BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
DOUGLAS Kafa, a qualified physiotherapist and member of the Team Solomon Sports Medicine Team, was one of the numerous local sports medical professionals working behind the scenes for Team Solomon at the XVII Pacific Games 2023.
“Assisting, managing, and preventing injuries that may occur during the Pacific Games is my main duty with Team Solomon.
“This is my first time working as a physiotherapist with athletes from every sporting federation in the nation and taking part in such significant regional sporting events as the Pacific Games.
“I have learned a lot, and the experience and lessons I gained from this year’s Sol2023 Pacific Games were an extra bonus,” he told RAW SPORTS.
Kafa is no stranger to the Solomon Islands football scene; throughout the years, he has played a significant role in the Telekom Super League (TSL), the top domestic football league in the nation. He was instrumental in the Solomon Islands national men’s senior football team’s victory in the 2022 Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) World Cup qualifiers held in Doha, Qatar, thanks to his background as a physiotherapist.
He said that despite the fact that many of our local athletes suffered injuries during the Games, they overcame them and went on to compete in their respective sports.
“We handle a large volume of injuries from all federations. We helped them participate in their events because many of the injuries we see look old and may not have received the proper care. There are numerous injuries, and these injuries, in my opinion, affect how well they perform.
“Our local sports individuals are the unsung heroes who give up a lot to achieve the status we hope or expect for them. It’s not always simple, but many of them aim for gold medals or other medals. Viewed from the stands, we spectators always think that taking home a medal is easy, but it’s not.
“Therefore, from my viewpoint as a physiotherapist, criticism occasionally seemed unjustified. However, that is how things should be. Considering that we are unaware of the athletes’ experiences.
“One of the most important things is probably their recovery after every event, since most of them get injured during practice, competition, or games.
“Thus, in the event that they are hurt while competing, we can help them heal. As Team Solomon’s sport medics, that is one of our main duties, which is very important,” Kafa added.
He said that injuries impact an athlete’s competitive level, even for highly competitive individuals who may not be able to compete.
