Prof. Kannangara

Prof. Siri Kannangara

It was so ironic that Prof. Kannangara, who has been

associated with exemplary involvements in multifarious

aspects of Australian sports events, ranging from its

domestic to international arena, was a very young

enthusiastic even as a student, during both his post and

pre-enrollment times into the university ; then, he had a

deep down desire to be involved with sports.

© MatCRod

His charismatic destiny was forming unknowingly, to be

a part of Australia's glistening eras of sports history,

when he captained the combined university's Hockey

and Table Tennis teams and also, further showed his

such zest & talents at Basket Ball.

He has always had, a deep affiliation to sports from very

early days of his life which finally surmounted with his

devotion to the academic field of Sports Medicine.

Now, his day’s agenda of life is a routine but, a special

delivery of service and contribution to all the roots of

Australia's Sports Medicine-its development & practice,

for the community and sports specialists equally, in an

unequivocal manner.

Early Days: Guy's Hospital in London ( London

University

)

After gaining a scholarship at academically prestigious

Guy's Hospital( London University) in London, in order

to specialize in Sports Medicine, Prof. Kannangara knew

that it was not going to be an accident for him to be a

part of Australasia’s leading sports history.

It was one of the greatest occasions in his life when

circumstances were guided for Prof. Kannangara to be

associated with Dr. Brian Corrigan-one of his former

Senior colleagues, who was probably known as,

'Australia's father of Sports Medicine'!

One of the greatest sportsmen of all time and, of course

in Soccer, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known

as Pelé, has once said, "Enthusiasm is everything. It

must be taught and vibrating like a guitar string".

Prof. Kannangara always knew his deep down

passionate enthusiasm to be a service to the specific

fields of Sports in Australia as the causation, far beyond

all his own success story and evolution, within the

sporting history of Australia and Australasia.

Prof. Kannangara became the first Australian doctor, in

representing FIFA in 1991; at the time, there were only

11 medical professionals in the entire FIFA medical

board that representing the entire globe. Then, it

represented and marked the occasion in history, this as

the most senior Sports Medicine appointment ever made

in Australia in conjunction with FIFA.

And consequently, him being inducted to the ”Hall of

Fame & honor roll” of Soccer Australia in 2003 for

contributions made over 25 years to the game of Soccer

in Australia, Oceania and the world was no accident . But

, it should be realized as a resonance to the special

highlights of sports in Australia alone, with his unique

achievement, as a dedicated Australian with his

connection to the meritorious services in the field of

Australian Sports Medicine and sports alike!

He taught himself, while fine tuning his meteoric

academic involvements and achievements, far beyond its

average course of conservative way of personal gain to be

successful, irrespective with his vibrant & humble

personality.

And instead, he considered his duty of care in the field

of Sports Medicine, as an embellishment , intuitively

meditating as to how he could have contributed to this

country's requirement of high level standards in the

field, not as a personal success story but, realizing the

big picture of Australia's idyllic situation with coherent

potential in all ramose of the field!

Establishment of NISM at Concord Hospital, FIFA , AIS

and Invitation by Media

Prof. Kannangara was instrumental in establishing the

NISM( New South Wales Institute of Sports Medicine) at

Concord Hospital( 1994). In fact, this contribution of

initiation by him opened up a new path to establish and

publicize

•the importance of Sports Medicine,

•exposure of the profile of the Concord a hospital

•and, Sydney University as a specialized Centre for

Sports Medicine, Surgery and Teaching

The existence of the NISM at Concord Hospital has given

its way for the media to focus on related issues of the

sports and thus, creating a stage with various dialogues

to discuss with specialists for their opinion ranging from

“drugs in sports” and sports injuries.

2000 Sydney Olympics and SBS TV

During 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Prof. Kannangara

was not just a only a torch bearer of the events but also,

has demonstrated his extra-ordinary talents in

appearing at the SBS TV by invitation, commentating on

Sports related medical and other local and international

issues daily, during the games as a specialist

commentator. These were varied from topics as widely

as sports , illicit use of drugs in sports and related topics

associated with research !

In his capacity as a member of the FIFA

board( Fédération Internationale de Football

Association), Prof. Kannangara assisted the drafting

and implementation of guidelines for the conduct in

warm and humid climates to safe-guard the health of

the athletes and participants in the game. These are

being evaluated for adaptation adoption by a number of

sporting bodies in the Pacific rim.

This is a tremendous achievement for Australia by an

Australian, within its demarcation and propensity

towards the culture of sports in the country on the world

stage.

Prof. Kannangara had been an invited member of the

AIS( Australian Institute of Sports), Canberra, working

in the areas of pre-participation screening, selection and

program development for Athletes and the Australian

Sports Injury Prevention Task Force.

