EIS Doctor Appointed Chief Medical Officer

by Rebecca Roberts - 05.02.10

With under a year to go until the  Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, England’s preparations are well underway in getting support structures in place.

Commonwealth Games England has appointed the English Institute of Sport’s (EIS) Dr Mike Loosemore as Chief Medical Officer for the English team and has been working over the past few months to prepare for the Games.

Organising and advising the medical team working with the England squad leading into the Games and throughout, Dr Loosemore will be utilising his experience from previous Commonwealth and Olympic Games on top of his breadth of experience working with a number of high performance sports, in order that high quality medical support exists across the squad.

“I am delighted to have been appointed as Chief Medical Officer for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games” says Dr Loosemore.

“Playing a key role at major events like this fits with what we are aiming to achieve at the EIS; continuity of care in England and overseas for elite athletes at major competitions” he adds.

Having led the medical support for the 2008 Youth Games in Pune, India, Dr Loosemore visited the Delhi site in October with team managers to establish how medical support will be delivered and managed whilst at the event.

“Whilst out in Delhi we built on our contacts with local private facilities with the British Embassy which will help with our medical support leading into and during the Games” Dr Loosemore explains.

“The medical facility is to be built soon and will be a poly-clinic suitable for event support and with our extended network of medical facility contacts we will have a depth of support during the event” he adds.

The squad for the Commonwealth Games is anticipated to be around 550 athletes and as part of his role, Dr Loosemore will recruit a medical team that will support them.

“With such a large number of athletes it will be important to put together a leading team of medical professionals in order to provide world leading support whilst at the Games” says Dr Loosemore.

“Another key focus for the medical support will be the changes in environment and cultural differences which will impact upon both our preparation and provision of support for the event.”

Other EIS appointments to the Commonwealth Games England programme include Lynda Daley, who continues her role as Chief Physiotherapist for the Games, a role previously performed at both the 2002 Manchester and 2006 Melbourne Games as well as the 2004 Bendigo and 2008 Pune Commonwealth Youth Games. Daley will lead the team of physiotherapists coordinating support at the Games, which will be recruited over the coming months.  

Working across a number of sports and their athletes and coaches involved with the Commonwealth Games, the EIS will provide support services required by sports leading up to and during the event.

For more information about the England team visit the ‘We are England’ website here