Kuala Lumpur: The 8th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Medical Conference commenced today in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with an opening ceremony attended by the Malaysian Minister of Youth and Sports and senior officials from the AFC. Aspetar, the official and principal medical partner of the AFC and a close collaborator with FIFA, played a leading role in the conference by presenting innovative and advanced insights through a distinguished team of 20 sports medicine experts. This team is led by CEO Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari and surgeon Dr. Khalid Al-Khelaifi.

During the first day of the three-day conference, Aspetar’s experts delivered 27 lectures and workshops out of the total 54 scheduled, significantly contributing to the advancement of Asian football by sharing the latest knowledge and expertise in sports medicine. The invaluable role played by Aspetar in the success of the scientific program was notably praised by both the AFC General Secretary, Dato Windsor John, and the Chairman of the AFC Medical Committee, Dr Gursharan singh, during their opening addresses.

The opening session was chaired by Dr. Paul Dijkstra, Head of Education at Aspetar, who facilitated discussions on future trends and challenges in sports medicine. The keynote lecture, delivered by Dr. Peter Duh, Medical Director of Aspetar, focused on “Artificial Intelligence: Opening New Horizons for Sports Medicine.” Dr. Duh highlighted the transformative role of AI in injury prevention, diagnostics, treatment, and athlete performance enhancement, with an emphasis on machine learning, predictive analytics, AI-powered decision-making algorithms, and the ethical considerations surrounding AI applications in sports healthcare.

Aspetar’s contributions extended to critical areas such as rehabilitation and assessment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Rehabilitation expert Roula Koutsevaki presented the latest protocols for post-ACL surgery examinations. Dr. Mohamed Al-Saai, Director of the Sports Dentistry Department, emphasized the importance of oral health for athletes and its impact on football performance, outlining the valuable support provided by Aspetar’s dental team during competitions. In addition, specialized sessions on muscle and hamstring injuries featured insights from experts Rod Whiteley and Dr. Christian Eirale, the latter serving as Executive Director of Aspetar’s Sports Medicine Department. Dr. Enda King, Head of Elite Performance, reviewed effective rehabilitation strategies for hamstring injuries.

Among the lectures that received special attention was the presentation by Dr. Omar Al-Sairafi, a sports physician at Aspetar, focusing on concussion management. Drawing lessons from the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Dr. Al-Sairafi shared practical and important guidelines for managing head injuries in football. The first day’s program concluded with a joint scientific session hosted by Aspetar and its partner Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), titled “Rapid Return: High-Performance Rehabilitation Strategies During the Season.” This session featured distinguished presentations from Dr. Alan Getgood, Head of Surgery at Aspetar, on optimizing ACL surgery outcomes; Dr. Raouf Rakik on injury prevention strategies within club environments; and Dr. Khalid Al-Khelaifi on advanced surgical techniques for shoulder tendon injuries. Additionally, Dr. Peter D’hooghe discussed the integration of AI technologies with stem cell therapy in sports medicine, while Dr. Paul Dijkstra moderated an in-depth discussion on the ethical challenges of AI in healthcare.

The Aspetar booth at the exhibition, held alongside the conference, attracted significant interest from attendees and participants, reflecting widespread recognition of the hospital’s outstanding services and its strong support for sports science and medicine. Through its prominent participation on the first day, Aspetar reaffirmed its position as a regional leader in medical innovation, scientific research, and knowledge dissemination. As the conference continues, Aspetar’s team will maintain its role in empowering Asian colleagues by delivering advanced sessions designed to expand their expertise. The second day of the conference will culminate with a special gala dinner honoring the best practitioners across the continent. Aspetar’s leading role at this major international event underscores its commitment to advancing cutting-edge sports medicine practices and ensuring that Asian football benefits from the highest medical standards and comprehensive athlete care.