Sabah hosting Asian Federation of Sports Medicine Congress

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will be hosting the 18th Asian Federation of Sports Medicine (AFSM) Congress from April 26 to 28.

The congress, in conjunction with the 8th Institut Sukan Negara (ISN) Sports Medicine and Sports Science Conference will be held at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) in Kota Kinabalu.

The Prime Minister’s wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, will be opening the congress.

Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia Hannah Yeoh, leaders from the state Youth and Sports as well as Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministries, ISN chairman Datuk Marina Chin, chairperson of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM)’s East Malaysia Committee, Dr Tan Kah Hock, are also expected to be in attendance at the opening ceremony and the gala dinner on April 27.

A total of 500 people including international speakers and experts will be attending the three-day congress which represents a monumental collaboration among the Asian Federation of Sports Medicine (AFSM), the Malaysian Association of Sports Medicine (MASM), and the National Sports Institute of Malaysia (ISN).

The congress is poised to be a global platform for leading experts to share and exchange innovative ideas, research findings, and advancements in sports and exercise science and medicine.

It will feature over 12 insightful symposiums, four interactive workshops and two informative pre-congress webinars, along with paper, poster presentations, and booth exhibitions covering a wide range of topics in sports and exercise science and medicine, high performance sports, sports management, and physical education.

Speakers from leading international organisations such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC), SportAccord, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), World Health Organisation (WHO), International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS), and more, will be sharing their expertise.

A highlight of the congress is the AFSM Young Researcher Award, offering an attractive prize money and trophy, to promote and encourage young researchers in presenting their innovative research findings.

This congress is not only a significant academic event but also a catalyst for tourism in Sabah. It presents an opportunity to showcase the rich cultural heritage and famous ecotourism of Sabah to the international community, further establishing Kota Kinabalu as a premier destination for international events in academia, culture, sport and business.