Goalkeeper says his concussion shows soccer referees need to act faster on head injuries

SINSHEIM, Germany (AP) — German goalkeeper Oliver Baumann has been diagnosed with concussion after an incident which he says shows referees need to act swiftly to cut the risk of players suffering head injuries.

Baumann was playing for Hoffenheim on Saturday in the German Bundesliga when he collided with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, who was sprinting toward Baumann's goal.

Chukwuemeka's knee struck Baumann in the head but the referee didn't stop the game. Seconds later, Dortmund's Waldemar Anton scored the decisive goal for a 3-2 win as Baumann staggered about the penalty area in a daze.

“My diagnosis clearly shows that on the field it's all about the safety of the players,” Baumann said Wednesday. He argued players could be at risk of further injury in similar incidents if referees don't stop the game immediately.

“Therefore, in the interests of player health, there should be no disagreement about stopping the game immediately when there's a possible head injury, regardless of what the game situation looks like at that moment.”

Baumann, who is Hoffenheim's captain and a German national team player, had a “large, severely swollen laceration” to his head and was dazed after the incident, the club said, adding that concussion was diagnosed following tests at the hospital. He has been ruled out of Hoffenheim's game at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.

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