The main of the CAF medical Division is to provide top-level medical services at CAF competitions, keep football free from doping, and protect and improve the health of all who play football, from grassroots to elite level in Africa.
The division is committed to preventing on-field injuries and promoting football as a healthy activity through the collaborative efforts of the Member Associations (MA).
ANTI-DOPING
For many years, CAF has been a lead example to safeguard the African Football in order to keep it clean and free from doping. Doping control is applied in all CAF competitions (Senior, youth and women).
INJURY PREVENTION
Over the years, CAF has taken significant strides in the management and prevention of injuries. CAF has introduced the Pre-Competition Medical Assessment (PCMA) online system to allow all the MAs participating in CAF competitions to register the medical data of each player. This allows the CAF Medical Committee and experts to track the health condition of each player for a particular competition.
In 2018, CAF launched a pilot study program of injuries for the CAF Inter-Clubs competitions. The aim of the study is to gain a thorough understanding of the epidemiology of injuries by teams competing in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
AGE DETERMINATION
Since 2011, CAF has introduced the MRI test in all CAF U-17 final tournaments. In 2018, all players participating in the U-17 zonal qualifiers underwent MRI testing.
In conclusion, the MRI test is now mandatory during the U-17 qualifiers and final tournaments.
CAF also launched the Pre-Competition Cardiac Assessment (PCCA) medical program in 2018 in order to guarantee the maximum safety and protection of all the players on the field.
GPS (DEVICES MONITORING PHYSICAL FITNESS PERFORMANCE) AND PREVENTION OF SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST
The main objective of this project was to protect the African football players as the device quantifies the training load and monitors sustainable training goals for each individual to improve the performance of the players, reduce number of injuries and Sudden Cardiac Arrest cases. CAF has donated three sets of devices to each Member Association in 2018 and 2019.
EDUCATION
CAF is keen to participate in Football medical seminars and conferences to help us to stay informed about the last medical updated in the world of football. Awareness campaigns, such as on sudden cardiac arrest, are key to our education efforts towards injury prevention in Africa.
CAF has been organizing courses and conferences to form sport medicine experts to share their experiences in the African continent.
Nowadays, CAF can boast of medical experts in all fields such as Doping Control, MRI, Stadium Emergencies and Injury Prevention.