Message from the President (October 2012)
XXXII World Congress of Sports Medicine
Opening speech by the
President of the International Federation of Sports Medicine
Prof. Fabio Pigozzi
Rome, 27 September 2012
Excellencies, Estimated Colleagues, Ladies and Gentleman,
As President of the International Federation of Sports Medicine and on behalf of the FIMS Executive Committee, it is for me a pleasure and a great honour to welcome all of you, participants to the 32nd FIMS World Congress of Sports Medicine. I feel particularly proud not only for addressing you for the first time as FIMS President in the Opening of a World Congress, but also for seeing it organized for the first time in Italy, my Homeland.
As we all know, sport includes all forms of human movement aimed to express, maintain or improve physical fitness and performance, as well as mental well-being. Sport is also part of the creation or improvement of social relationships in leisure, competition, the enhancement of health maintenance, and in the prevention and treatment of different diseases. In this context, our work is addressed to the protection of the athletes' health, so that they may safely compete in sporting events, and to the fight against doping in sport. Thus, all of us is aware that the responsibilities of sports medicine are increasing more and more in recreational and competitive sports, and consequently, to this respect, I am proud how over the past years the International Federation of Sports Medicine has grown in reliability thanks to its efforts in disseminating the principles of motivation, performance, and the health aspects of all people engaged in sport and physical activity. This is testified by the highest number of registrations never reached in a World Congress, more than 2.700 participants.
Let me express my gratitude to all my Colleagues of the Executive and to my predecessors for their support to achieve in the first 2 years of my Presidency important milestones. Much has been done, but without a doubt the most important success for FIMS has been the definitive settlement of its Headquarters at the Maison du Sport Internationale in Lausanne. A significant return to the roots in the land where our Federation was founded in 1928, during the Winter Olympic Games held in Saint Moritz. This achievement will surely contribute to strengthening the relationship with the sport, scientific and medical communities and with the existing leading International Bodies, which are all represented in our Executive Committee.
I would like to also mention the project of the FIMS Collaborating Centres of Sports Medicine, planned by the Executive Committee since its election. These centres will function as local multiplicators and ambassadors of FIMS´ vision and mission and help to achieve our joint objectives in all parts of the world.
Then, I do not want to forget all the editorial and educational initiatives, to promote best practice sport medicine principles for the athlete care.
In the next three days, Delegates from the 117 National Associations member of FIMS, sports physicians from all around the world, students, and many invited speakers will exchange updated scientific results in research, new advances in technologies, academic news to debate on, with the aim to renew a common vision represented by the health maintenance enhancement, prevention and therapy of different diseases through the practice of physical activity, exercise and sports, and return to sport after injury.
Finally, let me warmly thank the Italian Federation of Sports Medicine and its President, my friend Maurizio Casasco, who made possible the realisation of this event. Italy has demonstrated to be one of the most active countries worldwide in promoting excellence in Sports Medicine, and in strengthening also the FIMS leading role thanks to its important achievements both in scientific and educational sides.
In conclusion, with this spirit and in the name of the International Federation of Sports Medicine, I wish all participants in this Congress a fruitful work. To the Organising Committee and to the Invited Speakers, go my personal good wishes for the success of this important Scientific event and for keeping on doing the excellent work done so far.
Thank you.
Prof. Fabio Pigozzi, MD
President of the International Federation of Sports Medicine
