Taking place in conjunction with the 8th AFC Medical Conference, the Medical Awards also pay tribute to the recipients’ tireless efforts in advancing football and simultaneously inspiring countless others across all levels of the game.

 

The AFC Football Medicine Merit Award was conferred on Prof. Dr. Yung Shu-Hang, Patrick from Hong Kong, China while Dr. Khalid Abdulrahman Yousif Al-Khelaifi of Qatar was bestowed the AFC Young Medical Officer Award.

 

A further 13 professionals received the AFC Distinguished Service Awards in the Gold, Silver and Bronze categories, celebrating their longstanding involvement in their respective fields.

 

The AFC Football Medicine Merit Award is the highest honour for medical professionals who have extensively and equitably contributed to the advancement of football medicine across Asia.

 

Prof. Yung, a leading Consultant in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, is widely recognised for his contributions to the field through key roles in organisations such as the International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) and Asian Federation of Sports Medicine (AFSM). Based at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, he is actively involved in education and research, with a focus on sports medicine and arthroscopy.

 

Deeply committed to community service, Prof. Yung provides voluntary medical support to sports communities in Hong Kong, China and internationally, serving as a Medical Consultant to the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

 

He was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of Hong Kong in 2009 in recognition of his achievements.

The AFC Young Medical Officer Award recognises medical professionals aged 45 and below who have significantly contributed to football through their involvement and commitment to research and development.

 

A prominent figure in the medical community, Dr. Al-Khelaifi serves as an orthopaedic surgery consultant and director of the visiting surgeon’s programme at Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sport Medicine Hospital in Doha.

 

He is also the Assistant Chief Editor of the Aspetar Journal and has taught at Qatar's Weill Cornell Medical College and Qatar University Medical College.

 

A Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada, Dr. Al-Khelaifi holds memberships in various prestigious medical organisations and has completed numerous leadership courses, while receiving multiple awards throughout his career, including recognition from His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani.

 

He has also served as a medical officer for several high-profile competitions, including the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

 

 

These awards acknowledge medical officers for their dedicated years of service in their respective professions; distinctions comprise Gold (25 years), Silver (20 years) and Bronze (15 years).

• Dr. Mark Anthony Jones (Australia)

• Dr. Hara Kunio (Japan)

• Mr. Sivanasvaran Suppiah (AFC/Malaysia)

• Dr. Saleh Mohammed Alharthi (Saudi Arabia)

• Dr. Atirek Chivabongs (Thailand)

• Dr. Abdullah Hassan Baroon (United Arab Emirates) – posthumously awarded

• Dr. Mourad Ghrairi (AFC/UAE)

 

• Mr. Gigy George (India)

• Dr. Raju Dangol Maharjan (Nepal)

• Dr. Ahmad Kanjo (Syria)

• Ms. Zeynab Hossein Zadeh (Islamic Republic of Iran)

• Dr. Mohd Zaidi Bin Saleh (Malaysia)

• Ms. Nurhafizah Binte Abu Sujad (Singapore)