VISTA Conference Announced

One of the main goals of the VISTA Conference is to bridge the gap between theory and practice and to encourage interdisciplinary discussion in Paralympic sports. The Conference will provide an ideal environment for the exchange of current information, research and expertise related to Paralympic Sport and the Paralympic Movement as well as to promote and advance the mission, goals, objectives and reputation of the IPC.

Organized by the IPC, the National Paralympic Committee of Canada and 2010 Legacies Now, VISTA 2009 will cover a broad area of research and expertise exchange.

Details on the conference theme and topics will be released following the first IPC Scientific Committee Meeting that will take place in Vancouver in June 2008.

In 1993, the first VISTA conference was held in Jasper, Canada. Six years later, in 1999, the German Sport University Cologne embraced the unique concept of VISTA 1993 to host the second conference for leading scientists, coaches, athletes and administrators in the area of sport for athletes with a disability from around the world. The third VISTA Conference was held in September 2003 at the Swedish Development Centre for Sport in Bollnäs, Sweden, while the fourth Conference was held in May 2006 in Bonn, Germany. The theme of this Conference was ‘Classification – Solutions for the Future’ and was deemed a great success by all attendees.