Birakdarian: Athletes' safety is our responsibility.. and we will not be lenient in applying medical procedures

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Nora Birakdarian, received a delegation from the "Beirut Marathon" association at her office in the ministry, headed by May El Khalil, accompanied by Vice President Brigadier General (Ret.) Hassan Rustom, Secretary-General and Media Advisor Hassan Mohieddine, Executive Director Samer Makarem, Operations Manager Françoise Nehme, Vice President of the Lebanese Athletics Federation Nematallah Bejjani, Head of the Medical Committee Dr. Jihad Haddad, and medical members Rachid Rahme, Mona Othman, Johnny Abboud, Razan Abdallah, and the association's legal representative, lawyer Jad Lotfi. The Head of the Sports Department at the Ministry, André Nassour, was also present.

The meeting was held to discuss the circular issued by Minister Birakdarian regarding the necessity of certain medical conditions and procedures aimed at ensuring the medical safety of male and female runners in the races organized by the association throughout the year.

It began with a welcome from Minister Birakdarian and a presentation on the ministry's role in providing all conditions "for a better sports reality, and standing by sports federations and associations, which are the current government's directions."

Minister Birakdarian explained, according to a statement from the association, that "the current war has frozen many projects and strategies that were intended to be implemented, and the ministry is concerned with following up on these matters, in addition to launching an electronic platform for national dialogue, and linking it with all sports and youth institutions, especially since the ministry in the current era has brought about a qualitative leap in many files that we hope to build upon in the coming period."

She emphasized the importance of "this meeting and the necessity of researching the best ways to ensure the medical safety of athletes, as the circular on this matter was issued and sent to all sports federations and associations for compliance with its content. She revealed a correspondence she received from the Ministry of Health in this regard and the necessity of taking the required measures, stressing the ministry's responsibility in this regard and that its role is supervision and follow-up."

Then there were interventions from the attending doctors who spoke about their experiences and how to protect athletes from health symptoms during their practice of all types of sports, referring to accidents and injuries that have occurred and continue to occur in the most prestigious countries and prominent events around the world, emphasizing the importance of awareness campaigns as a prelude to making athletes undergo regular check-ups, in conjunction with the importance of the procedures required from the organizers of sports activities. They affirmed that the association adheres to the highest standards of transparency in organizational aspects, including medical procedures.

El Khalil thanked Minister Birakdarian for "the efforts she is making and the ministry's active movement through conferences and workshops aimed at modernization and development, and the personal field follow-up of all sports events, including the activities of the Beirut Marathon association."