NATIONAL sporting federations are obliged to provide medical support whenever they organise any tournament or event.

This is the view of former Fiji Rugby Union physiotherapist Cathy Wong.

Wong is the director physiotherapy at the Suva Physio Centre.

The comments were made after the issue of non-provision of ambulance and qualified medical staff has become the norm in most organised sporting events in the country.

She said the nature of this medical support was determined by the event.

“If it is a secondary school rugby game —— the need to have first aiders; if it is a PNC rugby game —— we need to have doctors, physios, first aiders, ambulance; for the Pacific Games we need the team of medical experts. Different tournament/events will have different requirements,” Wong said.

And she has emphasised also that “player welfare or safety is paramount when planning any tournament or sporting event.”

Wong said with rugby and with most other sports, it was now a requirement to have medical support when hosting or organising any sporting event.

“Big events will not be sanctioned if there is no medical support. Organisers can be taken to task for not providing (medical support) what is now considered a mandatory requirement for any tournament to go ahead. It is now in the hands of the national sporting federations to educate their affiliates/clubs on the rules and regulations for hosting events/tournaments.”

Last weekend, Times Sports highlighted how a student of a secondary school in Suva spent almost an hour at the ground for what was believed to be concussion during a Fiji secondary schools rugby league competition before an ambulance arrived at the scene.

She added “any sport has a risk of injury. It is the responsibility of the organisers to ensure that they have proper medical support at any event/tournament.”