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31/12/2013

FIMS mail - 3rd edition 2013 (Lausanne, 31 december 2013)

End of year message from the FIMS President

Lausanne, 31 december 2013

Dear Colleagues,

Another year draws to a close and I wish to take the opportunity to once again sincerely thank all of you for your support of the International Federation of Sport Medicine in 2013, and extend these thanks to my Colleagues in the Executive Committee and in the FIMS Commissions. It has another time been my absolute honor and pride to lead the FIMS family as a President this year. At the end of last year, I stated that our activities in 2013 and beyond will have to be directed towards further enhancing the financial capacity of FIMS, to develop the network of Collaborating Centres and to intensify relationship with major stakeholder Organisations in sports medicine.

The challenges to sufficiently resourcing FIMS in these financially insecure times globally remain a major concern of the Executive. The winning of a new sponsor for FIMS in December has been the highly welcome outcome of the continuous fundraising efforts at executive level which require substantial time and effort.

The network of FIMS Collaborating Centres has been considerably expanded with 17  Centres accredited at the end of the year worldwide. Importantly, we have also expanded geographically. It would however be most welcome to receive applications from North America, Australasia, Russia and the Far East in order to achieve our development goals. The currently accredited centres will meet for the first time at the FIMS World Congress in Quebec City in June.

Major advances have also been made with regard to our collaboration with major stakeholders in sports medicine. The FIMS-ACSM Consensus Panel on the Pre-Participation Evaluation in Sports and the invitations to FIMS to attend several UNESCO meetings are examples, but the most important step surely is the recommendation of the SportAccord Council to the SportAccord General Assembly to approve FIMS as an Associate Member of SportAccord.

In summary, I am therefore very satisfied with the achievements of FIMS in 2013. There is however clearly no reason to rest on our laurels but we must only try harder to continuously improve, and this particularly and once more applies to our financial situation.

I want to close this FIMS year quoting one of the towering figures of humanity whose death moved the world a few weeks ago. In a recent blog posted on the British Journal of Sports Medicine website, a South African colleague described how Nelson Mandela´s ethical values might guide sports medicine practice. As a politician and leader, Mandela understood the power and influence of sport as few others, and used it purposefully to obtain his objectives: “Sport has the power to change the world… it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”

I trust these words perfectly reflect the beliefs of all of us having dedicated our medical skills and expertise to sports and athletes´ health. But there is another quote from Mandela which fits FIMS´ ongoing activities and challenges perfectly: “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.” What better guiding theme could we ask for, intending to promote an active lifestyle? In this sporting spirit, we will continue to move towards achieving FIMS´ vision and mission in 2014.

Best wishes for a stimulating and successful new year 2014, may you surpass all your challenges and prosper throughout,

Fabio Pigozzi, MD
FIMS President

FIMS Collaborating Centres of Sports Medicine

Working towards our objective of developing the network of the FIMS Collaborating Centres of Sports Medicine (FIMS-CCSM), the Review Committee has assessed further submitted applications in autumn this year and accepted the following five institutions as newly designated FIMS-CCSM:

  • Italy: Villa Stuart Sport Clinic, Rome.
  • Serbia: Serbian Institute of Sport and Sports Medicine (SISSM), Belgrade.
  • Slovenia: Centre for Medicine and Sports, Ljubljana Polje.
  • United Arab Emirates: Health and Sports Medicine Centre (HSMC), Abu Dhabi.
  • Uruguay: Centro de Medicina del Deporte y el Ejercicio, Montevideo.

This raises the current number of FIMS-CCSM to 17 who will meet for the first time on occasion of the 33rd FIMS World Congress of Sports Medicine in Quebec City to discuss the way forward in how to best initialise projects and establish collaborations between the centres themselves and with FIMS. Centres accredited in 2013 will provide a more detailed annual report which will quantify and qualify their activities to gain a better understanding of what is actually done and the opportunities for initiatives and cooperation arising thereof within the network.

FIMS will be inviting new applications by Colleagues from Centers worldwide after this meeting in order to be able to consider new aspects or initiatives as a result of the discussions in Canada. We would like to thank the new members for their contribution and warmly welcome them to the network of FIMS-CCSMs.

