30/01/2012 12:00 AM From the 14th- 22nd of January, ASPETAR Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital is hosting three doctors and one physiotherapist 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 was signed with ASPETAR Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Hospital to develop sports medicine in Asia through a thorough instructional program focusing on sports. Commenting on the union, Dr Mohammed GA Al Maadheed, ASPETAR Director General said: “This program is one of a kind, and we should praise the AFC Medical Committee for this achievement.” Individuals from around Asia were chosen to participate in the inaugural edition of the AFC President’s Traveling Fellowship Program including, Doctor Tawheed Barghi from Iran, Doctor Muhammad Zidi Saleh from Malaysia and Doctor Kubar Makki from the Sultanate of Oman, in addition to a physiotherapist from Thailand. Upon completing the required stay in Qatar, the participants will subsequently join the other two centers, concluding the program by attending the Football Medicine Annual Conference. Participants will also be required to provide a written report on the Fellowship for review by the AFC Medical Committee at the end of each visit. Finally, as a testament to the work they will have achieved, participants will be invited to present at the AFC Elite Education (Football Medicine) held in Kuala Lumpur later this year. The program runs from 15th January for four weeks, finishing on 10th February. The participants will spend approximately one week in each center during which time they will attend clinics in sports medicine and pre-participation medical evaluations, including cardiology, rehabilitation, imaging, and the sports sciences, as well as interacting in clinical workshops and discussions. Dr Hakim Chalabi, Executive Director of ASPETAR, also commented, saying, “ASPETAR is proud and honored to be part of this international program and believes it has the potential to contribute by sharing its knowledge and experience with the traveling fellows. We are delighted to have them.” ASPETAR is the first specialized Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in the region and was officially accredited in 2009 by F-MARC as a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence.