Sports medicine is not merely for treatment of injuries, but is also for producing, training and grooming a fine breed of talented athletes on a scientifically based support system.

The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports addressed the participants of the four-day 2nd International Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Course in the closing ceremony yesterday.

Pehin Orang kaya Setia Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Hj Ahmad bin Hj Jumat reminded sports medicine professionals of their responsibility to expand the knowledge of their athletes and their understanding of the consequences of doping in sports and aiding them to strive for victory through proper means and holistic training methods.

“I am glad to say that we all have gathered to confirm our resolutions to continue our struggle against abuse of drugs in sports. We have witnessed the decay of many sportsmen who have fallen prey to this evil. Sports require a healthy competition and sports medicine provides a ground for fair play.”

Pehin said the gathering yesterday should not be seen as a closing and concluding ceremony, but as a starting point to propel forward through a long journey aided by science and technology to enhance our life journey.

The closing ceremony was attended by Permanent Secretaries Dato Paduka Awang Hj Mohd Hamid bin Hj Mohd Jaapar and Dato Paduka Awang Haji Jemat bin Hj Ampal, the director and senior officers and staff from the Youth and Sports department, and foreign diplomats.

Seven speakers presented topics during the course attended by 300 participants from local and foreign medical professions and sporting fraternities.

A participant, Masnurfaiza Hj Mohd Zaini, an Education Officer in Physical Educations at the Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College in Jalan Muara, described her experience as ‘insightful and valuable’.

She cited the areas of Olympic movement, anti-doping issues, sports injuries and its rehab, sports nutrition, sports psychology and biomechanics.

“The issue on women in sports was surely an eye-opener with in-depth understanding regarding the relationship of the anatomy and physique of a woman to sports performance,” she added.

“Generally all the topics provided us valuable scientific knowledge to groom the younger generation into a sporting culture. Different ideas gained from this course will certainly help us in shaping the grassroot development as far as sports medicine is concerned as from an educator’s standpoint.

“From coaches and athletes, we are honoured to be given access to latest updates on sports medicine research, such as anti-doping issues and the IOC Medical Code,” she said

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