New Delhi: Sports Injury Centre (SIC) at Safdarjung Hospital and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Friday signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen sports medicine, injury management and research for Indian athletes.The partnership will combine SIC’s clinical expertise with SAI’s nationwide athlete network to provide integrated care covering injury prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and sports science support. It will also focus on developing evidence-based treatment protocols, India-specific research, medical education and capacity building.Union health secretary Punya Salila Srivastava described the agreement as the beginning of a long-term partnership between the health and sports sectors. She said the health ministry would explore expanding sports medicine facilities, strengthen postgraduate training and encourage newer AIIMS to develop specialised sports medicine services for athletes.Sports secretary Hari Ranjan Rao said India needs sports medicine research based on the physiology of Indian athletes rather than relying largely on Western data. He also proposed linking SAI’s centres of excellence with nearby medical colleges to strengthen specialised care, research and training.Officials said the collaboration aims to create a coordinated healthcare ecosystem for athletes and support staff, while advancing research and innovation to improve performance, reduce injuries and speed up recovery.