FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence

Following the strategy implemented with the first opening of the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence at the Schulthess clinic in Zurich in May 2005, the world governing body of football has proceeded to set up a network of FIFA Medical Centres of Excellence worldwide to ensure that players have access to high quality football medicine. Until now, ten football medicine centres have received the official accreditation after careful evaluation of their application by the FIFA Sports Medical Committee.

On March, 6 2009, Dr Michel D’Hooghe, Chairman of the FIFA Medical Committee and President of the FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre (F-MARC), officially presented Prof. Michael Nerlich and Prof. Peter Angele with the accreditation certificate for the University Medical Centre Regensburg, Germany.

“We are proud to become a part of the FIFA Medical Network!” said Prof. Peter Angele, Director of the FIFA Medical Centre Regensburg.

The vision behind creating a network of medical centres across the world is to ensure that players on all continents know who to turn to for expert care in football medicine, such as the prevention of injuries, early detection of risk factors for sudden cardiac death, as well as state-of-the-art diagnosis and therapy services. The profile of the University Medical Centre Regensburg is characterized by modern management of football injuries, distinct basic and applied research and knowledge transfer to the football family.

Together with a unique blend of partners, the University Medical Centre Regensburg is able to provide players with highest standards of regenerative joint therapy, embedded in a complete service package “from prehab to rehab”.

“The accumulated body of knowledge in football medicine needs to be practically implemented so that players can fully benefit from state-of-the-art prevention which is the primary objective of FIFA,” said Prof. Jiri Dvorak, FIFA Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of F-MARC. “FIFA Medical Centres of Excellence like the University Medical Centre Regensburg ensure this. In addition, they ensure optimal treatment and rehabilitation, as well as educate the next generation of clinical specialists and scientists committed to football medicine.”

(from left to right: Prof. Dr. Michael Nerlich, Dr. Michel D’Hooghe, Dr. Ismail Baloğlu, Prof. Dr. Peter Angele, Prof. Jiri Dvorak, Dr. Heinz-Jürgen Eichhorn, Dr. Werner Krutsch)