Any participant in the marathon, be it a regular runner or participating in the race for the first time, must provide the organizers of the event with a medical certificate of his health.
Without this paper, admission to the marathon is excluded. Why is such a medical certificate needed, what is it like, and what form should it be? In which institutions can you undergo a medical examination and receive this certificate? All these questions are answered in this article.
Why do I need a certificate to participate in a long distance race?
The presence of such a certificate for any of the participants in the race is enshrined in federal legislation, namely: by order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation N 613n dated 09.08.2010 "On the approval of the procedure for providing medical assistance during physical culture and sports events."
This regulatory legal act reveals the nuances of providing medical care to those who are involved in sports and physical education, as well as those who, among other things, participate in mass sports competitions (including the marathon).
The law applies not only to professional athletes, but also to amateurs.
Clause 15 of this regulatory legal act contains the rule of admission to participate in competitions (including marathon) only if the participant has a medical certificate. The requirements are as follows: “The admission of an athlete to the competition is carried out by the medical committee (medical team) of the competition, which includes the chief physician of the competition.
Doctors participating in the work of the medical committee check the medical reports provided by the athletes (team representatives) on admission to participate in competitions, determine the compliance of the athlete's age with the regulations on competitions. "
This paragraph of the rules also says about the inadmissibility to the race in the absence of such a medical certificate: "Athletes are not allowed to participate in competitions in the absence of a medical certificate or containing incomplete information."
In which institutions can you undergo a medical examination to get a certificate?
The list of such institutions is also contained in the above rules of the Ministry of Health, in paragraphs 4 and 5.
The following institutions are named:
- in departments (or offices) of sports medicine in outpatient clinics,
- in medical and physical dispensaries (otherwise - centers of physiotherapy exercises and sports medicine).
The certificates must be issued either by sports medicine doctors or physical therapy doctors, based on the results of medical examinations.
Let's take a closer look at the above institutions where you can get a medical certificate to participate in a long distance race.
Outpatient polyclinic institutions
These types of medical institutions include, for example, a polyclinic at the place of residence, or an outpatient clinic, or a health center.
However, the following should be noted. Alas, some cases have been recorded when in such institutions, for example, ordinary clinics, those who applied for a medical certificate to participate in the marathon were refused.
Know: such a refusal is illegal. Most often, such refusals are due to the fact that the staff simply has not previously encountered such a request, or it may be some kind of far-fetched reason. Get your way!
Sports medicine cabinets
In the institutions listed earlier, there are similar offices - your path for a medical certificate lies right here.
Paid medical centers
For help to participate in the races, you can also contact the outpatient medical centers, which provide their services on a paid basis. However, ask in advance if they have the right to issue such certificates.
Medical and physical dispensaries (centers of sports physical education and physiotherapy exercises)
Such medical facilities are specialized. The staff here are usually approached by people who are seriously involved in sports.
Which form is required?
The form of the certificate is not currently regulated by our legislation. She is arbitrary. However, the paper must necessarily contain the following:
- doctor's signature,
- "Triangular" stamp of the medical institution that issued the certificate,
- the following example phrase must be present without fail: "(full name) may be allowed to compete in distance running ... kilometers." It is not necessary to write in exactly these words, the main thing is the essence. A marathon distance in kilometers must be prescribed, no less than the distance that you are going to run.
If you contact special medical institutions, you do not have to explain all such nuances to the local doctor: they know them perfectly. Therefore, advice: if possible, contact the specialized medical institutions mentioned above for obtaining a certificate for participation in the competition.
Certificate validity period
As a rule, such a certificate is issued for a period of six months.
Usually, medical certificates are presented to the organizers of a particular competition, at the end of which it can be returned to your hands. Therefore, the certificate can be used for six months at once in several competitions that meet the criteria for which it was issued.
The cost of obtaining a certificate
As a rule, paid medical centers charge an average of three hundred to one thousand rubles for a given medical certificate.
What is required to obtain a medical certificate?
Usually, apart from time and money, to receive this type of medical certificate, nothing is required except your personal presence and your passport.
In paid medical centers, a certificate can be obtained, on average, within half an hour. In an ordinary clinic at the place of residence, this time can be extended.
Why doesn't health insurance replace a certificate?
Often, marathon organizers require participants to provide two documents at once: a medical certificate and a life and health insurance contract against accidents.
However, both of these papers do not replace and in no way can replace each other.
The fact is that, according to the life and health insurance contract against accidents, you can get insurance in the event of an insured event. The content of the insurance contract does not in any way convey information about your health condition and regulates other legal relations in a completely different area.
A medical certificate is a different matter. It is she who gives information about your state of health, and it is on the basis of this document that you can be admitted to the competition.
All athletes, both professionals and amateurs, are aware of the need to obtain a medical certificate to be admitted to races, both short and long, marathon distances.
After all, the loads, especially over long distances, are significant, so in case of health problems, they can become dangerous. Therefore, it is imperative to undergo a medical examination to make sure that you have no contraindications and you can safely participate in the marathon.
where to go for a certificate - to a regular clinic under the compulsory medical insurance policy or to a paid medical center - it's up to you. After reading this article, you are armed with all the information you need to obtain such a document.
