Episode 5

On the Sidelines of the World Stage: Representation in Olympic Sports Medicine with Aaron Ngor & Chris Bates

Published on: 27th October, 2025

Live from Paris 2024, athletic trainers Aaron Ngor and AT Last CEO Chris Bates share what it is like to provide medical care for Olympic athletes and why representation in sports medicine matters at every level. The conversation dives into their experiences working with diverse teams, the challenges of cultural competence in high stakes environments, and how their presence alone sends a powerful message to athletes who rarely see providers who look like them.

We also explore the systemic gaps that keep underserved communities from accessing high quality sports medicine care, and how the lessons learned at the Olympic Games can translate to local high schools and community sports. It is a behind the scenes look at elite care through the lens of equity, mentorship, and opportunity.

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Email: adam.cady@weareatlast.org

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Artwork by Jason Eisenberg 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dots_and_squares/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoneisenberg00/


Music by Willie B the Ichiban Don

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-brown-25945b168/


Production / Engineering / Editing / by Gerson Sandoval

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gersonsandovalengineer/


Guest

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronngor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronngor/?hl=en

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About the Podcast

The AT Last Podcast
Sports medicine practitioners recognizing, addressing, and catalyzing change.
Sports medicine practitioners recognizing, addressing, and catalyzing change within their spheres of influence. Hosts Christopher Bates and Adam Cady focus on advancing health equity and DEIA in sports medicine, exploring how issues of race, representation, and systemic barriers shape the care and opportunities available to athletes and healthcare providers. Through candid conversations with leaders, practitioners, and changemakers, the podcast highlights both the challenges and the transformative possibilities of building a more just and inclusive future in sports medicine and beyond.
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About your hosts

Christopher Bates

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Christopher Bates is a proud family man and has passionately worked in sports medicine and human performance for over a decade. He is both a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), as well as a Registered Strength & Conditioning Coach (RSCC). Bates' experiences and paradigms for excellence have led to the creation and establishment of several holistic sports medicine and athletic-performance skill development programs across all levels of athletics including Olympic, University, High School and youth.

Currently, Bates serves as the Sports Medicine Manager and Head Athletic Trainer for USA Water Polo’s Men’s Olympic team. Bates also directs the athletic-performance skill development for the team along with the team's dedicated strength and conditioning coach.

Adam Cady

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Adam C. Cady holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology/Athletic Training from California State University-Fullerton, and a Master of Health Science from Duke University. He is also a graduate of the sports medicine fellowship program at The Steadman Clinic, in Vail, Colorado. He currently works as a Physician Assistant at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, where he specializes in sports medicine.

His current passions/research interests include improving health equity in underserved communities and Functional Medicine.