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The Continent’s top team doctors and physiotherapists were celebrated and awarded for their immense contributions towards advancing the game at the third edition of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Medical Awards on Sunday, March 5.
Held in conjunction with the 7th AFC Medical Conference in Qatar’s capital, the awards recognise the outstanding and inspiring roles these medical professionals play in ensuring players perform at their peak and receive the best possible care.
Dr. Mohammad Razi from the Iran received the prestigious AFC Football Medicine Merit Award during the ceremony while compatriot Dr. Bahar Hassanmirzaei and Dr. Masashi Nagao of Japan were both conferred the AFC Young Medical Officer Award.
Dr. Bhisith Viseshakul of Thailand, who passed away in 1998, was bestowed the Posthumous Award.
The AFC Distinguished Service Awards in the Gold, Silver and Bronze categories were bestowed on 32 other professionals for their long-term performance in their respective professions.
The 7th AFC Conference is hosted by the AFC, the Aspetar Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Hospital and the Qatar Football Association. Themed “Football and Sports Medicine – Celebrating Diversity”, it brings together renowned sports medicine and science professionals to empower participants with the knowledge on managing football-related medical situations.
AFC Football Medicine Merit Award
Dr. Mohammad Razi (Iran)
The AFC Football Medicine Merit Award is the most prestigious recognition for medical professionals who have made valuable contributions to the development of football medicine in Asia.
Dr. Razi is currently the Chairman of the Football Federation Iran (FFIRI) Medical Committee. He is also the founder of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Knee, Arthroscopy, and Sports Medicine Society.
A well-known orthopaedic surgeon who has treated numerous Olympic athletes and medallists and those at other international sporting events, Dr. Razi is renowned for his remarkable technique in surgery that has helped many injured footballers return to action.
He has served and dedicated his services for over 35 years to sports medicine and published 46 research papers and articles related to sports medicine and the orthopaedic field.
AFC Young Medical Officer Award
Dr. Bahar Hassanmirzaei (Iran)
The AFC Young Medical Officer Award is presented to medical officers aged below 45 who have been actively involved in the game and have contributed to football through research and development
Dr. Hassanmirzaei, formerly the Head of the FFIRI’s Medical Department, has also been the team doctor of the IR Iran women’s youth and national teams since 2014.
She has been appointed to various AFC women’s competitions as part of the AFC Panel of Medical and Doping Control Officers.
In 2020, Dr. Hassanmirzaei made history after being among the first group of female doctors appointed to an AFC men’s club competition at the AFC Champions League (East).
She has also published articles on sports medicine and orthopaedics as well as international research projects on the COVID-19 pandemic.
AFC Young Medical Officer Award
Dr. Masashi Nagao (Japan)
Dr. Nagao has both clinical and research background in orthopaedic surgery and football medicine. His experience ranges from working with clubs and national teams.
He has served as an AFC Medical Officer since 2020 and was part of the AFC President Travelling Fellow for Football Medicine Programme in 2017.
Dr. Nagao has published research on the surgical outcome for fifth metatarsal stress fractures. He recently revealed the risk factor for developing fifth metatarsal stress fractures when playing on artificial grass.
He was most recently the team doctor for Japan’s women’s national team that finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics. Dr. Nagao currently works as a Japan Football Association (JFA) surveillance group member and is part of the JFA Medical Committee responsible for managing scientific study and analysing data in football medicine.
Posthumous Award
Dr. Bhisith Viseshakul (Thailand)
The Posthumous Award was presented to the founding Chairman of the Football Association of Thailand (FA Thailand) Medical Committee who was also the first Chairman of the AFC Medical Committee
Dr. Viseshakul is known as a football medicine pioneer in Thailand and Asia. On the pitch, he served as the team doctor for the Thailand national team from 1965 to 1980 and team physician for Thai athletes at the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games.
For his contribution to sports medicine, Dr. Viseshakul was awarded by the FA Thailand under Royal Patronage on their 90th anniversary.
Dr. Viseshakul passed away in 1998 but the medical fraternity continues to honour his achievements and influence on sports medicine in Asia.
AFC Distinguished Service Awards – Gold (for 25 years of dedicated service)
Dr. Parhan Khanlari
Amin Norouzi Fashkhami, PT, PhD
Dr. Shigeo Fukuoka
Dr. Jun Seki
Dr. Juichi Tanaka
Dr. Masoud Ali Masoud Al Riyami
Prasit Gonggetyai MD, FACS, FRCS, FRCST, FAOA
Dr. Song Vongvanich
Dr. Farrukh Avezov
AFC Distinguished Service Awards – Silver (for 20 years of dedicated service)
Dr. MD Ali Emran
Dr. Abbasali Rabiei
Alireza Shahab, PT, PhD
Dr. Qasim Mohammed Shakir Al Janabi
Dr. Abdulla Hassan Baroon
Dr. Kiran Kumar Kulkarni
AFC Distinguished Service Awards – Bronze (for 15 years of dedicated service)
Prof. Dr. Shu Hang Patrick Yung
Dr. Seyed Alireza Haghighat
Dr. Tohid Seif Barghi
Dr. Kaveh Sotoudeh Deilami
Meisam Alipourbazkiaei, PT
Dr. Zohreh Haratian
Dr. Tani Satoshi
Dr. Yahia Mohammad Hamad Almaharmeh
Mohammad Harris Zafran Bin Ahmad Haraman
Walfred Dela Paz Javier, PRTP
Dr. Randolph Medina Molo
Dr. Gulandom Khalilova
Abdusator Kalandarov
Colonel Dr. Reema Mohd Alhosani
Dr. Nguyen Trong Hien
Dr. Pham Thi Thuy
Dr. Alisher Aripov
