The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Sharon Stay as the A-Leagues’ new Chief Medical Officer.
A Sport and Exercise Physician, Dr Stay brings a wealth of experience across elite sport, having worked with teams and athletes in football, rugby union, rugby league, AFLW, tennis, netball, cricket and skateboarding.
As Chief Medical Officer, Dr Stay will provide expert guidance on medical and player welfare matters, including policy development on concussion, infectious diseases, anti-doping, and heat guidelines.
Dr Stay will also oversee injury surveillance, support Club medical staff, contribute to emergency response planning, and work with the PFA and Clubs to ensure compliance and best practice.
As part of the role, Dr Stay will also collaborate with APL’s Operations and Football Strategy teams to embed high-performance medical standards across the league.
Commenting on the appointment, Stephen Conroy, APL Executive Chairman said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Dr Sharon Stay to the A-Leagues.
“Her expertise across multiple codes, dedication to athlete wellbeing, and leadership in medical education will be invaluable as we continue to evolve our high-performance and player welfare standards across the Isuzu UTE A-League Men and Ninja A-League Women.”
Dr Stay currently works with Tennis Australia’s National Tennis Academy and is a passionate advocate for medical education, delivering teaching through the University of Queensland, World Rugby, and the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians. She recently travelled to the Paris 2024 Olympics as part of the Australian Olympic Committee’s medical team.
Based in Brisbane, Dr Stay also leads the development of education modules for the AIS Female Health and Performance Initiative, reflecting her commitment to the advancement of female athlete health.
“I am very excited for the opportunity to contribute to the health and well-being of our most talented football athletes. I bring to the role experience, a commitment to excellence, and first-hand knowledge of the game from working as a club doctor,” added Dr Sharon Stay.
