Conferences in Sports Medicine and Science

From the 2027 event onwards, the Conference has been renamed as the Paralympic Sports Medicine and Science Conference. The new name strengthens clarity of purpose and global recognition, and more clearly aligns with the IPC’s strategic positioning in athlete health, sport medicine, and scientific advancement within the Paralympic Movement.

The Paralympic Sports Medicine and Science Conference is the IPC’s leading international forum for sport scientists, medical professionals, coaches, classifiers, and other stakeholders in Para sport. It promotes collaboration and knowledge exchange across key areas including athlete health, performance, and classification, and supports the translation of research into practice. The Conference plays a central role in advancing inclusive sport systems and shaping the future of the Paralympic Movement.

The first VISTA Conference took place in Jasper, Canada in 1993. The success of this conference led to further conferences in Köln, Germany (1999), Bollnäs, Sweden (2003) and Bonn, Germany (2006, 2011, 2013). From 2011 onwards, the IPC decided to hold the VISTA Conference every two years (2015 in Girona, Spain, 2017 in Toronto, Canada and 2019 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2021 VISTA Conference was held virtually and hosted by the KU Leuven, Belgium in collaboration with the 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. The 2023 and 2025 VISTA Conferences were originally scheduled to be held in Cairo, Egypt but were postponed and delivered as a fully virtual event in May 2026 in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh.

CALL FOR BIDS FOR THE Paralympic Sports Medicine and Science Conference 2027 & 2029

The Paralympic Sports Medicine and Science Conference bid document outlines the terms of reference and key hosting requirements. Organisations interested in hosting the 2027 or 2029 conference must complete and submit this Expression of Interest (EOI) form by 30 April 2026. Thereafter, interested parties will receive details about an informational webinar regarding hosting requirements, to be held on 2 June 2026. Bids for both editions must be received by 30 June 2026.

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

The Paralympic Sports Medicine and Science Conference programme includes:

• Keynote lectures by world-leading scholars and practitioners
• Invited symposia on emerging topics and innovations in Para sport
• Peer-reviewed oral and poster presentations
• Presentation of the IPC Scientific Award
• Networking sessions

Together, these elements support evidence-informed practice to enhance athlete well-being, performance and inclusion in sport for persons with disabilities.

Global Legacy

Since its debut, VISTA has been hosted in countries around the world, including:

• Germany (1999, 2006, 2011, 2013)
• Sweden (2003)
• Spain (2015)
• Canada (2017)
• The Netherlands (2019)

The 2021 edition was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the 2023 edition was postponed until 2025.

IPC Scientific Award

The IPC Scientific Award, first presented at VISTA 2005, honours outstanding research and development contributions to sport for persons with disabilities.

The IPC Scientific Award will recognise individuals who:

• Made significant contributions to Para sport research or development
• Received national or international recognition
• Emphasise practical application benefit in Para sport and the Paralympic Movement.

The IPC will present the highly prestigious IPC Scientific Award during the Paralympic Sports Medicine and Science Conference.

The recipient will be announced at the Conference and invited to deliver a keynote address.

Nominations Process

Information about nominations for the 2027 and 2029 IPC Scientific Award is forthcoming. In the meantime, please access the following information:

• IPC Members
• Members of the IPC Governing Board or Athletes' Council
• Academic, scientific and technical communities outside the IPC

Note: Current Governing Board, Committee and Athletes' Council members cannot be nominated during the period of their mandate.

Nominations may be submitted here for the 2025 IPC Scientific Award.

• List of previous recipients and their awarded projects
• Award selection criteria (IPC Handbook Article 4.6.3)