Thu, 28 Mar, 2024

 Health and fitness in the UEFA Euro 2016

By Sweekriti Gautam

Picture Courtesy: http://sportsng.com/

The 2016 UEFA European Championship also called the UEFA Euro 2016 or EURO 2016 is scheduled to be held in France from June 10, 2016 to July 10, 2016.  All the football fans are excited to watch the UEFA on June 10. The players have worked very hard for the UEFA Euro and have done tough training. There are certain rules and regulations to follow for all parties participating in the UEFA Euro 2016 and the players must also be concerned about their health and fitness.

The days when players could eat whatever they wanted or do as they want to during the off-season is over. In today's games, players monitor their diet and fitness level during the entire year. Mental strength is just as important as physical strength. So, the mental condition is also equally important as the physical fitness of the players. Nowadays the health of a player is given high priority due to which the role of the medicine and the team doctor in the football has become so crucial that there is a minimum medical requirement given for each player.

The minimum medical requirements are;

  • Medical screening:

UEFA medical regulations specify a detailed medical screening process which players undertake prior to their participation in UEFA football competition.

  • Anti- doping

UEFA anti- doping includes the test of the blood and urine. Tests include screening for substances such as EPO and human growth hormone. The potential players for playing are subjected to anti- doping testing before six months of the competition.

There are also Medical symposiums. They bring together experts from clubs, associations and other parties to review the medical issues in football such as prevention of injuries, sports medicine, current and further development of medicine in football.

The football players also personally follow some health and fitness tips before the game. Some of which are as follows:

  • Players are concerned about the peace of mind and body.
  • They always follow the same routine and stick to it.
  • Proper sleep is very important before the sleep as it helps the muscle to recover.
  • During the training period, they are concerned about eating regularly to keep up the energy levels.
  • They listen to different music of their choice to remain motivated and to do the best.
  • They drink plenty of water and remain hydrated. Also alcohol is avoided during the training period.
  • The players perform different cardio sessions to increase the stamina and to prevent the injury.
  • They minimize the intake of fat and carbohydrate in their diet and maintain the proper intake of balanced diet.