On 16 October, the symposium The Health Challenges in Professional Football will take place at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. The study entitled ‘Health perspectives of the transitioning professional footballers: the longitudinal Drake football study’ will kick-off during this symposium. At this kick-off, various speakers will cover topics pertaining to the physical and mental wellbeing of professional footballers. Speakers include Marco van Basten (AFC Ajax/AC Milan/the Dutch Eleven), Dr Gary O’Driscoll (Arsenal FC), Vincent Gouttebarge (FIFPro/Amsterdam UMC) and Edwin Goedhart (KNVB).  On 16 October, Push Sports will be present with a stand at this kick-off. Get more information about this kick-off.   

Over the next decade, researchers from (amongst others) FIFPro and Amsterdam UMC, will collect comprehensive epidemiological information from at least 200 footballers from Finland, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. This ten-year project, the largest of its kind, will be financed by The Drake Foundation and carried out by Amsterdam UMC and Mehiläinen NEO Hospital in Turku, Finland. The researchers’ work will include monitoring changes in mental health, wear and tear on the heart and the joints, and head injuries. Push Sports has scientific research high on its list of priorities and is proud to also sponsor this study and therefore build a lasting relationship with FIFPro. Get more information about the study.