Why world hockey has uphill task in tackling reverse hit dangers at junior level

By Sophie Penney

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) says that at grassroots hockey it is struggling to collect sufficient data used to assess what safety improvements are needed.

Responding to several safety improvement concerns and suggestions made to the Hockey Paper by Olympian John Shaw and other readers, the FIH added that it is looking into the dangers of reverse stick hitting at a junior level and at implementing a concussion protocol.

Injury data allows the FIH to determine whether certain developments in the game are leading to an increased risk and therefore to make the necessary changes or improvements to FIH’s processes and rules.