WELCOME TO VISTA 2019

VISTA 2019 marked the ninth edition of the conference, which took place in Amsterdam Netherlands, from the 4-7 of September = 2019. The VISTA conference provides an international stage for experts to connect, share insights and advance research in Para sport and the Paralympic Movement. The theme for VISTA 2019 was "Healthy and Fit for Optimal Performance" and provided a framework for the conference’s oral speakers and poster presentations. The conference brings together experts in sport science, classification, sport medicine, coaching, athletes and athlete support personnel and sport administration.

Topics covered at VISTA 2019 included:

Socio-economic determinants of Paralympic participation and successEvidence-based classification
Athlete health and well-being
Integrative approaches to the preparation of Paralympic athletes
Technology and engineering
Athlete and coach education
Sport Psychology

The Organisers

To organise VISTA 2019, Amsterdam Institute of Sport Science (AISS) teamed up with colleagues from the National Olympic and Paralympic Committee of the Netherlands (NOC*NSF), the Sports Engineering Institute, Delft University of Technology, the Hague University of Applied Sciences, and the University Medical Centre Groningen. All partners are extensively involved in adapted sports and (applied) research.

To note, the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (VUmc and AMC), the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, InHolland University of Applied Sciences, Topsport Amsterdam, Reade rehabilitation centre and OLVG hospital take part in the AISS. The main focus within this institute includes scientific and practical research as well as the support of regular and adapted sports.

The VISTA 2019 Programme

The VISTA 2019 scientific programme consisted of keynote addresses, invited symposia, oral presentations, and poster sessions. Each oral presentation was guided by the theme "Healthy and Fit for Optimal Performance" A PDF of the VISTA 2019 programme is available online.

VISTA 2019 IPC Scientific Award

In July 2019, Professor Yves Vanlandewyck was named the 2019 IPC Paralympic Scientific Award winner. He delivered a keynote address on “Sport Eligibility and Classification in the Paralympic Games – Past, Present, Future. The example of Wheelchair Basketball” at the scientific conference. Vanlandewijck is a professor in rehabilitation sciences at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium. He has been committed to improving the quality of life for individuals with a disability since his early career as a physiotherapist in the 1980s, and later on as a wheelchair basketball player and coach. In 1995, he became a member of the IPC Sport Science Committee. From 2004 to 2018, he was the Chairperson of this Committee, where he initiated and led major projects in the scope of science within the Paralympic Movement.

The Scientific Award is provided to candidates who have contributed through significant scientific publications related to the scientific study of sport for persons with an impairment in any discipline, have received national and/or international recognition for his/her work, and place an emphasis on the practical application of research with direct or indirect benefit to the Paralympic Movement. To read about the previous winners visit the VISTA conference homepage.

VISTA 2019 Presentations

Keynote Speakers

The keynote speakers of VISTA 2019 included Yves Vanlandewyck, the winner of the IPC Scientific Award; Prof. Dr. Leslie Swartz, Prof. Dr. Marjan Olfers, and Prof. Dr. Nick Webborn. The 2019 speakers are detailed in the table below:

Theme	Presented by
Sport Eligibility and Classification in the Paralympic Games – Past, Present, Future. The example of Wheelchair Basketball	Yves Vanlandewyck
Parasport Development from grassroots to sporting spectacle: A view from Africa	Prof. Dr. Leslie Swartz, University of Stellenbosch (RSA)
Fair Play … Play it Fair	Prof. Dr. Marjan Olfers, Professor Sports & Law, Vrije Universteit Amsterdam (NED)
The past, present and future of Paralympic Sports Medicine	Prof. Dr. Nick Webborn, Clinical Professor of Sport and Exercise Medicine, School of Sport and Service Management, University of Brighton and Sports Medicine lead, Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine (GBR)

Invited Symposia:

The presenters categorised as invited symposia were selected through an abstract submission process, approved by the VISTA Scientific Committee. The chair moderating each symposium, the speakers and each of their presentation themes are in the table below:

Theme	Chair/Moderator	Presented by
The approach of TeamNL to mental health in Paralympic sport. Psychological support for Paralympic elite athletes and coaches in the Netherlands	Dr. Raoul Oudejans	P. Wylleman; P. Huybrechtse; S. van Essen
Data Science to Optimise Sport Performance	Ms. Debbie Low	Joost Kok (NED), Ryuji Hiramatsu (JPN), Laura Gastaldi (ITA)
Beat the Heat	Prof. dr. Thomas Janssen	Hein Daanen (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, NED), Liz Broad (US Paralympics, USA), Tatsuru Ibusuki (Japan Para Athletics and World Para Athletics, JPN), Peter van der Vliet (International Paralympic Committee, GER)
Equipment & Technology in Paralympic sports and applied towards cycling and handcycling	Lucas van der Woude	Bryce Dyer (GBR), Sonja de Groot (NED), Barbara Springer (USA)
From A to Z in Classification Research	Prof. Dr. Anne Hart	David Mann (NED), Emma Beckman (AUS), Scott Field (RSA)
The Long-Term Impact of High Quality Social Research	Dr. Ivo van Hilvoorde	Karen DePauw (USA), Stephanie Wheeler (USA), David Howe (CAN)
Prevention of Injury and Protection of the Health of the Athlete	Prof. Dr. Wayne Derman	Willem van Mechelen (NED), Mohammad VaezMousavi (IRI), Anja Hirschmueller (GER)
Sport Psychology	Dr. Peter van de Vliet	John van de Kamp (NED), Raoul Oudejans (NED), Sascha Haans (NED)

Oral and Poster Presentations:

During each conference year, researchers may submit an abstract for the chance to present an oral presentation relating to the scientific theme during the VISTA conference. Each abstract is reviewed for its scientific merit and/or relevance to the Conference topics by members of the Scientific Committee and/or other experts selected by the Scientific Committee. Information on oral presentations can be found on the VISTA 2019 detailed programme.

Alongside keynote speakers, invited symposia and oral presentations, poster presentations showcase research in the form of a physical poster. Each poster presentation is eligible to receive the poster award, announced on the third night of the conference.