Welcome to VISTA 2021

The 10th edition of the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) VISTA 2021 Conference kicked off online on 18 November  2021, marking the first digital VISTA conference. The conference was held over six days, until 16 December 2021. The theme of VISTA 2021 was “Application to the podium – translating research and development to athlete performance”. Each day addressed a singular topic over the course of a three-hour session, consisting of a keynote speaker’s presentation (30 min), Q&A on pre-recorded oral presentations (90 min), and a panel discussion (60 min).  

The VISTA Conference provides a forum for the exchange of current information, research and expertise related to Para sport and the Paralympic Movement. It brings together experts in sport science, classification, medicine, coaching, athlete support and sport administration.  

Topics covered at VISTA 2021 included: 

• Evidence-based classification (18 November) 

• Health and medicine (22 November) 

• Technology in Paralympic sport (29 November) 

• Socio-cultural legacy (1 December) 

• Ethics and integrity (14 December) 

• Paralympic performance (16 December) 

Organisers 

VISTA 2021 was led by the following Universities:; KU Leuven, Belgium; University of Stellenbosch, South Africa; The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden; School of Kinesiology; Western University, Canada; University of Pittsburgh, USA; and Yonsei University, South Korea. 

VISTA Programme

A PDF of the VISTA 2021 programme is available online. It details the agenda of each day of the conference, including the keynote address, oral presentation and panel discussions.  Each oral presentation adheres to the theme “Opportunities and Challenges in Paralympic Sport Science and Sport Medicine Support.” Under the conference’s main theme, each day is dedicated to addressing a specific topic. 

VISTA 2021 IPC Scientific Award Winner

The IPC Scientific Award is traditionally presented to one recipient during each VISTA Conference. However, as VISTA 2021 was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IPC Scientific Award was not presented this year.

For refence, the IPC Scientific Award is granted to candidates who have made significant contributions through scientific publications on sport for persons with disabilities in any discipline. Recipients have been recognised nationally or internationally for their work, with an emphasis on the practical application of research that provides direct or indirect benefit to the Paralympic Movement. 

Presentations

VISTA 2021 showcased keynote speakers, oral presentations, and a live panel discussion each day of the conference. However, because of the nature of the online VISTA 2021 Conference there is not much information available about the entire programme, only the first three days are detailed. 

Keynote Speakers

The keynote speakers were directly invited by the IPC Scientific Committee and invited to present on each day of the conference.

Theme	Presented By
Using the scientific method to enhance classification integrity - thinking beyond original scientific investigations'	Sean Tweedy
A Paralympic Games during the Global Pandemic: from preparation to performance and the lessons in-between	Manos Bogdos PLY
'Product Design and Standards Development for Accessible Adaptive Sports and Recreation	Peter Axelson PLY

 

Panel Discussion

The panel discussion took place each day of the conference after the Q&A session with a variety of experts. The names of each panel member can be found in the VISTA 2021 Programme.

Day 1:

Jan Burns, Emma Beckman, David Mann, Hannah Dines PLY, Scott Field PLY, Suk-Man Hong PLY

Day 2:

Cheri Blauwet PLY, Jonathan Finnoff, Guzel Idrisova

Day 3:

Abderrazak Hajjioui, Bryce Dyer, Eliana Ferretti, Jongbae Kim, Rosemarie Cooper, George Schrattenecker PLY, Dan McCoy PLY

Oral Speakers and Poster Presentations

An abstract submission is required to presented as an oral speaker or poster presentation, which is open to all researchers and experts across Para sport and carefully reviewed by the VISTA Scientific Committee Working Group.  Information on oral presentations can be found on the VISTA 2021 detailed programme.

Poster presentations offer participants the opportunity to engage with conference attendees by showcasing their research on a physical poster. These presentations occur parallel to keynote speakers, invited symposia, and oral presentations. Each poster presentation is eligible to receive the poster award, announced on the third night of the conference.