Mayo Clinic Physician To Lead U.S. Men’s Ice Hockey Medical Staff

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon will be the team physician for the U.S men’s ice hockey team at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

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Dr. Michael Stuart will oversee the medical care for all of the players and staff of Team USA during the games, which will be held from February 3rd through the 20th. He will work with USA Hockey athletic trainers and within the medical clinic of the U.S. Coalition for the Prevention of Illness and Injury in Sport to provide care to other Olympic athletes, as needed.

"The health and safety of players and staff are always paramount, but even more so during the pandemic," Dr. Stuart said. "We're following all the COVID-19 precautions and requirements and are looking forward to getting on the ice."

The U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team opens play on February 10th against host China in the first preliminary round game.

"It's obviously an honor to represent our country. And it's a special opportunity for me to be part of a team, We really do work very closely together. We help each other out. And so I interface on a daily basis, not only with the athletic trainers, but also with our equipment managers, our coaches and, of course, our players, as well as the entire USOPC medical team," Dr. Stuart said.

This is Dr. Stuart's fourth turn as team physician of the U.S. Olympic Games' men's ice hockey squad. He previously served at the 1994, 2010, and 2014 Olympic Games.