I.Metshin: “Previously, this was only available at the best world medical centers”

This year, 100 sports schools’ students of the city will receive free diagnostics of health in Kazan – twice as many as a year earlier. Diagnostics based on modern technologies allows to identify a child's predisposition to certain sports and effectively prepare for competitions. The next step will be the launch of a program of genetic selection of young athletes. Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, discussed these projects with the management of the Health Diagnostic Center of the Volga Region University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism (VRUoCST), which opened last year at the Rowing Sports Center. The rector of the university Rafis Burganov told the mayor about the work of the center.

“It is very important that the Universiade’s legacy continues to work for the benefit of our athletes. Kazan is one of the sports centers of our country, so we are interested in working out sports medicine issues,”- the head of the city noted.

Thanks to the initiative of the Executive Committee of Kazan, last year the first 47 students of nine Olympic reserve sports schools received professional sports diagnostics at the center. “This year we will re-examine them to determine the dynamics of each athlete's development. Constant diagnostics allows us to identify in a timely manner those weak points that the coach cannot identify during training,”- said Gulnara Yanysheva, chief physician of the medical unit of the Research Institute of Physical Culture and Sports.

The launch of the program of genetic selection of young athletes with the participation of VRUoCST, Kazan Federal University and Kazan State Medical University will allow thoroughly selecting professional athletes. The equipment of the medical unit of VRUoCST allows for scientific and methodological and biomedical examination of both professional and young athletes.

“Parents from the age of four will be able to find out what kind of sport their child is predisposed to, and make a complete diagnostic map of the athlete,”- Gulnara Yanysheva said.

The Mayor examined the offices of functional diagnostics, where young athletes were examined.

In the recovery unit of the medical unit, the head of the city got acquainted with the work of special capsules for hyperbaric oxygenation – saturation of all body cells and parts of the body with oxygen. “Previously, this was only available at the best world medical centers,”- I. Metshin emphasized.

G.Yanysheva noted that today athletes over 18 are not included in the compulsory medical insurance program, which means that they are charged for all services. “However, in Kazan, all student athletes can be examined and recover at the center absolutely free of charge,”- she added.

Now more than a thousand professional athletes use the services of the medical unit, including players of the Sintez water polo team, the Zilant rugby club and others. “It is very important that professional players use the services of a medical diagnostic center. There are more than ten professional sports clubs in Kazan, and not every one of them can afford such equipment. Therefore, the medical center will be a great help for these clubs and professional teams performing at the highest level,”- the Mayor summed up