The 3rd AFC Team Physiotherapist Course 2020 opened today at Aspetar, Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, as physiotherapists in Asia gathered for the three-day course focusing on the health and recuperation of footballers from injuries.

 More than 50 team physiotherapists from 31 Member Associations are attending the course held at the world-renowned medical centre, Aspetar, with the goal of enhancing their knowledge and learning new and advanced medical treatments.

Aspetar together with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), are organising the 3rd AFC Sports Physiotherapy Course 2020, taking place from 03 – 05 February. The three-day course brings together professionals and practitioners from around the world to Qatar for a unique and informative event. This course comes to build on the success of the past two rounds of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC’s) Sports Physiotherapy Courses in Aspetar

In his message to the participants, Mr Mohammed Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Aspetar Director General, said: “This course will always be an indication of the valuable and successful partnership between Aspetar and the AFC”.

The partnership between Aspetar and AFC is an important factor in realising Aspetar’s vision ‘to be a global leader in sports medicine by 2020’. In addition to hosting the course, the collaboration is evident in several projects including AFC injury surveillance study and AFC medical conferences.”

AFC Medical Committee Deputy Chairperson Dato’ Dr. Gurcharan Singh said in his opening speech:

No other Confederation in the world runs a course for football physiotherapist. We are the only Confederation to embark on this journey and create programmes specially for physiotherapist. At the end of this course, I hope you will benefit from the highly experienced and knowledgeable speakers and medical experts.

General Secretary of Qatar Football Association Mansoor Mohamed Al-Ansari was delighted to welcome and host the course.

I’m proud of the fact that AFC has chosen Qatar to host the 3rd AFC Team Physiotherapist Course 2020 and it is testament of how advanced Qatar and Aspetar are in sports medicine. Please take this opportunity to learn as much as you can.

This year course is designed to help physiotherapists manage the challenges and complexities of the ever-changing modern football game.

Across a variety of workshop sessions, presentations and practical exercises, the course provided participants with the opportunity to examine best practices in physiotherapy and to develop their knowledge and understanding through practical workshops, evidence-based examples and extensive clinical research.

The three-day evidence based programmes will focus on various topics including nutrition in football, on field management and medical emergencies, injuries in football and the rehabilitation process.

Participants will also enhance their capabilities through theoretical and practical sessions as well as interactive case studies.

in addition to the educational lectures, the first day of the course marks by tour of Aspetar organized for the attendees to learn about its state of art facilities and services provided to the footballers, in addition to friendly football game between Aspetar team and the participating delegation from the AFC as part of the series of entertainment and cultural programs accompanying the course.

ASPETAR, already hosted four doctors from different countries, Kuwait, Bethan, Thailand and lebanon to enable them to receive an education under the fellowship recognized as Ambassadors of Football Medicine.

Spearheaded by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), a Memorandum of Understanding with ASPETAR Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Hospital to support the AFC President’s Traveling Fellowship Program was signed in November 2011. And every year Aspetar hosting many physios and doctors from Asian countries.

Aspetar continuously conducts leading medical research and studies in sports medicine. The hospital is considered the primary orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital in the region and provides medical care and treatment to stars and clubs from around the world.

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” by F-MARC. 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”. In the same year, the hospital also achieved the obtained on December 15 the Accreditation Canada International (ACI) “Platinum Level”.