AUSTIN, Texas – Dr. Mark Chassay, head team physician within the athletics sports medicine department at The University of Texas, has been appointed Chief Medical Officer by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) for the medical team attending the Visa Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, England. The Paralympic World Cup takes place from May 10-17, 2005.

The Paralympic World Cup is a grand prix style multi-sport event which provides the biggest international elite level disability competition outside of the Paralympic games. Over 350 athletes from 49 countries are slated to compete.

Dr. Chassay will oversee medical efforts for a group of 23 Paralympic athletes – 21 of whom competed in the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece – who will represent the U.S. in three events: cycling (track), swimming and track & field. The U.S. will not have athletes competing in the fourth sport, wheelchair basketball.

"Up to this point, I have not worked with a great number of Paralympic athletes," Chassay said. "It’s going to be a great opportunity to further broaden my horizons while also providing a strong intellectual challenge. I look forward to interacting with medical staffs from all over the world and potentially bringing elements of sports medicine and performance used by those staffs back to the United States."

Prior to his selection to the Paralympic World Cup, Dr. Chassay served in the USOC Volunteer Program in Chula Vista, Calif., as team physician at the Olympic Training Center in 2003. The program serves as the first step in the evaluating process for selection to USOC competitive events.

Upon evaluation, the best are then invited to a USOC sponsored event such as the Paralympic World Cup. At these events, all medical personnel are evaluated again and the best from these events become eligible for appointment to other USOC sponsored international competition leading up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

In February 2005, Dr. Chassay was named head team physician at The University of Texas. In his current position, Dr. Chassay oversees a team physician staff of five and is responsible for appropriate medical staff coverage at all UT sporting events. He also serves as the Longhorns sports medicine spokesperson and is responsible for training room staff scheduling. Chassay served as team physician and coordinator of sports medicine for women’s athletics for nine years prior to being appointed head team doctor.

In addition, Dr. Chassay serves as co-manager and physician for Texas Sports and Family Medicine (TS&FM) in Austin, which is a team of primary care sports medicine physicians that serves patients’ needs with musculoskeletal expertise.

Dr. Chassay, 39, earned his doctoral degree from The University of Texas – Houston Medical School in 1992. He subsequently completed a family practice residency at Memorial Hermann Hospital Southwest in Houston in ‘95 prior to serving a one-year fellowship at Kaiser Permanente Family Practice. Dr. Chassay earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration/finance from UT-Austin in 1988. Most recently, he earned his master’s of education in kinesiology and sport management from UT in 1999.

Dr. Chassay is a member of the Longhorn Foundation and was inducted a Life Member of the Texas Exes in 1988.