Download: Application Form

Download: Application Checklist

Fill it out and send it back to administration@fims.org

New FIMS Sponsor

Another important task defined for this year, even though clearly representing an ongoing effort, has been the consolidation of the FIMS finances. In a time of heightened uncertainty for the global economy, this task has proven once more particularly demanding and requires substantial amounts of time and dedication at the executive level. We are however pleased to announce that we have acquired a new sponsor. NBS Suisse sagl, based in Lugano, Switzerland, is a company engaged in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of ortheses.

FIMS President appointed as member of ANOC Medical Commission

The Association of National Olympic Committees under the presidency of Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Sabah has decided to establish several working Commissions in key areas for the association with the objective of providing the required expertise to develop these areas. The ANOC Medical Commission is one of these newly established bodies and will resume work in March 2014. Next to the FIMS President, Prof. Fabio Pigozzi, Prof. Eduardo de Rose, Honorary President of FIMS, is a further member of the Commission.

FIMS SportAccord membership

We are pleased to inform you of a letter we received from the SportAccord President Marius L. Vizer at the end of November which stated that after careful review of the FIMS application to become an Associate Member of SportAccord, the SportAccord Council has decided to recommend FIMS to the SportAccord Statutory General Assembly. The General Assembly will take place in Belek / Antalya,Turkey in April 2014. The FIMS President will attend this meeting to represent FIMS. We sincerely hope this will be the starting point of a close collaboration with SportAccord and its Federations which particularly the Interfederal Commission of FIMS is very much interested and engaged in.

2014 FIMS World Congress of Sports Medicine

The FIMS Executive is very much looking forward to convene with all members in Quebec City on June 18-21, 2014. The Host City, Quebec City, together with the Canadian Association of Sports and Exercise Medicine (CASEM) have updated the FIMS Executive Committee on the progress of their preparations in at the meeting of the Committee in October. A first outline of the final program is currently prepared. We would like to sincerely thank the Canadian Colleagues for all the effort and time invested in the organization of this important event.

We wish to herewith alert all FIMS members that the call for abstracts is now open, and so is the registrations and the accommodation office. Please visit FIMS World Congress 2014 to submit your abstract and to register and book your stay.

Meeting of the Council of Delegates of FIMS

Selection of the host country for the 2018 FIMS World Congress

The Council of Delegates will be held on occasion of the FIMS World Congress in Quebec City on Thursday, 19th June, at 13.00 at the congress venue. The selection of the host country for the 2018 FIMS World Congress will take place during this meeting of the Council of Delegates. Therefore, we would like to invite colleagues from associations in countries interested in hosting the event to write to the FIMS Secretary General to express their interest. Candidates will then be invited to present their application to the Executive Committee and the Council of Delegates of FIMS in Quebec. 

Publications

Exclusive discount for FIMS members when purchasing Team Physician Manual

The FIMS Team Physician Manual is the official sports medicine handbook of FIMS. Now in a fully revised and updated third edition, the book offers a complete guide to the background knowledge, practical techniques and professional skills required to become a successful medical practitioner working in sport.

Well illustrated, with clear step-by-step guidance, plus text boxes and checklists for quick reference, the Team Physician Manual covers every key area of physical activity and intervention, from pre-participation examination to rehabilitation. The book surveys every classification of sports injury, offering clear advice on field-side assessment, diagnosis and treatment, as well as examining best practice in general aspects of sports medicine, such as prevention and the psychology of injury.

Written by a team of world-leading sports physicians from North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia, this book is a ‘must have’ reference for any doctor, physical therapist, or medical professional working in sport. As a FIMS member buying directly from www.routledge.com you will receive 20% discount off the recommended retail price. You simply need to quote the discount code FIMS13 at checkout.

FIMS Executive Committee, October 2014

On 25th October 2013, the FIMS Executive Committee met in Sochi, Russia, the 2014 Host City of the Olympic Winter Games. Points on the routine agenda points more intensely discussed were finances and administration, plus the further contents of this newsletter. The many activities and interactions of the FIMS President and Officials with international organisations (UNESCO, WADA, International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE), International Olympic and Paralympic Committee) and the different commission´s reports were well received.

Upcoming events

  • FIMS Council of Delegates 19 June 2014, at 14.00 in Quebec City, Canada.
  • 33rd FIMS World Congress of Sports Medicine 18 – 22 June 2014 in Quebec City, Canada.
  • 34th FIMS World Congress of Sports Medicine 30 September - 2 October 2016 at the Congress Valley in Istanbul, Turkey.