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SPORTS Saturday 10 december 2016

Gretzky backs
NHL concussion

spotter program CLINCHING

ANDY KENT
Associated Press THE
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) —
Wayne Gretzky applauded
the use of centralized
concussion spotters as part NFC EAST
of the NHL’s effort to better
protect players.
“When I played - one of my
kids asked me if I ever got a
concussion - I can honestly
tell you I don’t even know,”
said Gretzky, who was
representing the Edmonton
Oilers as a partner and
vice-chairman. “Because
in those days they’d say,
‘Take two aspirin tonight,
tomorrow you’re going
to skate for an hour and
we’re going to sweat it out
of you.’ That’s what we
did.”
Gretzky spoke Friday
as league owners and
its Board of Governors
wrapped up two days
of meetings. It was his
first board meeting since
leaving the Arizona
Coyotes in 2009.
The NHL this season
began using concussion
spotters located at a
central location, watching
on television, to help
decide if a player should
be pulled out of a game
for a potential head
injury. The league has not
released details or results
from the first two months of
the season, though players
have generally supported And down the stretch they come in NFL season
the move even as a class-
action lawsuit is pending
against the league over its
handling of injured players.
“We have so much more Dallas Cowboys free safety By-
ron Jones (31) celebrates in front
knowledge now from of Minnesota Vikings tight end
the doctor side of thing, Kyle Rudolph, right, after break-
from the trainers, from the ing up a pass in the end zone
players themselves and during the second half of an NFL
yet there’s so much more football game Thursday, Dec. 1,
2016, in Minneapolis. The Cow-
to learn about it,” Gretzky boys won 17-15.
said. Associated Press
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