is always the case of FIFA consulting with players and medical staff to find out what their main concerns are when playing on a certain type of surface,” a FIFA spokesperson says. Where the IRB is concerned about possible head injuries for players being tackled, FIFA does not want to make a field too soft from fear it will contribute to fatigue of the players. Based on such consultation, in 2010, FIFA commissioned research into fatigue and ankle dynamics during a one-month research programme in three countries in Europe. Whilst this research is yet to be peer-reviewed and published, the indications are that there are no significant differences between high quality natural turf and FIFA certified Football Turf pitches in relation to these two areas.
A layer that would improve the shock absorption and energy restitution of a field, without contributing to fatigue, could see the same field being used for both football and rugby, making the investment in an artificial grass surface worthwhile for many municipalities and schools around the world. Football is, by far, still the most played sport. “FIFA are currently surveying professional players to gather more detailed information on the problems that they feel they have on each type of surface. To date, all the
areas mentioned have been suggested as problems for players, but all research suggests that FIFA certified fields do not have any greater impact on these issues than high quality natural turf. It is important to note here that all of our tests use FIFA certified fields and we have no research data on these problems relating to fields that are uncertified.” Greg Fredericks, a former rugby player and currently involved in the installation of fifty-two artificial grass pitches in South Africa as part of the FIFA 2010 World Cup legacy, believes that a multipurpose field, that would allow use for both rugby and football, would be greatly beneficial, particularly in a country that is still divided along racial and sports lines. “Rugby is still a sport that is being played by predominantly white people, whilst football is the sport of choice for the black community. We will install fifty-two pitches which will be the legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. When these pitches can be used by children of all ages and race, they would be the ultimate legacy achievement.”
Fredericks is not concerned about the
safety. A joint study in the US by Colin Fuller, Randall Dick, Jill Corlette and Rosemary Schmalz had already concluded, several years ago, that “there are no major differences in the incidence, severity, nature or cause of match and training injuries sustained on new generation artificial turf and grass.” The researchers analysed the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Injury Surveillance System for a two- season study of American college and university men and women’s soccer teams, and recorded some 80,000 player hours. “I have played both rugby and football matches on surfaces that were much harder than those artificial grass football pitches, so this type of surface would certainly be a step forward. And I believe they will also be much safer,” concludes Fredericks.
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