Johan Le Roux

Johan le Roux is a researcher, registered clinical psychologist and multi-award winning rugby broadcaster in South Africa. He completed a master’s degree in clinical psychology in 2021 at the Nelson Mandela University. He also holds two honours degrees (both Cum Laude), a bachelors degree and was awarded the Dean’s Merit Award by the University of the Western Cape in 2019. 

He runs his own clinical psychology practice in Somerset West where he works with adults, adolescents as well as elite and amateur athletes. As a rugby broadcaster he provided coverage for South Africa’s national broadcaster at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and has provided lead commentary on multiple rugby test matches across the African continent. 

Gino Kerkhoffs

Chair

Gino Kerkhoffs (1972) is professor and head of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery of the Amsterdam University Medical Centers; chair of the Academic Center of Evidence based Sports medicine (ACES), and co-chair of the Amsterdam Collaboration on Health and Safety in Sports (ACHSS), one of the 11 International Olympic Committee (IOC) Centers of Research Excellence for the Prevention of Injury and Promotion of Health in Athletes. His clinical work focusses on sports injuries of the lower extremity and he has been honorary recognized as Team NL Preferred Physician for providing excellent orthopedic medical care to elite athletes by the Dutch National Olympic Committee. His main research topics are:

1. Early detection, diagnosis and (surgical) treatment of ankle cartilage injuries

2. Early detection, diagnosis and (surgical) treatment of muscle injuries of the lower extremity

3. Mental health issues in (elite) athletes.

Through his research Kerkhoffs tries to help athletes to return to sport safely and quickly as well as prevent long term after career sequelae osteoarthritis and mental health problems.

Vincent Gouttebarge

Professor

Prof. dr. Vincent Gouttebarge is a former professional footballer who played 14 seasons in France and The Netherlands (232 games; twice ACLR; twice concussion). He is an Extraordinary Professor in the Section Sports Medicine of the University of Pretoria and based at the Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine department of the Amsterdam University Medical Centers. He is also Chief Medical Officer at FIFPRO (Football Players Worldwide). Prof. dr. Gouttebarge’s work focuses on a wide range of sports medicine domains being relevant in professional sports (emphasis on football), striving to protect and promote the physical, mental and social health of active and former professional athletes. He is Chair of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Mental Health Working Group, co-Director of the IOC Programs on Mental Health in Elite Sport, member of the Medical Committee of the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF), member of the Medical Expert Group of the French Professional Football League (LFP), member of the Concussion Expert Group of the International Football Association Board (The IFAB), member of the Concussion in Para Sport (CIPS) group, and member of the South African Sports Medicine Association (SASMA). Prof. dr. Gouttebarge is also a member of the Editorial Board of the South African Journal of Sports Medicine. If you want to know more about his research and publications, it might be worth checking out his Scopus profile.