The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today (November 4) pledged its support to The Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games (EAG). The Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS) of PolyU and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sports Medicine and Health Sciences Centre (The Centre) will provide their professional expertise for the Games and its associated events.
 
A special ceremony was staged on the university campus to mark the partnership between PolyU, The Centre and the authorities concerned. Officiating at the ceremony were Mrs Carrie Yau, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Johnny Woo, Chief Executive Officer of 2009 East Asia Games (Hong Kong) Limited, Professor Thomas K.S. Wong, PolyU Vice President (Management), Professor George Woo, Dean of FHSS, and Professor Gabriel Ng, Deputy Director of The Centre.

The Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games will take place in December this year. During the Games, with the support of The Centre, FHSS will be providing professional physiotherapy and vision assessment services for all participating athletes of the different countries/territories.

Professor George Woo said that during 2-13 December 2009, PolyU's Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sports Medicine and Health Sciences Centre will be partnering with the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association (HKPA) to coordinate a total of more than 150 practising physiotherapists, RS staff and physiotherapy students to provide on-field services to players of tennis, badminton, hockey and volleyball competitions in the East Asian Games.

In addition, PolyU's Rehabilitation Clinic and Optometry Clinic as well as PolyU-affiliated PolyVision Eyecare Centres will provide off-field physiotherapy and vision assessment services to participating athletes of the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games.

The University has a wealth of experience in serving professional athletes. Its FHSS had sent forth its experts in a broad range of disciplines such as nursing, rehabilitation science and therapies, optometry, health technology, and sports therapy to help athletes prepare for major competitions. It was also designated selected by state authorities as the world's only university providing volunteers for rehabilitation-related services for the Beijing Olympics.

The new Hong Kong Jockey Club Sports Medicine and Health Sciences Centre offers clinical, training and research services in integrated sports medicine, sports science and sports health for elite athletes, sports-related industries, and the general public. It was jointly established by PolyU and The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2008 with a generous donation of HK$88.72 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

 

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