Health promotion by African swimming federations

Abstract

International organisations worldwide are becoming more interested in promoting health through sport. Event participation among African swimmers are increasing. However, athletes from these countries might have limited access to health prevention programmes, and medical personnel structure within their NFs and national teams. A descriptive transversal survey was conducted among the African National Swimming Federations (“African NFs”) requesting information regarding the profile of the medical personnel of the African NFs, the importance that the African NFs place on the health of their athletes, the promotion of health in their society and the programme activities/research that they engage in to promote health. The results revealed that only 34.3% of the African NFs have doctors and 21.8% have physiotherapists. For 50% the top priority is the performance of their elite athletes and for just 6.2% of the African NFs the top priority is to improve the health of the general population. Health promotion is not a top priority for African NFs. There is a need to improve their general medical services and programmes and also to establish plans and strategies to protect the health of their athletes and to promote the health of the general population.

Keywords: Developing countries; FINA; Sport for All; Event participation; Sport organisations; Development policies; Medical structure.