The Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) has partnered with the Sports Medicine Association and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment to launch the Athlete Health and Wellness Programme at the BOA’s Headquarters, Barbados Olympic Centre, Garfield Sobers Sports Complex, on March 29.
Minister responsible for Sport, Charles Griffith, congratulated the BOA and the Sports Medicine Association for their efforts in conceptualising and implementing the health programme for athletes.
He indicated that it aimed to provide comprehensive medical care for elite, emerging and developing athletes in Barbados, and is in the beginning stages. However, he expressed the desire for it to reach grassroots athletes, including those in NAPSAC.
Mr. Griffith also noted that athletes were unknowingly carrying injuries but was of the view that the programme would help eliminate them. “Often times injury takes out a lot of athletes. And in fact, now that we are having this particular initiative being launched, it means that now those injuries that would side line them are no longer going to be the case,” he stated.
The Sport Minister also stressed the significance of nutrition for athletes, and suggested that the coaches of National Federations should be mandated to ensure that athletes are aware of the wellness programme and other similar initiatives.
“The fact that a lot of our athletes are not in some cases cognisant of the impact of nutrition is something that I believe is absolutely critical going forward…. I hope that we can fuse our thinking in relation to the National Federations because a lot now will depend on our coaches to ensure that our athletes across the board… are aware of these things that are being put in place.”
He added that it was crucial to take care of athletes’ mental well-being along with their physical well-being. Therefore, he requested the National Sports Council to include funds for a sports psychologist.
In addition, Mr. Griffith requested satellite locations across the country for those athletes who are unable to travel to the BOA’s headquarters.
He also expressed the desire to build out the space around the Wildey Gymnasium to create clinics, so as to increase the outreach of the initiative.
Also in attendance at the launch were President of the BOA, Sandra Osborne; Immediate Past President, Steve Stoute; President of the Barbados Sports Medicine Association, Dr. Carl Ward, and Sports Development Officer, Stephen Rowe.