Rowan’s Law legislation was passed by the Ontario Government in 2018. This legislation is named in memory of Rowan Stringer who tragically died in 2013 of Second Impact Syndrome, the result of suffering multiple concussion playing rugby three times in six days. The legislation is designed to create a safer environment for competitive amateur athletes, children and youth to play sport.
- All registrants are required to review and sign off on the Ontario Ministry’s Concussion Awareness Resources and the Rugby Ontario Concussion Code of Conduct. If the registrant is under 18 years of age then their parent/guardian must sign off.
- Rugby Ontario requires all registered coaches, match officials and medical staff to provide them with and help them to sign off on the Ontario Ministry’s Concussion awareness resources and the Rugby Ontario Concussion Code of Conduct.
- Rugby Ontario works with Rugby Canada and SportLomo to build the necessary Government requirements under Rowan’s Law into the online registration process.
Enhancing player safety and game welfare is a primary concern and responsibility of Rugby Canada and Rugby Ontario. Consequently, all matches played under the jurisdiction of Rugby Canada and the provincial unions must comply with Rugby Canada Concussion Guidelines (recognize and remove). To assist in player safety and game welfare, Rugby Canada and Rugby Ontario has rolled out the Blue Card at all levels of the game in Ontario.
The Blue Card is a process initiated by a coach, player or match official and delivered on field by the Match Official to identify a player who has been removed from the field of play due to a suspected concussion in accordance with Law 3.22 or Law 3.24.
All member clubs will designate a Blue Card Officer(s) to ensure that the process is followed for all rugby activities within their club.
- When a player is removed from the field of play for a suspected concussion, the match official or designated individual will issue that player with a “Blue Card”, in a similar manner to which a red or yellow card is issued.
- The player is required to leave the field of play immediately and cannot return to play in that match. Please note in accordance with World Rugby and Rugby Canada direction, there is no sideline Head Injury Assessment (HIA) process at any level of Club rugby.
- The match official includes the issuing of the Blue Card in their match report.
- The player and their club receive an email notification from Rugby Ontario of the issuing of the Blue Card and the required process to the followed (Appendix C).
- The player issued with the Blue Card cannot return to play in any future match without first receiving a written medical clearance via either the Medical Assessment Letter or Medical Clearance letter*, signed by a Physician (MD) or Nurse Practitioner (NP), meeting the requirements of Rowan’s Law, the World Rugby Return to Play Protocols and receiving a written clearance from Rugby Ontario to return to play.
*Note: Doctor’s notes cannot be accepted, clearance must be completed via either letter mentioned and linked above.
All member clubs will designate a Blue Card Officer(s) to ensure that the process is followed for all rugby activities within their club.
For rugby activities without a Match Official, coaches or administrators will notify Rugby Ontario via issuing a Blue Card via SportLomo Team Sheets, or if not available, contacting Rugby Ontario at bluecard@rugbyontario.com