The most recent EJU Medical Seminar took place in Tbilisi, Georgia, for the first time, welcoming Executive Committee members, EJU Vice President Sergei ASCHWANDEN and General Treasurer, Chair of the Medical Commission, Envic GALEA.
Along with the Medical Commission of the European Judo Union, the seminar was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia, the inaugural event attended by the First Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Ioseb BAGHATURIA, President of the Sports Medicine Association of Georgia and our own Medical Commissioner, Zurab KAKHABRISHVILI and Medical Director of the European Judo Union Head of Commissioners, Peter SMOLDERS.
There were multiple presentations covering injury statistics; measurement technologies in preventative capacities; adapted judo, sleep studies, and risks of shime waza. There were also consistently covered issues including weight loss in the sport as well as identifying injuries correctly, specifically in fingers which is extremely common. Finally, the controversy of transgender athletes was highlighted, looking at statements made by the IOC as well as information from numerous studies.
Following a successful seminar, Galea stated,
Georgia is a reliable partner of the European Judo Federation, we are happy to be here. Zurab Kakhabrishvili is a very active person in the commission. We had support from the Georgian Judo Federation and the Ministry of Sports, without such active participation of the state, nothing would have come out.
Smolders reiterated those sentiments,
We are glad to be in Georgia at the international medical seminar. We have interesting programs, doping control statistics and anti-doping campaign. It’s a great seminar, we talk about 15 different topics with European participants. Thank you for your hospitality.
Author: Thea Cowen