Nicola Sturgeon has said she will consider making education about concussion compulsory for anyone involved in contact sport.

With Scotland's Rugby World Cup campaign kicking off yesterday, the First Minister said she will look into proposals for bringing a version of the US Lystedt Law to Scotland.

In May 2009, the state of Washington introduced a law to protect young athletes from life-threatening or disabling concussion after 13-year-old Zackery Lystedt was left physically and mentally disabled following a head knock.

Instead of being sent for medical treatment, he was sent to the sidelines to "shake it off" and collapsed shortly after returning to play.

Ms Sturgeon congratulated the Scottish rugby team on its "fantastic win" over Japan yesterday and wished them well for the rest of the Rugby World Cup at First Minister's Questions.

Conservative MSP Liz Smith said: "I think we can all agree that there is a very delicate balance between protecting players' safety and maintaining the characteristics of the game which makes it so popular, particularly yesterday afternoon.

"In the United States, 49 out of 50 states have introduced the Lystedt Law making concussion education compulsory amongst coaches, pupils and parents of all those involved in contact sport."

Ms Sturgeon said: "The Scottish Government has worked closely with rugby union on safety issues.

"In May this year, our discussions with medical experts including Dr James Robson, chief medical officer at Scottish Rugby Union, resulted in Scotland becoming the first country in the world to introduce standard guidelines for dealing with concussion in sports.

"These guidelines provide advice to those involved in grassroots sport, including school sport, to enable them to identify the signs and symptoms of concussion, and take appropriate steps."

She added: "Of course, I am very happy to look at that and to let Liz Smith know the outcome of that deliberation.

"I think she is right, and I commend her for putting it in this way, that we want to encourage young people into sport but we have to balance that with ensuring that they are not facing unacceptable and disproportionate risks in doing so.

"I think it is important and noteworthy that we are the only country in the world to introduce the guidelines that I spoke about.

"But I think she is right, which is why I will consider her suggestion, that education about those guidelines is important so we raise awareness of them.

"She may or may not be aware that last year ministers actually wrote to all schools and all governing bodies in Scotland, and sent out the youth sport concussion leaflets which contained guidelines in recognising concussion and concussion management.

"So, we have not just produced the guidelines, we have taken steps to make sure there is a wider awareness throughout the country of them.

"But we will continue to look at what more we can do and I will be happy to write to Liz Smith once I have had a chance to look in more detail at her suggestion."