Chengdu: A host of inspirational medical professionals were recognised for their endeavours on Wednesday at the second edition of the AFC Football Medical Awards.



Held on the sidelines of the 6th AFC Medical Conference in the Chinese city of Chengdu, the AFC Football Medicine Awards are designed to acknowledge and recognise the contribution of medical professionals to the development of football and, at the same time, serve as an inspiration to others to continue their involvement in the game at all levels.

Among the winners was medical luminary Professor Haruhito Aoki from Japan who was honoured with the AFC Football Medicine Merit Award and the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Dr. Zohreh Haratian who received the AFC Young Medical Officer Award.

With Professor Aoki unable to attend Dr. Tsuguo Morikawa received the award on his behalf.

In addition, some 25 other professionals received AFC Distinguished Gold, Silver and Bronze Service Awards for outstanding service to their respective professions.



AFC Football Medicine Merit Award

The AFC Football Medicine Merit Award is the most prestigious award for medical personnel who have made valuable contributions to the development of football medicine in Asia.

Professor Haruhito Aoki (Japan)

Professor Aoki has been working with the Japan Football Association Medical Committee since 1988. He started his career as a team doctor for Urawa Red Diamonds in 1993 and was involved in the players’ conditioning and in the injury prevention programme. In 1997, he became a member of the AFC Medical Committee, before serving on the FIFA Medical Committee and working as a medical officer at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2007. Since 2007, he has been overseeing the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence in Kawasaki, Japan. He is now involved in the education of young doctors on the prevention and treatment of football injuries, while also researching on the mental health of football players with St. Marianna University, Yokohama City Sports Medical Centre.

AFC Young Medical Officer Award

The AFC Young Medical Officer Award is given to medical officers aged 45 years and below who have been actively involved in football and who have made commendable contributions to the game through research and development.

Dr. Zohreh Haratian (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Dr. Haratian (pictured above) has been contributing her expertise as a medical practitioner to the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) in various capacities since 2005. She started as the team doctor of the IR Iran women’s national football team in 2005, before becoming a member of the FFIRI’s panel of Doping Control Officers in 2008. In 2015 she joined as a member of the both the FFIRI’s Medical and Women’s Committees. She was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the IR Iran FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence in 2014 and the IR Iran AFC Medical Centre of Excellence in 2018. Internationally, Dr. Haratian has been involved as a Medical and Doping Control Officer in various AFC and FIFA competitions since 2012. She has also been a member of the AFC Medical Committee since 2013.

AFC Distinguished Service Awards - Gold (for 25 years dedicated service)

Dr. Yi Qing - China PR

Prof. Hu Yuelin - China PR

Dr. Fukubayashi Toru - Japan

Dr. Tsuguo Morikawa - Japan

Dr. Shumpei Miyakawa - Japan

Mohd Zainuddin bin Zakariar - Malaysia

Dr. Mohamad Jehad Haj Ebrahim - Syria

Dr. Pijaya Nagavajra - Thailand

Dr. Chanin Lamsam - Thailand

Dr. Varin Tansuphasiri - Thailand

Dr. Magdi Iskander Abdelmeesieh Abiskaroun - United Arab Emirates

AFC Distinguished Service Awards – Silver (for 20 years dedicated service)

Dr. Wang Qirong - China PR

Dr. Zhang Yang - China PR

Dr. Parhan Khanlari - Islamic Republic of Iran

Amin Norouzi Fashkhami - Islamic Republic of Iran

Dr. Bilal El Dana - Lebanon

Dr. Meechai Inwood - Thailand

Dr. Nguyen Van Phu - Vietnam

AFC Distinguished Service Awards – Bronze (for 15 years dedicated service)

Dr. Mark Anthony Jones - Australia

Deane James Stephens - Australia

Dr. Kiran Kumar Kulkarni - India

Alireza Shahab - Islamic Republic of Iran

Dr. Qasim Mohammed Shakir - Al Janabi Iraq

Yaseer Sulaiman Alfrihidi - Saudi Arabia

Tanaqon Sasayanant - ThailandSource: the-afc.com