Aspetar, Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Qatar, honoured its medical staff involved in the safe resumption of sports competitions during the COVID-19 19 pandemics, at a virtual ceremony held Tuesday with the participation of the Qatar Football Association and the Qatar Stars League (QSL).

The ceremony was held at Aspetar and attended by Mr Mansoor Al Ansari, Secretary General of the Qatar Football Association (QFA), Mr Hani Taleb Ballan, CEO of Qatar Stars League (QSL), and Dr Abdul Aziz Jaham Al Kuwari, CEO of Aspetar, as well as a number of Aspetar officials and medical practitioners who contributed to the success. 

Dr AbdulAziz Al Kuwari, CEO of Aspetar, said in his opening speech, after welcoming the attendees: 

We are proud of the services provided by Aspetar to Qatari football and all Sports in general. we are here standing together today to celebrate our contribution to fight against COVID 19 pandemic. We really express our sincere appreciation to you guys, you were in frontline to support our athletes and to ensure safe return to play thank you and we really appreciated your efforts. I would like also to thank our partners HMC, health care and MoPH for their contribution and continues support. And, I would like to express special thanks to QSL and QFA for their trust and support to Aspetar. It has been really challenging time for sports in general and for football specially, but we have proven that if all stand together will prosper.

Mansoor Al Ansari, Secretary general of QFA, express:

I would like to thank Aspetar for this special day. It’s really required that we do showcase our appreciation for everyone paid role in delivering all amazing events that we have done previous 7 months. Football family of Qatar it what makes us unique in the global platform. We have very strong hybrid formula that only us in Qatar football/ sporting family understand.

He added: “Having strong relationship and collaboration with our partnerships. Basically, when we were completing of the previous season that was a test for us. It was an initiation to us for resuming our sporting activity, following that we were be able to take over and host all zones both regions of Asia champions league and having 32 teams and come to Qatar and hosted Clubs FIFA world cup delivering it in safe and secure way. This achievement is all thanks to great unity and collaboration between our stakeholders in particle Aspetar management and every single person at Aspetar within Aspetar team.” 

Aspetar continues to support the safe play of professional football during the pandemic through clinical guidelines and pathways, and by conducting regular COVID-19 tests for all Qatar Stars League players and staff to limit the risk of spread of infection and reduce health problems associated with the pandemic in sports, and in the community as a whole.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Hani Taleb Ballan, CEO of Qatar Stars League, said, “The pandemic has saddened sports around the world, but what we’ve achieved together in the past two years is enormous and the key is that we haven’t just tried our best, but our decisions were right, and we took the right approach as well. We want everyone to be proud of what has been done compared to what we’ve faced. Everyone who has contributed towards the success of reviving a sporting life should be proud of it.

“I would like to thank Aspetar employees and officials for their professionalism and passion. The commitment shown, and sacrifices made through our partners have really made a significant change. It’s a day to acknowledge their efforts.

“Aspetar is a landmark in sports medicine. Together, we’ve published the first medical research that shows how much work and efforts have been made, and how it can contribute towards enhancing knowledge for everyone in the world about the performance of players and addressing injuries during sports activity. I’m happy today and I would like to say that we’re leaving a lasting legacy.”

In May 2020, Aspetar issued a set of guidelines for returning to sports, which has been considered a glimmer of hope for many professional athletes and sports enthusiasts after all sports activities in the world were suspended for more than two months. Aspetar Protocol included updated guidelines and pathways for a safe return to sports training and competition.

In collaboration with its partners at MoPH, the protocol has been applied since last June in most sports activities in the country, and these sports guidelines are considered a reference for healthcare practitioners in clubs and various sports disciplines in Qatar.

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”. 

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