A Pioneer in Sports Medicine
Born in Istanbul in 1967, Prof. Dr. Bülent Bayraktar is a graduate of Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine. He pioneered the establishment of Sports Sciences as a doctoral field in Turkey and served as the founding dean of Istanbul University Faculty of Sport Sciences.
Career Journey
Birth
Born on March 27, 1967 in Istanbul
Beginning of Medical Education
Entered Istanbul University Istanbul Medical Faculty
Medical Faculty Graduation
Graduated from Istanbul University Istanbul Medical Faculty
Beginning of Sports Medicine Specialization
Started thesis for Sports Medicine Specialists Training
Sports Medicine Specialization
Officially completed Sports Medicine Specialization
Team Physician at Beşiktaş JK
Served as Team Physician and Health Board President of Beşiktaş JK
Associate Professor
Attained the rank of Associate Professor and continued academic advancement
Founder of Child Protection Program
Founded the Child Well-being and Child Protection Program in Sports at TFF. Turkey's first legally established child protection program.
Team Physician at Galatasaray SK
Served as Team Physician and Health Board President of Galatasaray SK
Professor
Attained the rank of Professor and continued academic career
Founding Dean of Sports Sciences Faculty
Founder and Dean of Istanbul University's Sports Sciences Faculty. Turkey's first faculty with equal male/female student quotas and disability student quotas. Member of Turkish National Teams Health Board and various TFF committees.
Team Medicine
Beşiktaş JK
Team Physician & Health Board President
Galatasaray SK
Team Physician & Health Board President
Turkish National Team
Health Board Member
Professional Memberships and Roles
Vice President, Health Board
Turkish Football Federation
Director of Sports Medicine and Athletic Performance
Turkish Football Federation
Member, Health and Performance Executive Board
Turkish Football Federation
Director, Football Development Center
Turkish Football Federation
Member, Health Board
Turkish Tennis Federation
Member, Health Board
Turkish Weightlifting Federation
Editorial Board Member
Turkish Journal of Sports Medicine
Medical Advisor
Acıbadem Sports / FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence
Recent Activities and Publications
Conference on New Approaches to Diabetes and Obesity
Presented on "Lifestyle, Physical Activity and Diabetes Management" at the conference organized by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Emphasized exercise as an accessible and zero-cost effective treatment.
Athlete Sleep and Mental Health Research
Published in Chronobiology International: Validation of the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) and prevalence of sleep problems among professional Turkish athletes.
Human Enhancement in Sports Medicine
Published in Sports Medicine — Open: Health and performance challenges in the era of human enhancement from the perspective of sport medicine professionals.
Beach Soccer Seven-Year Cohort Study
Published in Science and Medicine in Football: A prospective seven-year cohort study covering 45 players, 382 days, 90 matches, 282 injuries, and 180 illnesses.
Research Interests
Epidemiology of Sports Injuries
Research on frequency, types, and risk factors of injuries among athletes
Athlete Health Screening
Evaluation of health and performance in professional and amateur athletes
Sports Medicine in Children and Youth
Athlete health during development, injury prevention, and optimal growth
Spine and Scoliosis Research
Spine problems in athletes and effects of scoliosis on sports performance
Beach Football Injuries
Injury mechanisms and prevention strategies in beach football
Disabled Athletes and Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation after injury and health management of disabled athletes
Athlete Sleep and Mental Health
Sleep quality, mental health, and performance relationship in professional athletes