rubio.

Following Dr Rossiter’s review, a second independent review was undertaken by Dr David Jones with the same outcome.

While an audible comment from match referee, Ben Whitehouse, at the time of the event may have led to some confusion, Alligin Performance commended the official as he clearly stopped the match out of concern for the player's welfare.

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