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Sports Reporter
THE African Union Sports Council Region 5 have launched an ambitious weekly 30-minute online “Morning Doctor” programme.

The programme is hosted via Facebook Live every Wednesday at 10am.

The Morning Doctor is an intervention to try and deal with the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic which has paralysed sport all over the world over.

A lot of athletes, coaches and administrators are struggling to cope with issues related to exercise, physical activity, healthy and nutrition.

Most importantly, some sportsmen and sportswomen are battling anxiety and other anxieties that could lead to depression.

The Morning Doctor provides solutions to potential hazards by educating the sports movement on how to adjust their exercise, fitness, physical activity, diet and training periodisation, among others.  The AUSC Region 5 chief executive, Stanley Mutoya of Zimbabwe, expressed excitement over the launch of this innovation.

“We are delighted that the #StaySafe Campaign has received so much support from our key role players, opinion leaders and athletes”, Mutoya said.

“To date, video messages from ministers responsible for sport in Angola, Eswatini and Angola have been carried on the platform and more continue to be uploaded in order to consistently convey the message across.”

The Morning Doctor is being hosted by a South African doctor, Phatokuhle Zondi, a Sports and Exercise Medicine Physician experienced in clinical sports medicine, general management, and leadership.

Zondi serves as the chair of the Medical Advisory Commission for the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee.

The design of the programme is such that Zondi will be working with a team of other doctors from Angola, Botswana, Zamia and Zimbabwe who will form a formidable team of experts to guide sportsmen and sportswomen.

Jao Mulima (Angola), the first FIFA Doctor, physician and chairman of the National Sports Medicine Centre, is part of the team of doctors to run this project.  He is joined by George Magwende (Zambia), a former Senior Assistant Commissioner responsible for health services in the Zambia Correctional Services.