positions of chief medical officer for the South African Olympic team to Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004), and more recently of medical officer to the South African Paralympics team to Beijing in 2008. The data he collected from these events has allowed him to publish, teach and disseminate the information gained from his expertise. He also served on the task group of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for prevention of heart disease and strokes in developing countries. With respect to community outreach, he is active on many different levels in international and local communities; in South Africa he was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International for his community contributions, particularly with reference to education of the public on methods of encouraging achievement in athletes with disabilities. In addition he is active within the Young Presidents’ Organisation, where he provides educational advice on health promotion and working with athletes with disabilities. Becoming a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence Football medicine has evolved considerably in the last decade with an increasing body of knowledge accumulated, largely due to the activities of the FIFA Medical Research and Assessment Centre (F-MARC). FIFA’s vision behind creating a network of Medical Centres of Excellence across the world is to ensure that players on all continents know where to go for expert care in football medicine. However, these experts have much more to offer than just diagnosis and treatment of injuries. They can teach players how to prevent injuries in the first place. They can assess performance in detail and advise on how to compensate for bodily deficits, and further improve by specific training strategies. They inform people what and when to eat to make the most of nutrients which can enhance their performance (by legal means). Due to the vast wealth of knowledge of the staff at ESSM, and their cutting-edge research in the field of exercise science and sports medicine, ESSM has won many accolades. As mentioned previously, ESSM (together with the SSISA) was accredited as a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, and the selection process was rigorous. It was based on a comprehensive set of criteria that prove the centre’s clinical, educational and research expertise. The centres were required by FIFA to be multi-disciplinary and have significant experience in the management and care of football teams during training and competition, as well as having responsibility for the overall health care of football players. ESSM was one of the designated medical care
3. Derman EW. Antihypertensive medications and exercise: Position statement of the International Federation of Sports Medicine. International Sports Med Journal (IJSM) 9 (1); 32-38, 2008. 5. Research: Scholarly presentations at congresses 5.1 International (106 presentations) 1. Medical Conditions in travelling athletes: experience from the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Invited Lecture at the FIMS World Sports Medicine Conference: San Juan Puerto Rico, May 2010. 2. Novel treatment strategies in soft tissue injuries: from shock waves to growth factors. Invited Lecture at the FIMS World Sports Medicine Conference: San Juan Puerto Rico, May 2010. 3. Practical diagnosis and management of exercise induced asthma in athletes; Invited Workshop Presentation at the FIFA World Cup Sports Medicine Conference; Sun City, April 2010. 4. Diagnosis, management and monitoring of underperformance in endurance athletes. Invited lecture. Invited lecture at the Indian Federation of Sports Medicine Pre Commonwealth Games Scientific Meeting, New Deli, India 5-8 November, 2009. 5. Common groin injuries in elite athletes. Invited lecture at the Indian Federation of Sports Medicine Pre Commonwealth Games Scientific Meeting, New Deli, India November, 2009. 6. Skeletal muscle features of high load endurance athletes with and without acquired training intolerance. Invited lecture at the International Federation of Anatomical Associations Congress, Cape Town, South Africa, August 2009. 7. Clinical Investigation of the athlete with unexplained underperformance. Invited lecture at the European Sports Medicine Congress Antalya, Turkey 15-17 October 2009. 8. Common groin injuries in elite athletes. Invited lecture at the European Sports Medicine Antalya, Turkey 15-17 October 2009. 9. Fatigue and underperformance in athletes following extensive competitive sport: strategies in diagnosis, monitoring & management. Invited keynote presentation at the XXX FIMS World Congress of Sports Medicine, Barcelona, Spain November 20, 2008.