Olympic physios must work for free

Lynn Booth addresses students in Leeds. Photo: Gabriel Szabo/Guzelian

Speaking at the CSP student representatives development weekend in Leeds, Lynn Booth, clinical lead for physical therapies on the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), said it was too late for physios to work at the London games themselves, but that student physios may still be able to provide voluntary physiotherapy services at a number of pre-games training camps.

'Massive legacy'

Ms Booth promised that the games would provide a ‘massive legacy for physiotherapy and everyone involved’, and she said volunteers, in particular physios, had a vital role to play.

The students’ conference heard that hundreds of physios will be working for free at the London games, where they will be responsible for assessing, treating and rehabilitating athletes.

The physio volunteers will receive free meals, as well as free travel on public transport within London, but they will have to arrange their own accommodation and commit to at least ten days service - and there’s absolutely no guarantee that they will get to watch any of the sporting action.

Advise for future

Ms Booth advised student physiotherapists who would like to be involved in future Olympics, or wanted to work in elite sport, to join the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine, and to gain experience by volunteering.

Although it might be hard work, she said: ‘It’s a wonderful opportunity and I promise you’ll get it back in spadefuls and progress from there’.