Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Following the highly-successful 5th AFC Medical Conference in New Delhi, India, in 2015, the AFC Medical Committee has decided on Monday to award the hosting rights of the next AFC Medical Conference in 2019 to Chengdu, China.
The three-day quadrennial event, which will see the continent’s most established sports science and medicine practitioners gather to discuss the latest advancements in the field, will take place in March 2019.
In his welcome address, Chairman of the AFC Medical Committee Dato’ Dr Gurcharan Singh underlined the importance of the Committee’s work in setting the best possible environment for the continent’s players and teams to achieve success on the world stage, as underlined by the AFC’s Vision and Mission.
The AFC Medical Committee also agreed to establish a network of AFC Medical Centres of Excellence in Asia, which will see the AFC endorse referral centres that demonstrate excellence and leadership in football medicine.
Other important areas that impact football and players in particular, were discussed namely, guidelines for extreme environmental conditions and updates on several research studies and initiatives currently ongoing, which include the AFC Champions League injury project; injuries in the AFC competitions, the use and abuse of medications as well as the benefits of nutrition and supplements.
In his closing remarks, Chairman Dato’ Dr Gurcharan praised the impact of the various sports science and medicine projects in recent months, including the recently concluded AFC Medical Officers “Train the Trainers” course, which was held on March 2-5 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Looking ahead, he added that the AFC Medical Committee will continue to ensure that the continent’s practitioners and doctors provide professional scientific support, as the AFC strives to realise its aspirations under the banner of One Asia, One Goal.
All decisions made by the Committee will now be ratified by the AFC Executive Committee before taking effect.
Photo: AFC