Malta FA doctors attend UEFA Medical Symposium in Athens

The seventh UEFA Medical Symposium was held recently in the Greek capital Athens. Dr Kirill Micallef Stafrace, the Malta FA Medical Director, and Dr Matthew Psaila , the Malta team doctor, attended this three-day symposium entitled ‘The importance of medicine in football’. Held every four years, the symposium focused on the significant evolution of football medicine in the last few years and its crucial role in the modern game. “This hugely interesting symposium will definitely contribute to the daily work undertaken by team doctors within their respective football associations,” Dr Micallef Stafrace said. Various topics were discussed, ranging from medical updates, ongoing medical studies and sport performance studies to leadership styles on injury and revisions of UEFA guidelines. Participants received the latest data emerging from the UEFA Elite Club Injury Study and also discussed topics pertaining to the specificities of injuries to female players. Updates to the pitch-side medical bag were also explained and highlighted to Dr Micallef Stafrace and Dr Psaila. The vital role of the team doctor and the whole medical and sports science set up were discussed during a round-table discussion on the third day of the symposium. Experienced Dutch football coach Louis van Gaal and Professor Jan Ekstrand, the vice-chairman of the UEFA Medical Committee, took part in this discussion.  Doctors from all 55 UEFA member national associations and a number of European clubs were invited to attend the 2018 UEFA Medical Symposium.