Summary and agreement statement of the first international conference on concussion in sport, vienna 2001

Abstract

In November 2001, the First International Symposium on Concussion in Sport was held in Vienna, Austria. This symposium was organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the Federation Internationale de Football Association Medical Assessment and Research Centre (FIFA, F-MARC), and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Medical Commission. The aim of the symposium was to provide recommendations addressing this important topic for the improvement of safety and health of athletes who suffer concussive injuries in ice hockey, football (soccer), and other sports. To this end, a range of experts were invited to address specific issues of epidemiology, basic and clinical science, grading systems, cognitive assessment, new research methods, protective equipment, management, prevention, and long-term outcome, and to discuss a unitary model for understanding concussive injury. At the conclusion of the conference, a small group of experts was given a mandate by the conference delegates and organizing bodies to draft a document describing the agreement position reached by those in attendance at that meeting. For the purpose of this paper, this group will be called the Concussion in Sport Group.