December 9, 2025
Under the patronage of Professor Ahmed El-Minshawy, President of Assiut University, the Community Service and Environmental Development Sector at the Faculty of Medicine organized the 8th Community Environmental Day under the theme “Health and Social Risks of Sports Doping”. The event was held under the supervision of Professor Mohamed Ahmed Adawy, Vice President of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs; Professor Alaa Attia, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Chair of the University Hospitals Board; Professor Hoda Makhlouf, Vice Dean for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs; and Dr. Medhat El-Arabi, Professor of Public Health at the Faculty of Medicine and coordinator of the day’s activities.
The event saw the participation of Professor Mohamed Abdel Rahman, Vice Dean for Education and Student Affairs; Professor Khaled Abdel Aziz, Director of the Main University Hospital; as well as a number of faculty members, teaching assistants from the Faculties of Medicine and Sports Sciences, and other staff members.
Professor Ahmed El-Minshawy highlighted the University’s commitment to health awareness as a core component of building individuals and society. He emphasized that the use of sports doping represents a real threat to youth if not accompanied by proper medical awareness and health education. He added that the activities of the Environmental Day aim to shed light on the health and social risks of sports doping while promoting a culture of responsibility and awareness among young people.
Professor Mohamed Ahmed Adawy noted that addressing the phenomenon of sports doping requires a coordinated effort among educational, medical, and media institutions to protect youth and promote healthy lifestyle practices. He emphasized that the University seeks through this Environmental Day to educate students about the risks and ethical implications of doping, encouraging safe and responsible athletic practices that contribute to the development of a strong and aware generation.
Professor Alaa Attia stated that sports are a cornerstone of public health, yet the misuse of sports doping transforms them into a serious threat to individual health. He highlighted the growing prevalence of doping among youth and its severe health consequences, including kidney and liver failure, as well as hormonal and psychological disorders.
Professor Mohamed Abdel Rahman pointed out that sports doping has become one of the most dangerous threats to youth health, especially with the widespread promotion of products on social media under misleading labels such as “performance enhancement” or “muscle building,” without warning of potential health risks.
Professor Hoda Makhlouf emphasized that organizing the Environmental Day is part of the Faculty of Medicine’s community role, aiming to raise awareness among youth about the medical and ethical risks associated with unsupervised use of doping and dietary supplements. She stressed the importance of delivering awareness messages both inside and outside the University.
Professor Khaled Abdel Aziz highlighted the ongoing collaboration between University Hospitals and the Community Service and Environmental Development Sector at the Faculty of Medicine to support health awareness initiatives. He noted that the dangers of doping are not limited to athletes but also affect non-athletes due to their severe health implications.
Professor Medhat El-Arabi outlined that the Environmental Day included several specialized scientific lectures. These comprised a lecture on the key health risks of hormones and sports doping for individuals and society, a session on “Drug and Doping Analysis at Assiut University Hospitals: Positive or Negative Results” presented by Professor Hanan Said Farghly, Head of the Pharmacology Department at the Faculty of Medicine, and a lecture on “Doping and Supplements: Effects on Performance and Ethical Risks for Individuals and Society” delivered by Dr. Emad Shaaban, Professor at the Faculty of Sports Sciences. Additional lectures included “Dietary Supplements in Sports: Between Fact and Fiction” by Dr. Doaa Mohamed Abdel Rahman, Assistant Professor of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, and “Common Dietary Supplements and Sports Doping Substances in the Egyptian Market” by Dr. Ali Nour, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Sports Sciences.
