Effective with the 2010 high school football season, any player who shows signs, symptoms or behaviors associated with a concussion must be removed from the game and shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate healthcare professional.

The concussion rule was one of 12 changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations Football Rules Committee at its meeting in Indianapolis. The rule changes subsequently were approved by the NFHS board of directors.

The previous rule directed officials to remove an athlete from play if unconscious or apparently unconscious. The rule also allowed for return to play based on written authorization by a medical doctor.

Now, officials are charged with removing any player who shows signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion, such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion or balance problems. The athlete shall not return to play until cleared by an appropriate healthcare professional.

Given that the vast majority of concussions do not include a loss of consciousness but that athletes often show obvious evidence of concussion, the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee strongly believes that officials must continue to be empowered to remove these athletes from play, thus protecting them from further injury, said Dr. Michael Koester, chair of the SMAC.

Article courtesy of CIF.