Chengdu: Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Medical Committee Chairperson Dato’ Dr Gurcharan Singh underlined the key role the 6th AFC Medical Conference plays in the modern game during the event’s official opening in the Chinese city of Chengdu on Wednesday.



The highly-acclaimed conference, which will conclude on Friday, March 8, provides cutting edge, evidence based scientific information in sports and medicine courtesy of a plethora of experts from numerous fields.



With more than 700 delegates from around the world scheduled to attend the three-day programme at Chengdu’s Century City International Convention Centre, the 6th AFC Medical Conference is poised to become the largest-ever edition, eclipsing the attendance figures set during the highly-successful 5th edition in New Delhi, India, four years ago.

With Vice Minister of Sports of China and Chinese Football Association Acting President, His Excellency Du Zhaocai, the Vice Mayor of Chengdu Municipal People’s Government, His Excellency Wang Pingjiang, FIFA Medical Committee Chairman Michel D’Hooghe and Chengdu Football Association President, Gu Jianming also in attendance, Dato’ Dr Guru reiterated the AFC’s recognition of the importance of science and medicine in the development of the game and the care of the players.

“Considering the advancement of bioscience, artificial intelligence and nanotechnology this conference, which is held every four years, is an ideal platform on which to share the very latest medical knowledge and experience,” he said.

“Given the evolution of football, the care of players is both demanding and complex, and there is therefore a need to keep abreast with the latest evidence based medical practices both on and off the field.

“This conference will address topics which are both common and more integral to the sport as football strives to ensure that the care of players is always highly professional and adheres to international standards.”

“I sincerely hope that participants actively interact during the conference and leave Chengdu with fond memories of Chinese culture and the warm hospitality,” Dato’ Dr Guru concluded.

His Excellency Du Zhaocai also outlined the key nature of the high-profile conference, saying: “The AFC Medical Conference is indeed a grand gathering bringing together the very best professionals from around the world.

“This conference will undoubtedly help further promote the future development of football medicine both in the People’s Republic of China and throughout Asia, and it is sure to become an unforgettable experience for Asian football.”Source: the-afc.com