Dr. Shihab Al-Din bin Ahmed Al-Riyami, Volleyball Coach at the Deanship of Student Affairs and an international lecturer in volleyball and physical conditioning, took part in the second edition of the Sports Science Forum. The event was organised by the Department of Sports Medicine and Sciences at the Directorate General of Sports Care and Development, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.

The forum attracted a wide range of medical professionals and sports rehabilitation specialists representing government institutions and sports academies that play an active role in supporting the sports sector in Oman.

Dr. Al-Riyami’s participation included the presentation of a scientific paper published in an international journal in the field of sports sciences. The paper examined the overall effect of caffeine on stimulating vital systems in athletes’ bodies during training. Caffeine is widely recognised as one of the most common performance-enhancing substances in sport. Research has shown that oral intake at doses ranging between 3 and 9 mg per kilogramme of body weight can enhance various aspects of physical performance, including strength and power. However, the extent to which these effects translate into sport-specific skills in volleyball remains insufficiently understood.

The organisation of the forum formed part of ongoing efforts to develop the sports medicine and sports science ecosystem in the Sultanate of Oman, building on the success of its first edition. The event highlighted the importance of strengthening communication and knowledge exchange among specialists and of creating a supportive scientific environment that contributes to improving rehabilitation and medical services provided to athletes.

The forum also reflected the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth’s commitment to establishing an integrated sports science system based on developing national competencies, enhancing professional collaboration, and raising awareness of the role of sports medicine and sciences in supporting athletic performance, preventing injuries, and improving rehabilitation and movement therapy programmes in line with modern scientific standards.

The forum was held under the patronage of Hisham bin Juma Al-Sinani, Director General of Sports Care and Development at the Ministry. It was attended by 60 medical professionals, specialists and researchers in sports medicine, rehabilitation and physiotherapy, representing a number of institutions linked to the sports sector in Oman, as part of ongoing efforts to promote a scientific approach to sports development and to enhance the quality of medical services provided to athletes.