Baroka FC team doctor Happy Tswaane believes this period of coronavirus (COVID-19) will change the medical landscape for many clubs in South Africa.
Doctor Tswaane also believes it is because the sector has not been given the attention it deserved in football.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) suspended league action indefinitely earlier last month for social distancing that helps in curbing the spread of the virus.
Dr Tswaane says preventative medicine is going to take priority and the level of hygiene will also change.
It is not a secret that not all clubs governed by the PSL have strong medical teams while some do not have any at all. Dr Tswaane adds that this is also going to change and it will not just be a numbers game but also medically trained personnel.
This is the fourth week that domestic action has been halted and Dr Tswaane says sports physicians’ worries are how athletes are training and rehabilitating from injuries on their own.
Dr Tswaane adds that discipline of athletes during the lockdown will be put to a test. Dr Tshwane was asked the time it takes for active athletes to get back to their fitness peak and he says it takes the same amount of days off to train and get back to full fitness.
Dr Tswaane has been with Bakgaga since their First Division days. He adds that an athlete’s lifestyle is another contributor to them performing at their best. – Report by Lethabo Kganyago
