SAI To Sign MoU With Safdarjung Hospital’s Sports Injury Centre: Check Details

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) is set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Safdarjung Hospital's Sports Injury Centre (SIC) to ensure priority care for athletes after the collaboration got in-principle approval from Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Under the proposed framework, SIC will handle advanced sports medicine and surgical interventions, while SAI will manage applied sports science rehabilitation and return-to-play protocols.

The collaboration would ensure "priority care and safe return to competition for Indian athletes."

Dr Deepak Joshi, who is the Director of SIC, said that coordinated integration of sports science, sports medicine, and injury management can fundamentally alter an athlete's career trajectory.

"This collaboration will be a boon for India's sports ecosystem. Athletes referred by SAI will receive priority treatment, continuous clinical management, and a seamless pathway back to training and competition," he said.

Workshop For Combat Sports

SAI on Wednesday also launched a four-day Sports Sciences Workshop for combat sports coaches at its Sports Science Division here.

"The workshop is being attended by SAI coaches from key combat sports disciplines including Boxing, Wrestling and Judo, and aims to strengthen the integration of sports science into daily coaching practices."

The coaches are being trained in functional strength training, plyometrics (training to build power, speed, and strength), resistance training programmes, and core principles of exercise physiology relevant to elite performance.

"Such focused engagements with coaches, supported by sports scientists, will positively contribute to India's medal prospects. Our vision is athlete-centric, coach-led, and backed by sports science," Brig. (Dr.) Bibhu Kalyan Nayak, Director-cum-Head, Sports Science Division, SAI, said.

The workshop also addresses prevention and management of common combat-sport injuries, particularly shoulder-related conditions, through evidence-based warm-up protocols, strength and stability training, and scientific load-management strategies.

"Dedicated modules on sports nutrition, recovery science, anti-doping awareness and applied sports psychology further reinforce a holistic approach aimed at long-term athlete performance and career longevity."