Offneil Lamont | Need for sports medicine reform in Jamaica

TALENT AND training alone are not enough to maintain Jamaica’s sports legacy. There is a need for legislative framework, high-quality healthcare, and effective administrative structures to ensure continued success. But do we prioritise our athletes’ health?

Many young athletes are seeing their aspirations dashed because they lack access to essential medical care. The current system often leaves injured sportsmen and women on their own, unable to afford the weeks or months of rehabilitation and additional therapies needed for recovery, let alone securing a proper diagnosis. This situation poses a significant crisis for a nation that takes immense pride in its sporting successes.

In 2006, sports injuries cost an estimated US$1.3 billion globally. Europe faced US$2.53 billion in 2012 and in the United States, US$1.58 billion was spent between 2004 and 2005. The financial toll of sports injuries is growing, yet Jamaica lacks comparable data and resources. While we may not match these nations in wealth, we can no longer afford to overlook the issue. The first step is integrating monitoring systems into the existing structures. Without data, we cannot grasp the true scope of the problem or make informed policy and financial decisions to safeguard our athletes and their futures.

To move forward, we must recognise that athletes have a fundamental right to health. Ensuring access to trained medical personnel is non-negotiable. Despite a growing pool of qualified sports practitioners in Jamaica, many events still lack adequate medical coverage. The issue is not a lack of expertise but a failure to prioritise and utilise it. Medical care is often sidelined, with budgets ignoring the essential need for proper personnel. This neglect is a collective failure with severe consequences for athlete care and management.

Compounding this is the dangerous ‘quick-fix’ mentality – injuries are treated as inevitable, and prevention is ignored. Athletes often push through pain, masking injuries with painkillers instead of seeking proper care. This fosters a culture where injuries are worn like badges of honour, sidelining the importance of prevention and rehabilitation. Inadequate rehabilitation prolongs recovery, leads to recurring injuries, and can even cause permanent damage – derailing careers and lives. Proper rehabilitation is not a luxury but vital for an athlete’s triumphant return to sports and long-term health.

The current system exposes our athletes and those most vulnerable to danger by failing to regulate who can treat injuries and administer care. The amateur athletes deserve access to high-quality, ethical care, free from exploitation. Additionally, injury prevention must become central and guide everything we do. It is critical to safeguarding vulnerable junior athletes who depend on adults and systems for protection. We celebrate the successes of our various pathways structures but at what cost? Without proper injury prevention, we risk athletes’ long-term health.

On a broader societal level, efforts must be intensified to combat disinformation and guard against imposters. Collaboration between policymakers, healthcare professionals, and sports organisations is critical to building a robust system that safeguards our athletes. Professional groups must be more proactive in public education efforts to address these challenges. Athletes should stop being passive healthcare beneficiaries and start taking an active role in their health. By advocating for better athlete healthcare, the public can significantly ensure Jamaica’s future sporting success. Combating disinformation is not just about safeguarding athletes but also about maintaining the integrity of the healthcare system.

WHY THE NSEMC?

The creation of a National Sports and Exercise Medicine Centre (NSEMC) as envisioned in the National Sport Policy of Jamaica (2013), would represent a watershed moment for athlete care. Although a unique concept for the region, such a centre would centralise treatment by serving as a hub for qualified and licensed practitioners – including sports doctors, physiotherapists, and other allied health professionals – to provide comprehensive, evidence-based care.

The NSEMC would improve access to high-quality care while simultaneously encouraging the development and implementation of injury prevention strategies, standardised protocols, and robust policies to safeguard athletes. It would be an invaluable resource for managing athlete health at all stages – prevention, acute care during injuries, rehabilitation, and return-to-sport protocols – ensuring a comprehensive approach to health and wellness. By bridging gaps in Jamaica’s present sports healthcare system, the NSEMC would demonstrate the country’s commitment to athlete welfare, raising treatment standards while safeguarding the long-term health and performance of its athletes.

Jamaica’s sporting legacy is built on our athletes’ talent, tenacity, and perseverance, but their health and safety are compromised by a lack of robust systems and safeguards. Alarmingly, too many unqualified individuals continue to work in the field, treating injuries and giving treatment without the required credentials. This not only puts athletes at risk, but it also erodes faith in the healthcare and sports systems. Such neglect is tolerated because we fail to understand the broader picture – health and safety are not optional; they are required to maintain greatness. Without rigorous oversight, we risk losing our athletes to preventable injuries and subpar care, jeopardising both their careers and Jamaica’s global standing.

We must champion the establishment of a National Sports and Exercise Medicine Centre and reinforce and strengthen existing policies and regulations on who may treat our athletes. This includes mandating credentials, licensing, and monitoring across all sports and levels. Athletes require access to qualified professionals who prioritise evidence-based care, and the public must keep legislators accountable for enacting such frameworks.

We must reject complacency and campaign for safe, high-quality healthcare for all athletes, from school teams to Olympians. Jamaica, let us collaborate to protect our athletes’ health and success – because their well-being is the foundation of our sporting legacy.

Offniel Lamont is a public health advocate and registered physiotherapist. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com