Soccer, Cricket, Hockey, Netball and various Olympic

Games

It was not long ago when the media was enlightening the

Australian readers about SOCCEROOS superstar Harry

Kewell’s diagnosis in 2002 with a rare blood disorder

that could have killed him along with numerous

interviews they published over Prof. Kannangara.

[

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/harrykewell-

battled-deadly-blood-disease/storye6frewt0-

1225878930321

]

Australians can vividly remember having Australia had

defeated England on their soil, for the first time, when

Australian Socceroos invented the game ! Prof.

Kannangara was there ; not as a spectator but, as

Australia’s Socceroos Doctor!

The exceptional story once again relates to

extraordinary service and decision making that Prof.

Kannangara has made for the Australian Sports that

cannot simply be written in his unparalleled resume:

Once, Prof Kannangara came under tremendous

pressure from then, Leeds Manager who was vehemently

opposing that Harry Kewell shouldn’t play, in case he

would get exacerbated a hamstring injury. When it was

said by the ‘Leeds Manager’ that if anything would

happen to Harry, he would definitely sue Soccer

Australia, Australian Coach and Prof. Kannangara as a

the team’s Doctor. But, in contrary, Prof. Kannangara

certified that Harry was fit enough to play, taking the

entire responsibility in Australia’s favour, whilst making

history, when Harry in fact , did score a sublime goal in

3-1 victory for Australia!

It was none other than the special skills he possesses

that has serviced and delivered Australia in such great

occasions, historically.

Prof. Kannangara was involved with the Australian

Cricket and he was a medical pioneer in World Series

Cricket in 1977. Some of his patients in his medical

clinics are very high profile sports women and men ; in

international cricket some of the players, such as Sachin

Tendulkar , Chaminda Vass were having career

threatening medical injuries when they consulted

Prof.Kannangara and got treatments successfully.

He has been a patron for many Australian based

cricketing bodies on par with Tony Greig whose name

attributes to cricket all over the world.

He is an internationally renowned Sports Medicine

scholar and has functioned as Australia’s Medical

Consultant to the Australian Olympic teams at the

Barcelona, Atlanta, and Sydney Games. ; and also, at

World Cup events for soccer, cricket, netball, and hockey.

With his tremendous contribution to the field of Sports

Medicine is unimaginable as on top of he works with

numerous other hospitals such as Ryde, Concord , Mater

Specialists Centre, with clinics in Dee Why and

Eastwood.

As a Consultant Physician in Rheumatology and Asso.

Prof. at Sydney University, he has trained over 36 yrs,

many Rheumatologists alike, with his continuous

contribution for teaching , clinical services, including

paid and unpaid services to the community and, towards

the Australia’s sustainable growth of sports medicine.

His teaching categories include training medical under

graduates, post-graduates, General Practitioners,

International training in the field of Medicine and

delivery of Public Lectures connected with sports , drugs

and medical conferences.

The community and the professionals alone became so

much informed as to the exceptional lengths Prof.

Kannangara had delivered his extra ordinary services to

the field of Sports Medicine and the community in

Australia and internationally, when a large gathering

honoured him with a colourful Felicitation Ceremony last

year, Nov. 2011!

His indefatigable mind-body, generosity and kind

attitude towards patients, in all his life and compassion,

are the underneath ingredients that had combined with

his unparalleled medical skills & intuition in the field of

Sports Medicine & Rheumatology.

Professor Kannangara has shown his noble attitude to

such patients, honoring his heart-felt gratitude to this

country’s medical profession by working long hours,

putting the community welfare & health as the top

priority of his daily routine with long working hours,

over and above his family & personal life!

Without a resume we all have seen for many decades in

Australia, the Herculean tasks he involved himself,

entirely dedicating his life for the field of Sports

Medicine and the services to this country’s quality and

sustainability of medical services with par excellence

without boundaries and, creating precedents for services

for Australia in his field of Sports Medicine, humanistic

disposition, approachability and affability.

Even in this fast paced world where everybody is busy

minding their own business, there are doctors who take

an active role in improving community healthcare, and,

thereby increasing the public’s confidence in

the medical profession. These ‘doctors with a heart’ go

beyond the call of duty and reach out to the lesser

privileged that have a tough time affording the health

services they desperately need.

Professor Siri Kannangara, always devoted his time for

the Medical field and delivery of its highest standards in

Australia, in front of his personal needs to look after his

fellow professionals, students-men , women & children

from all walks of life, irrespective of any race, cast or

religion and without considering financial aspects of his

medical profession and thereby, truly demonstrating the

quality of medical services in this island continent -

Australia !

-------------------------------

”

The willow which bends to the tempest, often escapes better

than the oak which resists it; and so in great calamities, it

sometimes happens that light and frivolous spirits recover

their elasticity and presence of mind sooner than those of a

loftier character.

Dr.

Albert Schweitzer

© MatCRod 2012SG