DR CARL TABANE
HEADS TO
THE QATAR 2022
FIFA WORLD CUP
Author: Kamokgelo Malinga
© Sundowns MediaMamelodi Sundowns’ Official Team Medical Doctor, Dr. Carl Tabane will be heading to Qatar for the upcoming 2022 World Cup.

Dr. Tabane was invited in April by the FIFA Medical Centre to go work at the World Cup, and after going through a successful interview process it has been confirmed that he will be working as the Qatar 2022 FIFA Medical Coordinator. 
The Qatar 2022 World Cup commences on the 20th of November 2022.
“I got an invitation from FIFA Medical Centre in April, and they were offering me a position to come and work at the upcoming Qatar FIFA World Cup. I had to go through an interview process to determine if I was well suited for the position. The interview went well and in July I was invited to Zurich at the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence to undergo the necessary training.”
Going to the FIFA World Cup, Dr. Tabane will be the FIFA Medical Coordinator working alongside the Venue Medical Officer, where he will be positioned at the Education Stadium in Qatar. His duties entail looking after the medical needs of the perspective team that will be placed at the stadium. This means that he will be checking for hospitals close to the stadium, ensuring that they support and assist the teams should they need any emergency medical care.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup which was a memorable and historic moment for South Africa was the last World Cup that Dr. Tabane participated in. As the years have gone by, the way things are done with regards to the FIFA tournament has changed. Times are different and with the Qatar 2022 World Cup being the first to be hosted during the Covid-19 Pandemic, things are bound to be different, but teams have to adjust and deliver high range performance.

WHO (The World Health Organisation) and the State of Qatar have partnered
up to ensure that there is a healthy and safe FIFA World Cup tournament this year, Dr. Tabane shares his thoughts on this partnership. “It’s a great initiative because it’s a yardstick where the health of the players and supporters at the stadium will be well looked after. It has always been the culture with FIFA to ensure that there is enough medical coverage and to guarantee that with each tournament they do better.”

Dr. Tabane has been with Mamelodi Sundowns for 10 years and mentions that through his work at the club he was able to get recognition from FIFA and receive this big opportunity. “This is an opportunity I’m eternally grateful for. I’ve had a very informative 10 years at Mamelodi Sundowns as I was learning very day. It is my participation at the club with the team that I have earned this opportunity and I owe it to the Mamelodi Sundowns family - The President (Dr Patrice Motsepe), the Chairman (Tlhopie Motsepe), the board and everybody who has supported me throughout.”

The Bafana Ba Style Medical Doctor adds that this is an exciting time for him and mentions that the opportunity come with a little bit of anxiety and pressure because of its calibre but it's an opportunity that one can only wish for. He further describes it as ‘something that has always been his dream’.

Mental health Is an important aspect that needs to be taken into consideration especially in big tournaments like the FIFA World Cup. Dr. Carl Tabane shares that participating at the FIFA level brings a lot of anxiety for the coaches, the players and the technical team so it’s important to ensure that everyone is in a positive mental state going into this tournament.

The Brazilians are proud to have their Medical Doctor participate in this years FIFA World Cup and wish him the best of luck. The Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to start in the 20th of November 2023 and Dr. Tabane will be expected to be in Qatar by then reporting for duty.
He will report to the Education Stadium in Qatar and will be there until the 11th of December 2022, where he will then fly back to South Africa.
READ MORE LIKE THIS