More tackling curbs for 2002

PARIS, July 8: The findings of the widest medical study into sports injuries ever undertaken will be released after the World Cup and could result in further restrictions on tackling for the next tournament in Asia in 2002.

Controversial guidelines introduced at France 98 cracking down on the tackle from behind could be widened to include side-on tackling just beyond the players8217;s field of vision.

The study was set up with the backing of Sep Blatter in 1994 and is the largest ever undertaken in sports medicine, accordding to Jiri Dvorak, the Swiss professor of Neurology who heads the project.

The study includes 700 soccer players aged 14 and up in France, Germany and the Czech Republic who were visited every week by qualified Fifa medical personnel.