Supporting the sporting life

A collection of sporting greats, researchers and health authorities will work to make sport safer for all Victorians whether they're playing at the local oval or the MCG.

The Sports Injury Prevention Taskforce will be chaired by champion netballer Sharelle McMahon and include world-leading Monash University sports injury researcher Professor Caroline Finch, Director of the Australian Centre for Research into Injury in Sport and its Prevention (ACRISP).

Established by the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hugh Delahunty, the taskforce will work to reduce sporting injuries and increase community knowledge of how to deal with them.

Professor Finch will be joined by a number of prominent sports injury experts on the panel.

"I am delighted to be a member of this taskforce and to work to ensure that all Victorians will be able to participate in their chosen sport for as long as they like, through reducing the risk of injury," Professor Finch said. 

"I see my role as helping to provide a strong evidence-base for the taskforce’s recommended injury prevention strategies, as well asidentifying the priority community sport settings for future implementation activities. This will lead to the delivery of safe, welcoming and enjoyable sport settings for everyone."

Professor Finch is one of Australia's leading researchers in sports injury prevention, with a strong focus on translating evidence into practice from the community to the professional level.  She has been a lead investigator on sports injury projects since the early 1990s. 

ACRISP is one of only four centres worldwide to be formally designated by the International Olympic Committee as an International Research Centre for Athlete Health and Injury Prevention.

Director of Monash Sport, Martin Doulton, congratulated Professor Finch.

“This shows that Monash University is one of the world foremost authorities in sports injury and illness prevention, continually contributing to improvements in the health and wellbeing of our community,” Mr Doulton said.

The Sports Injury Prevention Taskforce, which met for the first time this week, will deliver recommendations within two years.