Written by Dr James Power US, and Steven Smilkstein South Africa
JJIF World Cup, Beer Sheva Israel 16-18 June 2023, Our experience working at an international
Dear colleagues and fellow Sports Chiropractors. It is always a privilege to be able to be selected and represent FICS in an international competition.
FICS has a wonderful relationship with many sporting federations but one that is especially growing in popularity is the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF). President Rick Frowyn and his amazing team of officials welcomed James and me and treated us as part of their own team, not only including us in briefing us but also introducing us to the athlete body which helped break the ice and encourage athletes to use our facilities from the first day.
Arriving in such a beautiful country such as Israel is always a welcome event. Catching Flights, trains, and taxis to the hotel and the sports venue was simple and easy with little to no hassle at all where we were placed in the hotel, geared up, and taken to the sports arena immediately to set up our designated area which was world-class. We were placed in an advantageous space right next to the warm-up area where the athletes got to see our work first-hand.
The JJIF World Cup competition consisted of 2 days of competition for Junior and Senior (15-16 June) in the No-Gi competition. And 2 days of traditional Gi for Junior and Senior categories. Each form of competition brings its own injuries to manage. The city of Beer Sheva is a special oasis located in the heart of the Negev Desert with a beautiful vibrant modern lifestyle nestled in an ancient Middle Eastern mix of all cultures, playing perfect host to competitors coming from all over the world. Competitors ranged from 16 to 50 and came from countries such as Israel & Palestine, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, and Croatia to name a few.
Dr Smilkstein pictured right treating an athlete reported that “FICS has managed to unify Sports Chiropractic internationally in such a way that when James and I met, within minutes we established a great working relationship and system that allowed us to work together yet upskill each other in techniques and co-operate on athletes to give the best care for the athletes. We tallied up a collection of 40 patients between the two of us with more than 120 Recorded treatments over the 4 days of competition. We worked tirelessly throughout the day in the desert heat but were showered with happiness and thank you from athletes and families.
Dr Smilkstein said “Dr. James Power was an incredible partner in this event and showed his experience in treating athletes despite language barriers and temperatures that both he and I are not used to. He worked tirelessly and thanks to him we have some incredible footage of the days of working. James kept our spirits high and made sure there was never a dull moment. Dr. James Power, was an incredible partner in this event and showed his experience in treating athletes despite language barriers and temperatures that both he and I are not used to. He worked tirelessly and thanks to him we have some incredible footage of the days of working. James kept our spirits high and made sure there was never a dull moment. Dr. Power showed finesse in his work and his quick-thinking diagnostic skills made a few accurate diagnoses that prevented serious injury to a junior athlete who suffered an injury during warm-up. I commend Dr. Power on his patience and his ability to learn on the go. I want to thank Dr James Power for the most incredible experience and hope to work alongside you again in future events! said Dr Smilkstien.
Dr James Power talked about his experience at this event : My experience was one of many feelings, It is no easy task to go to a foreign country with language limitations. It is a difficult take to travel with beds and equipment from halfway across the globe so ensure that you can arrange for beds at least in the host country. We were not so fortunate and I resorted to paying the extra charge and schlepping my portable table from South Africa to Israel. The reward was worth it.
The need for tape in a sport such as Jiu-Jitsu is a must-have, so ensure you get the supply well in advance. The interaction with the athletes especially young local athletes who have never seen a Chiropractor before was the most uplifting feeling in the world. Seeing these athletes leave your table with all the confidence in the world and winning their matches, is worth every effort of schlepping across the globe.
Being the only form of health care at the competition, and limited resources in strapping (due to short supply) did provide us with some challenges but we managed to help all the athletes that came to us and hold the FICS banner high in the eyes of the JJIF family.
This event was a wonderful learning experience and if invited again to attend, I wouldn’t hesitate to take it on again. We got to see firsthand how Sports Chiropractic has become an integral part of the competition. I hope to see you all at an event soon!
