AFL and Fifa must rethink concussion rules amid Paul McCrory plagiarism claims, says expert

McCrory was the lead author on four of the last five Consensus Statements on Concussion in Sport, from which Fifa and myriad other organisations draw their concussion guidelines and assessment protocols.

Nowinski, a former American college football player and professional wrestler who still experienced symptoms from his last concussion 19 years ago, accused McCrory of misinterpreting and accordingly misrepresenting Boston University brain injury research during his 2016 Florey Institute lecture.

CTE is a neurodegenerative condition linked to repeated head traumas. Symptoms experienced during life include cognitive impairment, impulsive behaviour, depression, suicidal thoughts, short-term memory loss and emotional instability.

McCrory did not respond to a request for comment.

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