Good news for the 15.9 million licenses issued or renewed every year.
Until now, a medical certificate of non-contraindication to sports was required to be renewed annually to renew a sports license. This requirement posed a significant constraint for athletes or parents, especially during the school start or around January 1st, and represented a considerable administrative burden for clubs.
To encourage as many people as possible to engage in physical and sports activities, it is necessary to remove as many obstacles as possible.
Starting from this 2016 school year*, optional sports activities offered in middle and high schools will no longer require a medical certificate, similar to the compulsory Physical Education activities for which students’ ability to engage in sports is presumed.
Regarding license renewals, a certificate will only be required once every three years (instead of annually). In other years, the license holder will fill out a health questionnaire to identify any potential risk factors, which may require an annual medical visit if necessary. Otherwise, they will attest to the federation that this is not the case.
This medical certificate will be valid for general sports practice, potentially excluding one or more disciplines, rather than for just one discipline (as was previously the case).
For certain disciplines that present particular health risks or require perfect physical condition, such as diving, skydiving, or boxing, the medical certificate will remain annual, and the medical examination will be enhanced, considering the characteristics of the discipline.
This simplification will be beneficial for the development of physical and sports practice, while maintaining a high level of health assurance.
