01/08/2020 12:00 AM
Aspetar recently published the Aspetar Clinical Guideline: safe return to sport during COVID-19. Building on its exceptional expertise in clinical sports medicine, research, and education, Aspetar, a member organisation of AZF, will exchange knowledge with LaLiga, focusing on the ongoing COVID-19 developments and the impact on athletes’ performance and the broader sports community.
Aspetar and LaLiga held a virtual meeting on Thursday 30 July 2020 to discuss the medical developments with regard the return to the competitions and the safety of players during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aspetar group of experts from various medical specialties, and a number of officials from LaLiga attended the meeting.
Aspetar and LaLiga also discussed:
- Issues related to detection and management of athletes and support staff who contracted COVID-19,
- Effective quarantine arrangements,
- The different tests required,
- The current incidence of COVID-19,
- The sensible use of face masks and its role in preventing coronavirus transmission, and finally
- The most important challenges faced, and lessons learnt after returning to training and competition
Dr Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, CEO of Aspetar, member organisation of Aspire Zone Foundation, said:
We are thrilled to announce a scientific collaboration with such a prestigious organisation like LaLiga, one of the most popular leagues in the world. We strongly believe that our partnership with LaLiga will help catalyse further efforts in the research field.
It reinforces Aspetar’s status as the pioneer sports medicine and research hospital and demonstrates our commitment to fulfilling our mission to assist athletes in achieving their maximum performance and full potential. Now, we have a crucial role more than ever in that regard amid the unprecedented time of COVID-19. Dr. Al-Kuwari added.
On this occasion, Mr. Guillermo Heredia, LaLiga’s International Development Manager for Middle East, North Africa, Russia, and India said:
We are happy to have shared with Aspetar our latest developments and health protocols with regards to the return of the competition and the safety of our players. With the coordination of other European leagues as well as industry institutions, and clubs, we worked with the CSD and the health authorities on two ambitious protocols, a Training Tour Protocol and a Match Protocol. Thanks to these projects and their set of strict rules and recommendations, the clubs were able to train again with all the safety measures for health, and the matches were held again on June 11, 2020.
Aspetar published the “Aspetar Clinical Guideline: safe return to sport during COVID-19” in June 2020, developed by a group of 27 Aspetar and international experts under the leadership of Dr Emin Ergin. The objective of this guideline, shared with Aspetar partners in the State of Qatar and worldwide, is to limit/mitigate the risk of further spread of coronavirus infection and reduce health problems associated with COVID-19, both in sports and society in general.
Aspetar initiated in early April the very successful athlete and support staff education service: Aspetar COVID-19 Evidence for Athletes Service—a unique platform on its official website available in English and Arabic. This service provides athletes and those involved in athlete healthcare with evidence-based and relevant information on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aspetar’s sports medicine clinicians and scientists are involved in many sports medicine and science research projects and annually publish more than 170 scientific papers in peer reviewed journals. Aspetar prioritises extensive clinical, research and education collaboration with individuals, institutions and organisations both locally, regionally and internationally to implement applied, ongoing and original sports medicine and science research. These collaborations are embedded in different initiatives, including protocols to treat common injuries in football such as ACL, and Hamstring injuries, and research on injury prevention through the Aspetar Sports Injury and Illness Prevention Programme (ASPREV).
This new collaborative initiative between Aspetar and LaLiga is part of a series of steps to actuate the October 2019 AZF-LaLiga memorandum of understanding, to collaborate in various areas, including sports education and different strategic projects and knowledge exchange.
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”. In 2017, Aspetar was awarded World Health Organization’s Patient Safety Friendly Hospital-Level 3 designation.
In 2018, Aspetar – Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital was officially awarded Diamond Level accreditation status by Accreditation Canada. This is the highest level of accreditation award possible under the program and awarded to highly committed and quality-oriented organizations that monitor outcomes, use evidence and best practice to improve services. Aspetar is now the first hospital in the State of Qatar to be awarded this coveted Diamond Level Status. Aspetar is a member–organisation of Aspire Zone Foundation, Qatar’s innovative sports and healthy lifestyle destination.
About Aspire Zone Foundation:
Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) was established by Emiri decree (1) that was announced on the 1st January 2008 in order to develop a world-class sporting environment, enhance sports performance and contribute to producing elite local athletes with a comprehensive academic, athletic and mental education fit to compete in various local and global competitions. AZF also seeks to promote an active and healthy lifestyle among local community members and encourage the growth and development of the sports economy in Qatar to support the Human Development Pillar as outlined in the Qatar National Vision 2030.
AZF works closely with its three member organisations, Aspire Academy, Aspetar and Aspire Logistics, as one integrated institution in a unique ‘Aspire way’ working model. Each of the member organisations has its own specific role in support of AZF's overall objectives to help it realise its vision of being the reference in sports excellence worldwide by 2020. AZF is unique because it hosts some of the
world's best indoor and outdoor facilities and pitches all in one place. These include the Khalifa International Stadium, a 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™ host venue, the Aspire Dome, the largest multi-purpose dome of its kind in the world, Hamad Aquatic Centre and two hotels: The Torch Doha Hotel and Al Aziziyah Boutique Hotel. Together, these make Aspire Zone a leading sports hub in Qatar and the preferred training destination for elite local, regional and international athletes.
AZF also caters to the needs of recreational athletes and local community members of all ages to promote a culture of healthy and active lifestyles through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, which offer various sporting, entertainment, social and cultural activities for people in Qatar.
About LaLiga:
LaLiga is a global, innovative and socially responsible organization, a leader in the leisure and entertainment sector. It is a private sports association composed of the 20 teams in LaLiga Santander and 22 in LaLiga SmartBank, responsible for the organization of these national professional football competitions. In the 2018/2019 season, LaLiga reached more than 2.7 billion people globally. With headquarters in Madrid (Spain), it is present in 55 countries through 9 offices and 46 delegates. The association carries out its social action through its Foundation and is the world's first professional football league with a league for intellectually challenged footballers: LaLiga Genuine Santander.