Wow Sport Therapy: The Road to Rio... helping British Athletes

I am delighted to be supporting unfunded British athletes on the road to Rio

The Sports Massage Association, the Professional Association for Sports Massage Therapists and Soft Tissue Therapists in the UK, is offering tangible support for unfunded British Athletes on the run up to next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio. The SMA has created a register on its website where athletes can access the details of members who have signed up to be part of the SMA Road2Rio Sponsorship Programme.

Members across the country will be offering athletes discounts of up to 50% from their normal treatment fee.

As we know our very top athletes benefit from funding which includes medical, physical therapy and coaching support, however athletes further down the pecking order can find themselves in a very difficult situation having to almost entirely self-fund. This initiative, the first of its kind to be launched on a national basis, will allow athletes access to physical therapy at affordable prices.

The initiative has already received considerable support from athletes and coaches across all sports.

“For as many athletes that are on funding and receiving medical support there are plenty more busting a gut that are no longer part of the programme or not quite there yet that still harbour realistic ambitions of making championships and representing their country”

Tom Parsons, British High Jumper

Twitter: @SMARoad2Rio #SMARoad2Rio supported by the following athletes: Greg Rutherford, Nathan Douglas, Perry Shakes-Drayton, James Guy, Louise Hazel, Luke Gunn, Marlon Devonish, Tereza Pribanova, Flo Parry, Anita North, Helen Clitheroe, Katharine Merry, Loretta Livingstone, Richard Taylor, Ross Austen and Tom Parsons.

For further information please contact:

Paula Clayton SMA Director: tel: 07811946955 email: paula@thesma.org

Nick Mooney SMA Director: tel: 07710036890 email: nick@thesma.org

Paul Medlicott SMA Chair: tel: 07427111725 email: paul@thesma.org