Sean Carmody

Dr Sean Carmody is a medical doctor working full-time with Chelsea Football Club. He graduated from the Hull York Medical School in 2015, and during his medical studies, he completed an intercalated degree in Sport and Exercise Science at Loughborough University. Upon completing his foundation years, he went on to do training in General Practice, gaining full membership in August 2020. He has recently finished his Masters in Sporting Directorship at Manchester Metropolitan University. In March 2021, he commenced the postgraduate diploma in musculoskeletal ultrasound at the University of East London. 

During his initial clinical years, Sean successfully undertook his Masters in Exercise and Sports Medicine (Football) at the University of Birmingham. In 2019, he was accepted to the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine having passed the two-part MFSEM exam. Sean has several peer-reviewed publications in the field of football medicine, including papers on mental health, the retired footballer and training load monitoring. Having played international rugby league for Ireland, Sean is passionate about sport and is in the process of finishing his UEFA B coaching licence. 

Prior to working at Chelsea FC, Sean spent three seasons working with the first team and Academy at Queens Park Rangers FC. He has also held clinical positions with London GAA (Gaelic Football and Hurling) and the European Tour (Golf). He is Senior Editor for Football Medicine & Performance and Secretary for the Football Association Medical Society (FAMS). 

Gino Kerkhoffs

Chair

Gino Kerkhoffs (1972) is professor and head of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery of the Amsterdam University Medical Centers; chair of the Academic Center of Evidence based Sports medicine (ACES), and co-chair of the Amsterdam Collaboration on Health and Safety in Sports (ACHSS), one of the 11 International Olympic Committee (IOC) Centers of Research Excellence for the Prevention of Injury and Promotion of Health in Athletes. His clinical work focusses on sports injuries of the lower extremity and he has been honorary recognized as Team NL Preferred Physician for providing excellent orthopedic medical care to elite athletes by the Dutch National Olympic Committee. His main research topics are:

1. Early detection, diagnosis and (surgical) treatment of ankle cartilage injuries

2. Early detection, diagnosis and (surgical) treatment of muscle injuries of the lower extremity

3. Mental health issues in (elite) athletes.

Through his research Kerkhoffs tries to help athletes to return to sport safely and quickly as well as prevent long term after career sequelae osteoarthritis and mental health problems.

Vincent Gouttebarge

Professor

Prof. dr. Vincent Gouttebarge is a former professional footballer who played 14 seasons in France and The Netherlands (232 games; twice ACLR; twice concussion). He is an Extraordinary Professor in the Section Sports Medicine of the University of Pretoria and based at the Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine department of the Amsterdam University Medical Centers. He is also Chief Medical Officer at FIFPRO (Football Players Worldwide). Prof. dr. Gouttebarge’s work focuses on a wide range of sports medicine domains being relevant in professional sports (emphasis on football), striving to protect and promote the physical, mental and social health of active and former professional athletes. He is Chair of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Mental Health Working Group, co-Director of the IOC Programs on Mental Health in Elite Sport, member of the Medical Committee of the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF), member of the Medical Expert Group of the French Professional Football League (LFP), member of the Concussion Expert Group of the International Football Association Board (The IFAB), member of the Concussion in Para Sport (CIPS) group, and member of the South African Sports Medicine Association (SASMA). Prof. dr. Gouttebarge is also a member of the Editorial Board of the South African Journal of Sports Medicine. If you want to know more about his research and publications, it might be worth checking out his Scopus profile.