Building Medical Questionnaires That Work for Saudi & MENA Football & Olympic Sport
Building Medical Questionnaires That Work for Saudi & MENA Football & Olympic Sport
Effective athlete care in Saudi Arabia and across the MENA region begins long before an injury, a training session, or a medical consultation. It begins with trust, clarity, and systems that reflect how decisions are made in our environment. Medical questionnaires are often the first visible point where this becomes clear.
In many Western systems, questionnaires assume individual autonomy, direct disclosure, and linear medical pathways. In Saudi and MENA sport, information flows differently. Families, guardians, and club leadership play a central role in communication, consent, and decision‑making. A questionnaire must therefore do more than collect data, it must signal safety, respect cultural norms, and create a structure that supports informed, context‑appropriate care.
When designed well, questionnaires become the foundation of a culturally aligned medical system. They support athlete welfare, enable early identification of risk, and create a consistent baseline for performance and medical teams. These are not adapted Western templates; they are region‑aligned, culturally intelligent system components built for Saudi and MENA sport.
Designing for the Region, Not Importing Templates
During my work at Etihad Club in Jordan, I developed medical questionnaires for every age group: U13, U15, U16, U17, U19, Women’s First Team, and Men’s First Team. Each version reflected the realities of our region and the way decisions are made in Jordanian and wider MENA households.
The structure remained consistent across all teams, injuries, sleep, nutrition, hormonal health, recovery, bone health, and well‑being, but the depth, sensitivity, and framing changed with age and gender. This approach ensures cultural alignment while maintaining medical accuracy and performance relevance.
Youth Athletes: Family‑Centred and Age‑Appropriate
For younger athletes, the questionnaire must support the role of parents and guardians. This includes:
Clear explanation of purpose
Guardian identity and relationship to the athlete
Age‑appropriate language
Questions that encourage safe disclosure without pressure
This approach reflects how decisions are made in Saudi and MENA households and supports safeguarding requirements for minors.
Older Athletes: Confidentiality and Direct Support
As athletes mature, the questionnaire shifts toward:
Confidentiality statements
Clear rationale for sensitive questions
Direct communication with the medical and performance team
Greater autonomy in reporting health information
This progression respects maturity, privacy, and the athlete’s growing independence.
System Examples
Energy and Recovery (RED‑S)
RED‑S appears in every questionnaire because low energy availability affects boys, girls, men, and women.
U16 Girls: menstrual irregularities, fatigue, appetite changes
U15 Boys: growth, appetite, hydration, sleep
These are culturally safe entry points that still provide essential data.
Girls’ Health (Hormonal and Energy)
Introduced early for U13 Girls to reflect the onset of hormonal changes that influence training, mood, and recovery. The framing is factual, modest, and aligned with regional expectations.
Bone and Musculoskeletal Health
Bone stress injuries, low bone density, and bow‑leggedness affect boys and men in the region as much as girls and women. Limited sun exposure, rapid growth, and sport‑specific loading patterns make early screening essential.
Mental Health and Well‑Being
A culturally sensitive 1–10 scale allows athletes to express stress, coping, and stability without judgement. This supports early intervention and builds psychological safety within hierarchical environments.
Why This Matters for Saudi and MENA Sport
A well‑designed questionnaire is not an administrative task. It is a system tool that:
Creates clarity and consistency
Supports early identification of risk
Aligns with SCFHS, SAFF, and PDPL requirements
Builds trust with athletes and families
Forms the baseline for long‑term athlete development
Supports Vision 2030 goals for health, performance, and equity
It is one of the simplest and most effective ways to raise standards across clubs, academies, and federations.
Next in the Series
Part 2 will explore age ‑ and gender‑specific screening design principles for Saudi and MENA sport.
Part 3 will outline why blood testing must be standardised across Saudi football and Olympic sport, following the coordinated model already used in Jordan.