As usual, the headline is misleading. The issue wasn’t using smelling salts, it was letting him continue to play after getting knocked out (not due to a hit by the defender but hitting his head on the artificial concrete (turf)).
I know, they play football on fake turf, that allows high speeds, and injures more people. All for money. Grass fields, and you won’t have people getting concussed from their helmeted head bouncing on the grass. You just won’t.
Now that makes sense