ISEH consultant Dr Kal Parmar has recently returned from working at the first European Games in Baku which saw Team GB secure 47 medals to finish third on the overall medals table behind Russia and hosts Azerbaijan. Here he tells us about his experiences:
“In June, I was lucky enough to work at the first European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. It was a great experience; I was based at the Polyclinic in the Athlete’s Village working in a truly multidisciplinary team. There was local expertise and medics from the UK and from around Europe and it was great to share ideas and experiences. The standard of sport was the very best; even sports such as athletics were very well represented.
Working in the Polyclinic was fantastic; there was an interesting case mix from the usual injuries, such as hamstring injury, to heat related illness and unique nutritional problems in those fasting with the onset of Ramadan. There were plenty of resources to call upon with physiotherapists, radiologists, podiatrists, soft tissue therapists, osteopaths and chiropractors helping to not only diagnose but also to help treat the athletes.
The City of Baku is amazing, they really put a lot of effort into the games and it had a very ‘London Olympics’ type feel to it with a definite buzz in the air and vibe from the local people who were experiencing something unique and special in their home Country. In my time off, I managed to go to most of the venues to watch some of the competitions as well as go out and about in the City – public transport was easy to navigate around with some great sites such as the Old Town and beach front.
All in all, the 16 days I spent in Baku was full of great experiences and memories.”