Sports Medical Certificate Made Mandatory For School Students Participating In Sports

Colombo (News 1st): A measure to obtain a sports medical certificate before participating in athletics or strenuous sports has been made mandatory for the school students.

The Ministry of Health implemented this measure in response to previous student deaths during sporting activities.

To facilitate this requirement, sports medical units have been established in major hospitals, staffed by dedicated sports medicine officers.

The Health Ministry said that students engaging in sports can visit these hospitals from Monday to Saturday to undergo an examination and receive a fitness certificate valid for one year. ECG tests will also be conducted as part of the assessment.

Health Ministry further announced that appointments can be made in advance, to avoid inconvenience.

According to the ministry, while family doctors can certify athletes within three days of an event, only sports medical officers are authorized to issue the official sports medical certificate.