FIFA’s Professor Jiri Dvorak on ‘Medicine for Football’ and ‘Football for Health’

Professor Jiri Dvorak, one of BJSM’s senior associate editors, shares his 17 years experience as the FIFA chief medical officer. He discusses How FIFA have reduced injuries in football [1], The evidence for football being a great medicine [2 a ,b] ‘Football for Health’ – FIFA’s successful foray into public health education in schools [3]. This is a terrific story of research turning into action – improved health for football players and football players contributing to improve the health of their society. See also: [1] Injuries and illness of football players during the 2010 FIFA world Cup http://bit.ly/11gDgdG [2a] Executive summary: The health and fitness benefits of regular participation in small-sided football games http://bit.ly/17Mntpu [2b] Give Hippocrates a jersey: promoting health through football/sport http://bit.ly/15DIc21 [3] ‘11 for Health’, a football-based health education programme for children: a two-cohort study in Mauritius and Zimbabwe http://bit.ly/13rSMVR