VISTA 2019
IPC scientific conference
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 success
- Evidence-based classification
- Athlete health and well-being
- Integrative approaches to the preparation of Paralympic athletes
- Technology and engineering
- Athlete and coach education
- Sport Psychology
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 consists of keynote addresses, invited symposia, oral presentations, and poster sessions. Each oral presentation is guided by the theme “Opportunities and Challenges in Paralympic Sport Science and Sport Medicine Support.” 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.
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:
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:
During each conference year, researchers 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.
