By Lydia Jane Allison
London — October 11, 2024 — Medical leaders representing the English Cricket Board (ECB), English Premier League (EPL), the Football Association (FA), National Football League (NFL), NFL Academy, Premiership Rugby, Rugby Football League (RFL), Rugby Football Union (RFU) and World Rugby (WR) gathered yesterday at the UK Medical Conference 2024 to collaborate and discuss the latest advancements in sports medicine and injury reduction.
During the conference, league medical leaders, sports medicine practitioners, research scientists and others involved in the care of athletes gathered to discuss topics including: injury detection and reduction strategies; turf science; concussions and head care; and cardiac events and emergency preparedness, among other topics.
The leagues and federations are committed to ongoing collaboration and sharing research with the goal of delivering exceptional care to elite athletes. This information-sharing among the organizations’ medical leadership, as well as with global sports health and safety experts, is critical in making sports safer for athletes at all levels.
“The opportunity to share research and experiences with medical leaders from fellow professional sports leagues is an important way that we can ensure NFL players and athletes across all sports receive the best possible care,” said Dr. Allen Sills, NFL Chief Medical Officer. “It is incumbent upon us as sporting leagues to find every opportunity to improve the work that we do to make our games safer, and gatherings like these are a great example of that commitment.”
“World Rugby’s collaboration with the NFL and other leagues on player welfare is delivering tangible results for athletes in rugby, American Football and other sports,” said Professor Eanna Falvey, World Rugby Chief Medical Officer. “We look forward to continued collaboration as World Rugby looks towards Men’s Rugby World Cup 2031 and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2033 in the USA. Learning from other sports around the world at conferences such as this one is key to ensuring that rugby never stands still on player welfare. The event is also a great chance to share what World Rugby has learnt from our leading initiatives such as smart mouthguards, turf science and player care in general.”
“Premiership Rugby is thrilled to continue our collaboration with the NFL and other major sports organizations. This conference provides an invaluable platform for each sport to share the latest in research and insights in their field, whilst at the same time learning from others, with the aim of collectively enhancing athlete health and safety,” saud Dr. Matt Cross, Premiership Rugby Head of Science and Medical Operations. “The more that sport is able to collaborate, the more we can strengthen our commitment to player safety through the sharing of best practice and innovation, ensuring that all athletes benefit from the latest advancements in medical care, injury reduction and safety”.
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