Previous Page
2012 OLYMPICS VOLUNTEERING COUNTDOWN
TO THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES: VOLUNTEERING
BY LYNN BOOTH, MCSP
In just under three years’ time, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will begin. Our vision within the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is to use the Games to inspire change. The Olympic and Paralympic Games is the largest sporting event in the world and will generate enormous excitement and enthusiasm, which many people want to be part of and, if they are not actually competing, volunteering is the best way to do this, either as a general volunteer or for a specialist role.
VOLUNTEERS AT THE GAMES Volunteers are at the core of the Games and essential to all the functional areas that make up this global festival of sport. Information about the recruitment of up to 70,000 volunteers will be found on www.london2012.com from summer 2010, but it will be worthwhile for interested physical therapists to be aware of what might be expected of volunteers and whether they have the desire and attributes required to volunteer as a physical therapist.
OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC MEDICAL SERVICES There will be three Olympic and Paralympic Villages and five sites for the football venues (spread around Great Britain). The 26 sports will compete in 34 venues at the Olympics and 21 venues at the Paralympics. There will be 10,500 athletes at the Olympic Games and 4,200 athletes at the Paralympic Games coming from 205 and 147 countries respectively. The Olympic Games last for 17 days and the Paralympic Games for 11 days with each Games having a two week build up prior to the Opening Ceremony when medical services have to be provided; over two months in total.
PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES Physical therapy encompasses chiropractic, osteopathy, physiotherapy and sports massage. A physical therapy
service will be provided at the main Polyclinic in the Olympic Village (in East London), at the smaller Polyclinics at Royal
Holloway (rowing and canoeing) and Weymouth (sailing) as well as at all the competition venues and some
training venues. Working within their scope of practice, physical therapists will use their knowledge, skills and experience to assess, treat and rehabilitate. Although the prime aim is to safely return athletes to the field of play as quickly as possible, it is essential that physical therapy volunteers are aware of the importance of working within an interdisciplinary team and using referrals to other disciplines when necessary. At competition and training venues the physical therapists
will provide sport specific expertise in support of doctors and physiotherapists with the individual national teams and the field of play medical teams. Depending on the sport and venue, they may be based in the Athlete Medical Centre or on the field of play itself.
At the Polyclinics the physical therapists will have particular responsibility for seeing athletes who do not have their own national team medical staff and will work closely with other medical professionals, including chiropractors, osteopaths, sports massage practitioners, sports medicine doctors, radiologists and podiatrists. They will also provide back up advice and support for national team medical staff. The detailed provision of these services is already being planned by the Physical Therapy Workstream, led by me.
All short-listed applicants will
be interviewed, and their skills and experience will determine success and help decide at which venues (or Polyclinic) they are most appropriately based. At LOCOG we are looking for physical therapists with sport specific experience. Experience of looking after elite athletes will be of particular value. By identifying and selecting sport medicine volunteers early, LOCOG will identify any potential gaps in sport specific cover or experience. Physical therapists selected as volunteers have the chance to gain further relevant
7