Player safety

The former medical director of the Philippine Sports Commission and current team doctor of Gilas Pilipinas, Dr. Randy Molo, spoke out with concern for the safety of athletes in organized tournaments. In a social media post, Molo noted that incidents like the seizure that Ateneo senior basketball boys captain Chris Urbina suffered, should not happen. League organizers should not take these matters for granted. They should be avoided at all costs.

“As a long-time practitioner of sports medicine, I’ve been at sports events all over the world,“ said Molo, who has taken care of national athletes at the Olympic Games and other international competitions. “It is very sad when this happens to somebody we know. I felt it was important to open our eyes to the possibility that this really could happen at any time.”

When this writer organized the first NBA 3-on-3 in the country back in 2011, we encountered a related experience. On the second day, our ambulance was diverted to a medical emergency, delaying the start of play. We desperately look for a doctor with sports medicine experience. We found a nurse in the mall with the description. But the NBA refused to let us proceed until a certified physician was available. Luckily, the ambulance was only an hour late, and the games eventually continued. But this emphasizes the need for preparedness for potential injuries.

“By human nature, we think that people are just having fun, or exercising by participating in simple entertainment,” he explained. “Our reflex is to think nothing of it. But there are times when somebody has a heart attack, loses consciousness or hits their head, suffered a cut or broke a bone. Any small action will help prevent a catastrophic injury.”

Budget is often the main reason why sports event organizers do not provide for medical professionals. In fact, some even employ unqualified, or even untrained medical practitioners, thinking that the opportunity for injury is miniscule. But there is more to it than that. Medical professionals onsite must also be prepared in case something happens to members of the audience. Heat, tension,  and excitement may all have effects on spectators, particularly those predisposed to certain illnesses. If there is a doctor in the house, he has to be prepared to administer first aid to anyone who needs it.

Even if participants sign waivers, taking responsibility away from league organizers, you cannot escape the fact that contact sports may result an injury. Those who benefit from such games also have a responsibility to those playing in them. An unattended injury could worsen, or result in something greater. In these cases, the money saved by not hiring the proper sports doctor will be greatly overshadowed by the disaster that follows. Protecting athletes should be a sports organizer’s main priority. Cutting costs is simply not an excuse. You never know when your negligence could end someone’s career or disable them permanently.