Over 4,000 football players affiliated with the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) will benefit from a major health service deal of $21 million offered by Delgado Health Services.

Delgado Health Services managing Director, Ryon Brooks, made the announcement at a press launch at the his company’s offices at 29 Windsor Avenue, Kingston 5, on Wednesday.

The programme, which embraces KSAFA players at the youth and senior levels, KSAFA referees and council members, will cost $7.2 million per year and will be in effect until August 2020.

Under this partnership — which means free benefits to youth players — electrocardiogram (ECG) tests and injuries sustained at KSAFA events during the season, will be covered. The services will also include physiotherapy, orthopaedic consultation, and general medical consultations.

Delgado Health Services will also provide medical teams at all matches, starting at the quarter-final stages.

Also under the partnership, senior players, council members and KSAFA referees will be offered an ECG KSAFA test prior to the start of the season for a cost of no more than $500.

“I played my football under the guidance of David Hunt and I always wanted to find a way to honour the gentleman. I met the KSAFA president, Wayne Shaw through netball and we became acquainted and after he became president of KSAFA I called him and told him I have something that I will like to give to you. I went down to his office and I made the offer to sponsor KSAFA football along with Dr Wright from under-13 to Under-20; we want to give them the best possibility to transition. We know that there is a lot of money in football now but there are good players who are ailing for months for years. Health is paramount to me so I go to the doctor,” said Brooks.

“[It is] a key element in joining the KSAFA family to eliminate health risks by serving to improve the general health quality of all teams, and by virtue of this, to upgrade the general standard of play from the Under-13s through to the Under-20 stages,” KSAFA President Wayne Shaw said.