ISEH’s Professor James Hull, Consultant Respiratory Physician, and Professor Martin Schwellnus, visiting Chair in Sport and Exercise Medicine, were photographed with other speakers and faculty having led the first-ever International Olympic Committee (IOC) Course on “Respiratory Care for Olympic Athletes” On 25 and 26 October in Rome, Italy,
The course aimed to equip healthcare professionals with essential skills to identify respiratory illness patterns, assess risk factors, and recognise the key clinical features of acute respiratory conditions in athletes.
Participants gained the confidence to perform and interpret specialised tests for diagnosing respiratory conditions in both clinical and field settings, with a focus on distinguishing between infectious respiratory diseases, asthma, and exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO).
Health professionals also engaged in various interactive discussions on selected topics and had several practical demonstrations and case discussions in break-out groups to explore practical ways to improve respiratory care for Olympic and other high-level athletes.