Over 600 participants from across the globe, including world-renowned experts in the field of sports medicine and sports science, are coming together in Doha for the 7th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Medical Conference, which begins Saturday.
The event is hosted by Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in partnership with the AFC and Qatar Football Association at Westin Doha. The main conference which runs until Monday, will feature a diverse range of lectures, seminars, poster presentations, and medical workshops.
It serves as a platform to showcase the latest advances, challenges and developments in sports science and medicine, and will discuss how the game has evolved in terms of diversity and inclusion. Participants can expect to delve into an array of topics such as rehabilitation after sport-related concussions, gender eligibility, nutrition and supplements, sudden heart attack, injury imaging, harassment and abuse of female footballers, and dental health.
The conference is also poised to host the AFC Medical Awards, where team doctors and physiotherapists will be recognised for their contributions to the progress of football. Ahead of the main conference, Aspetar hosted workshops and interactive sessions, covering a variety of topics, such as guided ultrasound injections of muscles and bones, emergency medicine for football, sports physiotherapists, and anti-doping procedures. The preamble sessions kicked off on Thursday, focusing on a two-day musculoskeletal ultrasound-guided injection workshop to arm doctors with basic ultrasound knowledge.
Aspetar ensured that the workshops and sessions were informative and practical, with demonstrations, panel discussions, and practical sessions held in various locations across the city, such as Aspetar's auditorium, the hospital's Sports Surgery Training Centre, Aspire Academy, and Qatar Anti-Doping Lab, a statement added.
The football emergency medicine course included topics such as sudden cardiac arrest and injuries, while the sports physiotherapist addressed the needs of female footballers from the perspective of a sports physiotherapist.
The AFC Medical Conference is held every four years, with the first edition in 1995 in Tokyo, Japan. The event has since garnered an increasing response, with attendees steadily increasing, with support from FIFA, confederations, the Olympic Movement, and international sports and medical bodies.
Ahead of the main conference, Aspetar hosted workshops and interactive sessions, covering a variety of topics.
