Senegal criticised over handling of Mane head injury

Senegal have been criticised after Sadio Mane continued playing despite suffering suspected concussion in a “sickening collision” with Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha.

The striker stayed on for several minutes after the incident during Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations match and scored before being taken off.

He tweeted he is “very well” and “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”.

Brain injury association Headway said Mane’s health had been put at risk.

“On the face of it, this seems to be yet another example of football putting results ahead of player safety,” said Luke Griggs, deputy chief executive of Headway, as quoted by BBC Sport.

“This was a sickening collision that clearly left both players in enough distress for a concussion to have surely been considered a possibility at the very least. At that point, the principle of ‘if in doubt, sit it out!’ should have resulted in Mane being substituted without another ball being kicked.”

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said the way the situation was handled was “the responsibility of the team doctors, not Caf”.

Caf also said both Mane and Vozinha have been examined and their results are “normal”.

Vozinha was sent off for the challenge with Mane and had to be helped off the pitch while visibly unsteady on his feet.

Mane, however, remained on the pitch, despite seeming to lose consciousness in the incident. Six minutes later, he scored a sublime goal for Senegal, before laying down on the halfway line. It was only then that he was substituted.