Angu Lesley Ngwa Akonwi
Football Writer,kick442.com-Cameroon
The SportsMed Foundation, founded and led by Cameroonian sports medicine specialist Dr. Tankeng Leonard Tanko, has intensified its drive to advance sports medicine and athlete well-being across Africa through education, collaboration, and innovation.
In its latest Injury Prevention Webinar, the Foundation convened over 80 participants from Cameroon, Ghana, The Gambia, France, and the United Kingdom, including athletes, coaches, physiotherapists, and sports scientists, to discuss how to better protect athletes from preventable injuries while enhancing performance.
Building a culture of prevention
The virtual gathering underscored the growing recognition that injury prevention in African sport requires a multidisciplinary approach. The discussions explored scientific principles, field experiences, and mental health dimensions — all critical to safeguarding athletes competing at both grassroots and elite levels.
The expert panel included Dr. Muhammed Lamin, a Gambian sports medicine doctor; Mr. Charles Nikoyo, physiotherapist with the Cameroon Athletics Federation; and Associate Professor Florian Forelli, Research Committee Chair of the International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy (IFSPT).
Adding an athlete’s insight, Joseph Obasa, a Nigerian professional basketball player with NS Matrix Neers currently competing in the Road to BAL, shared his personal journey in maintaining physical readiness and avoiding injuries during a demanding season.
Supervision of the session was provided by Dr. Thulani Ngwenya, Vice President of the CAF Medical Committee, whose presence reflected growing institutional support for medical excellence in African sport.
“We must understand the athlete beyond the field”
Speaking after the session, Dr. Tankeng Leonard Tanko emphasized that true injury prevention extends well beyond physical training routines.
“Injury prevention goes beyond physical training — it’s about understanding the whole athlete: their body, their mind, and their environment,” he noted.
“By building awareness, improving education, and strengthening collaboration among medical professionals, we can change how African sport approaches athlete health.”
Dr. Tankeng, who has been at the forefront of sports medicine advocacy in Cameroon and beyond, has long championed an integrated model of athlete care that includes mental health, rehabilitation science, and performance monitoring.
Knowledge, resilience, and the human factor
The session highlighted five key takeaways:
We reduce risk, not eliminate it. Prevention is about reducing injury likelihood through evidence-based practices, acknowledging that complete avoidance is unrealistic.
Mental health matters. Emotional well-being and psychological resilience are essential components of athlete longevity and recovery.
Education is empowerment. Awareness among players, coaches, and medical teams improves understanding and adherence to safe training practices.
Endurance is protection. Improved conditioning and endurance lower the probability of injury.
The athlete’s voice counts. Including athletes like Obasa ensures that medical strategies remain grounded in on-field realities.
Towards a safer sporting future for Africa
The SportsMed Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to building capacity in sports medicine, promoting mental health awareness, and enhancing medical education for teams and institutions across the continent.
Future plans include a series of training workshops, webinars, and field studies aimed at strengthening collaboration between sports scientists, medical doctors, and athletic trainers in Africa.
As African athletes continue to excel globally, Dr. Tankeng believes that health education and prevention must keep pace with performance ambitions.
“A strong athlete is a healthy athlete,” he concluded. “Our goal is to create an environment where African athletes can perform at their best — safely and sustainably.”
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