Al-Ahram Weekly | Sports | How much is too many?

		20 - 26 June 2002 Issue No. 591 Sports	Current issue Previous issue Site map
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875		Recommend this page

How much is too many?
The engines that power footballers might be overheating

FIFA is to carry out a study into player burn-out to discover how many matches a year a top flight professional can reasonably play.
But Dr Jiri Dvorak, FIFA's chief medical officer, warned that they would need the support of professional clubs and the confederations. "The more strain the more likely you will suffer minor injuries," said Dvorak." But he stressed the answer to how many matches a year is too many cannot be answered just by medicine. "The question cannot be answered by scientific evidence alone. Medicine can only help to find the answer," said Dvorak.
Last week, German football legend Franz Beckenbauer blamed too many club matches in Europe for the shock exit of France and Argentina from the World Cup.
"Billions of viewers around the world are switching on television to watch the World Cup and what are they seeing? Tired stars," said Beckenbauer.
"All the best players play in Europe and they have to play too many matches. FIFA has to do something. It has to react," he urged.
Dvorak said he was studying injury reports at the 2002 World Cup to see if the number of player injuries were up from France '98 and US '94. "I will be able to report after the third place play-off," he said.
On the use of steroids, Dvorak said all of the 204 doping samples tested since the start of the tournament had been negative. He said one case was on the borderline but further lab tests cleared the player.
"The whole testing system is very open and very transparent. It is functioning well," he said.
FIFA has been criticised for refusing to let the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) send independent observers to watch the testing. "We were a little disappointed not to be independent observers for the World Cup," said WADA head Dick Pound. "We think it would have added a certain credibility to the process."
But Dvorak defended FIFA's decision to bar WADA. "You are casting doubt on the personal and professional integrity of the doctors if you ask for an independent observer," he said.
The tests involving blood and urine covered all 52 matches played until the end of competition on Sunday, said Dvorak. He said six players had been tested twice. There had only been one "suspicious" case that required further testing before the player was cleared completely.
"I am proud to say there have been no positive tests after 52 matches," Dvorak told a news conference.
At the World Cup, medical testers have been on the lookout for use of the blood-boosting drug EPO (erythropoietin), which enhances stamina.
Dvorak said coaching staff could claim credit for the drug-free finals due to the careful attention they had paid to players' diets to ensure there were no banned substances in their food.

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