title: Review of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) medical services during the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Doha, Qatar.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One of the primary roles of Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) is to promote athlete health. The planning and delivery of major international event medical services is carried out in collaboration with the Local Organizing Committee Medical Commission (LOCMC). Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital provided the medical services to the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) creating a unique opportunity for collaboration with FINA.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this paper is to review the planning and delivery of medical services and athlete health promotion projects during the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) to facilitate the planning of future sporting events of this size and scope.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) hosted 974 athletes from 166 countries. The LOC medical team recorded all medical encounters-newly incurred (or acute exacerbations of chronic) injuries and illnesses as well as follow-up consultations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 90% of teams did not travel with a team physician and relied on the LOCMC for diagnosis and treatment of injuries and illnesses in athletes and accredited team officials. The LOC medical team had a total of 554 medical encounters: 385 therapy, 34 athlete injury, 65 athlete illness and 70 non-athlete encounters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The LOCMC in collaboration with FINA delivered comprehensive medical services to athletes, officials and spectators attending the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m). This review paper provides information relevant to the planning and delivery of LOCMC medical services for future international swimming events contributing to the FINA objective of promoting athlete health.
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Department, Aspetar Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha Qatar.
authors.forename: H Paul
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Department, Aspetar Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha Qatar.
authors.forename: Liesel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Geertsema
authors.affiliation: National Sports Medicine Program, Aspetar Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Qatar Swimming Association, Doha Qatar.
authors.forename: Nejib
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Benzarti
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Department, Aspetar Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha Qatar.
authors.forename: Elsbeth A L
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: van Dorssen
authors.affiliation: Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) Sports Medicine Committee, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Cees-Rein
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: van den Hoogenband
authors.affiliation: Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) Sports Medicine Committee, Lausanne, Switzerland Department of Family Medicine, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Margo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mountjoy
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease / Q000628:therapy; D056352:Athletes / Q000193:education; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D006268:Health Facilities; D006285:Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011780:Qatar; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013550:Swimming / Q000293:injuries* / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Aquatic sports; Illness; Injury prevention; Sports medicine; Swimming