A specialist sport and exercise medicine centre at a university is to become an Olympic research centre.
The National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine based at Loughborough University has been named an International Olympic Committee (IOC) research centre for prevention of injury and protection of athlete health, and is one of just nine in the world.
The IOC has made the protection of athletes' health and the prevention of injuries and illness in sport a top priority for its Medical Commission.
It will now be tasked with researching, developing and implementing effective preventive and treatment strategies for sports-related injuries and illnesses.
It will receive financial support from the IOC and join an international network of expert scientists and clinicians in sports-injury and diseases-prevention research.
"We're delighted to have appointed nine highly qualified centres from the four corners of the world to assist us with our mission," said Dr Ugur Erdener, IOC medical commission chair.
"These centres have demonstrated that they are at the forefront of research in sports medicine and are committed to our shared goal of using knowledge and resources to ensure that athletes can perform at their best level with minimal risks to their health."
Professor Mark Lewis, director of the NCSEM and dean of Loughborough University's school of sport, exercise and health sciences, said: "I'm delighted that our centre has been recognised in this way by the IOC.
"The NCSEM will integrate research, education and clinical services to accelerate the translation of scientific research into new models of healthcare provision, helping to ensure that the UK remains at the cutting edge of the prevention and treatment of sports-related injuries."
As well as looking at athlete injuries and illness, the NCSEM will focus on the wellbeing of the general population.
It will treat injuries caused by exercise and conditions associated with lack of exercise, and help people to cope with existing medical conditions, such as diabetes, through physical activity.
The centre itself is a collaboration of six university and hospital partners – Loughborough University, the University of Nottingham, the University of Leicester, Nottingham University NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Nottingham Healthcare NHS Trust.
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