The rules concerning medical certificates of fitness for sport become optional at school, and less frequent for clubs.
Back to school is approaching, and athletes are getting ready. But this year, the hassle of getting a doctor’s appointment only for a medical certificate of fitness for sport will be alleviated.
The law of January 26, 2016 on the modernization of the health system provides for a modification of the rules in force. For school sports, whether they are compulsory courses or optional activities offered in middle and high schools, no certificate of non-contraindication will be required.
Every three years for clubs
For those participating in club sports, whether minors or adults, the rules have also been relaxed: the medical examination will only be required once every three years, instead of once a year as it is. ‘was the case until now.
Some particularly demanding sports will nevertheless be excluded from this simplification: for diving, parachuting or boxing for example, the old rules will continue to apply.
Less expensive and less restrictive sport
This is good news for practitioners who will not have to make this restrictive visit which sometimes amounted to a simple courtesy visit without a thorough examination. Satisfied also, the coaches, for whom the month of September often rhymes with a race for papers. Moreover, they often resigned themselves to letting athletes train while waiting for their medical certificate, at the risk of incurring the wrath of insurance in the event of an incident.
Families will also be relieved: the registration fees for school sports (UNSS) climbed with the amount of the medical examination, not reimbursed by Health Insurance. For a family with two or three children, sport could quickly become expensive.
The measure could simplify access to sport for all, and thus promote practice among the youngest. Good news for public health.
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