Dr Gemma Philips was at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium yesterday (Sunday 24 April) to receive her RFL President’s Award from current president Clare Balding OBE.
The awards were introduced in 2019 to recognise inspiring work and achievement within the sport. Dr Philips was chosen by Clare’s predecessor, Tony Adams MBE, for her outstanding service to Rugby League during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in helping the Super League season restart in August 2020.
Gemma is team doctor at Hull Kingston Rovers, has worked with the England, England Knights and Great Britain teams and is a member of the RFL’s Clinical Advisory Group. As the RFL Covid Medical Officer, she represented the sport at the highest level in Government-led medical groups with experts from a range of sports.
“In a unique and distressing period for all of us, the importance of our medical practitioners has never been more apparent”, explained Tony Adams MBE at the height of the pandemic. “So we should begin by noting that the outstanding work that Gemma has done for the sport of Rugby League over recent months has come alongside her work for the NHS.
“We all know the challenges that have been presented to sport by the pandemic. The route back to playing professional sport has at times seemed unbelievably complicated and difficult. Behind the headlines, Gemma has made a massive contribution to getting Rugby League restarted. She knows and loves the sport through her work at Hull KR and with the England and Great Britain teams, and her expertise and great personal commitment to players and their welfare has been second-to-none.”
Dr Phillips, who is from Cardiff, studied medicine at the University of Manchester and on qualifying as a doctor also completed an MSc at the University of Leeds.
