ABSTRACT
This chapter proposes the model of the nature of professional relations between sports physicians, athlete patients and other institutions for whom they offer paid and unpaid services such as clubs, teams and national governing bodies (NGB). Sports medicine has developed at a dramatic pace over recent decades. In all the scenarios that sports medicine presents the sports physician, it is recommended that sports physicians are focused on the care they give to their athlete patients. While the sports physician may have additional contractual and non-contractual obligations to third parties, these should never take precedence over their primary duties to the athlete patient. Sports physicians should be aware of professional and ethical codes of conduct as related to their professional practice. Sports physicians should frequently update their knowledge and competency base in line with best practice guidelines relevant to their national healthcare and sporting contexts and be familiar with relevant national and international codes.
