Aspetar won the award specifically for the efforts undertaken by the Aspetar Sports Groin Pain Centre (SGPC) during the last four years, which have contributed positively to the scientific field of sports medicine and medical research. 

Organised on the side-lines of this year’s Asian Games 2018, the awards ceremony was held on Sunday, 19 August, at the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was attended by H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, President of Qatar Olympic Committee and HH Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, the Assembly’s President.

Mr. Hussain Sultan Al Jaber, attended the ceremony as Aspetar’s representative and received the award on behalf of Mr. Mohammed Khalifa Al-Suwaidi, the Director General of Aspetar and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of its parent organisation, Aspire Zone Foundation, who remarked:

We’re very proud to have received this prestigious award, which is the culmination of the hospital's efforts over the past years, and testament to the top rank the hospital has risen to since it was launched in 2007. This isn’t the first time Aspetar has won this prestigious award; the hospital won it back in 2014 and 2010, thus showcasing its dominance in the field of sports medicine and science in the Asian continent.

He added:

This is of course in the interests of the State of Qatar, which, thanks to the efforts of Aspetar and all its local organisations, whose hopes of elevating Qatar’s performance on an international level, has become a pioneer in a number of fields, particularly sports and medicine, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, and the vision of Aspetar and its parent organisation, Aspire Zone Foundation, of becoming a reference in sports excellence by 2020.

The Olympic Council of Asia chose Aspetar’s Sports Groin Pain Centre (SGPC) as the winner of this award after a rigorous testing process that looked into the Centre’s past achievements, scientific research and contributions to the scientific field.

SGPC aims to become an internationally recognised referral centre for establishing clinical pathways in acute groin pain and injuries. It does this by collaborating with prominent specialists at the forefront of this specific area of medical expertise, to establish best practice assessment, diagnosis and treatment of this condition, which can have extreme consequences for affected athletes.

Aspetar has a mission to support athletes to achieve their best performances and fulfil their sporting potential. It focuses on achieving these aims through the delivery of excellence in sports medicine, physiotherapy, sports science, orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation.

About Aspetar:

Aspetar is a world leading specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital, and the first of its kind in the Middle East. Since 2007, with a world expert team, the hospital has provided top-level comprehensive medical treatment to all athletes in a state-of-the-art facility that sets new standards internationally.

In 2009, Aspetar was accredited as a “FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence”. In 2013, Aspetar was adopted as a reference collaborator centre by the Gulf Countries Council (GCC) Health Ministers Council and “IOC Research Centre for Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health” in 2014.

In 2015, Aspetar has been recognised as the “IHF Reference Centre for Athlete and Referee Health”. On December 15 of the same year, the hospital also achieved the Accreditation Canada International (ACI) “Platinum Level”.

Aspetar is a member–organisation of Aspire Zone Foundation, Qatar’s innovative sports and healthy lifestyle destination.