Luanda - The National Sports Medicine Centre (CENAMED) has denied any responsibility for the withdrawal of athletes from the National Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Team at the African Championships taking place in Namibia.
Speaking to ANGOP in the Province of Luanda, the Centre's director, Stela Cristiano, has explained that some of the team's athletes went to the competition without completing the exams required by the international federation of the sport.
She explained that the responsibility for this act can not be attributed to the institution she leads, since the delegation arrived at the centre for the necessary examinations on the eve of the trip.
"It is not possible to assess almost 70 athletes in less than 48 hours. Some were travelling the same day and others the following day. It was not possible to finalise the tests”, she said.
Then, on the competition stage, athletes Daniela Mandanji (56 kg), the defending champion who was competing in the 60 kg class, Maria Kitoco (70 kg), last year's champion, and Isabel Jamba (56 kg) were excluded from the competition.
The sports medicine specialist said that at the beginning of each season a sports medicine examination must be carried out, which, if it had been done, could have prevented the MMA team's situation.
Stela Cristiano said that medical examinations should be carried out periodically by sports organisations.
Stela Cristiano announced the preparation of a meeting with all sports agents, especially federations, to reiterate, among other things, compliance with the requirement for an annual sports medical assessment, especially for those at the top level of competition.
WR/MC/MRA/jmc
