Dubai: One of the top sports psychologists in the world has called on sportspeople in the UAE and the region to use science and technology in achieving sporting excellence.
Professor Sidonio Serpa, President of the International Society for Sports Psychology (ISSP) and a professor at the Technical University of Lisbon, spoke to media ahead of the second Dubai International Symposium on Sports Psychology.
The two-day event is being held under the auspices of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) in coordination with the ISSP and the Arab Society for Sports Psychology under the slogan ‘Mental Training: Strategies and Methods’ at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel here on Wednesday and Thursday.
And Serpa said: “Dubai is the right sort of example I can give due to the huge impact the place has made worldwide with its policies in various spheres of living. The progress made by science is being used more and more by sportspersons worldwide to achieve better results, and sportspersons from the UAE and surrounding region should not be left behind.
“Modern-day sport is about the evolution of a sportsperson. While talent plays a crucial role, there are the other dimensions of technical, tactical, physical and psychological aspects that go a long way in forming a successful athlete.”
The Portuguese academic says Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, who was one of his high-profile students, is the prime example of a trainer who uses sports psychology to his advantage. “Jose Mourinho has perfected the art of using psychology with his players. He knows what he must do to get the best out of his players, both on and off the pitch,” he said.
“The modern coach is no longer just a trainer. He also needs to play the role of a mentor and for this he needs to understand the players before giving them counsel. There are so many coaches who need to be familiar with the use of psychology and it is Mourinho who is by far the best example.”
The symposium will be opened by Serpa, who will deliver the keynote address on ‘Psychological Abilities, Talents and Sport Excellence’.
The annual event has attracted some of the biggest names in the field of sport psychology, including Professor Dieter Hackfort from the University of Munich, Germany; Professor Newton Santos Vianna Junior from Brazil; Dr Traci Staller from California State University in the USA; Professor Thomas Schack from Bielefeld University, Germany, and many others.
Also attending the symposium will be other members affiliated to the ISSP who for the past two days had been deliberating various advancements and innovations made by sports psychology worldwide in an attempt to deliver enhanced performances on the playing field.
“Perhaps we are used to this notion that psychology is an ingredient to handle a crisis or a mental health situation involving a person. But we know for sure that psychology is a crucial factor that can build up sturdy athletes and players,” Serpa noted.
