Centre for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine

The Centre for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine was established in response to the Faculty of Health Science’s initiative in developing various aspects of Sport Science in the broadest sense of the term. This led to the establishment of the Centre in 2004, with the aims of addressing issues of academic development, research and service delivery in the focus and niche areas of the field.

Sport and exercise has become recognised internationally as a significant social phenomenon with a particularly powerful and complex role to play in developing countries.  If people of Southern Africa are to have the full benefits of sport participation and exercise, it is imperative that they provide leadership for their own involvement.  One path to the preparation of these leaders is the development of research, academic programmes and professional expertise among members of the community, the sporting fraternity and the appropriately equipped professionals to provide education, training and scientific support; and for treating and preventing sports injuries, medical conditions and managing chronic diseases.

To this end, the three core functions of the Centre are the delivery of Academic Programmes, Research and Service Delivery.

The Wits Centre for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine was established in October 2004. In 2008 it was accredited as Africa’s first FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence. It has since also been accredited as a FIMS (International Sports Medicine Federation) Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine. You can view the FIMS website here.