Totally Agree!Many sports, including hockey, football, rugby and soccer, are only now putting together somewhat protective protocols for athletes. Even within high-collision, full-contact sports, there is lack of education of players, parents, coaches and officials.
As a parent and board member, and as someone who is working very hard to make youth sports safer, I have seen little to no evidence that figure skating organizations are promoting anywhere near the level of education that other sports are currently advocating. What went on with Ashley -- with obvious loss of consciousness -- is usually evidence of the more severe forms of traumatic brain injury. It would be very unusual at this point to see anything but a long return to play for even NHL players, especially after a head hit with loss of consciousness evident.
Knowing what we know the about poor decision making and abuses of power of other medical personnel within this and other sports, it would not be out of the bounds of reason to wonder whether concussion protocols in figure skating needed some stricter regulation and rules about return to play.
Would athletes hide symptoms? I'm guessing they already are. Again, this is where education, awareness and strict protocols must be enforced. And certainly, it should never be celebrated by Team USA that an athlete soldiered on and competed the same day they reported potential concussion symptoms tied to post concussion syndrome. This is irresponsible and backwards thinking.