The activities of the Aspetar World Conference 2025, which is considered one of the most prominent international events in the field of sports medicine, began today, Thursday, at the Aspire Dome in the Qatari capital, Doha, with the participation of more than a thousand specialists from 74 countries around the world.
The opening ceremony witnessed the presence of Mansour bin Ibrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud, Minister of Public Health, and Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Director General of Hamad Medical Corporation, along with an elite group of prominent medical and academic figures from inside and outside Qatar.
In the opening speech, Khalid bin Ali Al-Mawlawi, Acting Director General of Aspetar Hospital, emphasized the hospital’s leadership as an advanced global center in sports medicine, noting that the conference embodies the international status that Aspetar has achieved as a platform that brings together elite experts to exchange knowledge and innovation in the fields of athletes’ health and performance.
Al-Mawlawi added: “At Aspetar, we are proud that we have become more than just a hospital; today we are a reference for knowledge and a platform for international cooperation to develop standards of medical care for athletes.”
Al-Mawlawi also announced that Aspetar will host the International Rehabilitation Conference in 2026, and the second Aspetar World Conference in 2027, coinciding with the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the hospital’s founding, which will enhance Qatar’s position as a leading destination in sports medicine and medical tourism.
For his part, Abdulaziz Jaham Al Kuwari, CEO of Aspetar and President of the conference, expressed his pride in the organizational level and the distinguished scientific program presented by the event, stressing Aspetar’s commitment to continuing its role in pushing the boundaries of research and innovation at the regional and international levels.
The first day of the conference witnessed a series of scientific sessions that covered various topics, including a lecture by Professor Jane Thornton from the International Olympic Committee on the health priorities of Olympians, and the committee’s strategy for protecting the health of athletes.
Andrew Massey, Medical Director of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), and Guido Bellis from Aspetar also gave a presentation covering FIFA’s medical approach to injury prevention, medical examination strategies and preparation for major tournaments.
The sessions also included presentations on the latest innovations in foot and ankle surgery, the integration of biomechanical and neurological sciences into football medicine, in addition to recent developments in cartilage surgery, where Aspetar experts reviewed the latest technologies and challenges in this field.