Abstract

The inaugural Pre-Olympic conference incorporating the Federation of International
Sports Medicine (FIMS), the International Para-Olympic Committee (IPC), the International Council for Sports Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was held in Guangzhou, China at the Oriental Convention Hotel from 1-5 August 2008. The five-day conference was a combination of 12 keynote addresses, 32 symposia, oral and posters presentations. The combined nature of this conference attracted attendees from very different realms in the sporting world: scientists, ethicists, practitioners, administrators, therapists, and philosophers. Here are the highlights: • Reduction of lower limb injuries (ankle sprain, non contact ACL rupture and hamstring strain) can be achieved with structured supervised regular pre-habilitation and rehabilitation plans. • Talent identification programs should include motivation of the player, as motivation correlates with additional play and training not led by the coach, leading to performance improvement. • Implicit learning models are finding increasing popularity, as they potentially provide less destabilization when a player is in competition. • Training the elite child athlete is the topic of a useful IOC consensus statement. • Practical information and research on reducing risk of athletic injury is available from the website of the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre. • Strength training in the elderly population counters the effect of muscle wasting, but maintaining adherence is the challenge. • The IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition, a two-year distance-learning program coordinated by Ron Maughan, Susan Shirreffs and Louise Burke, was promoted in several sessions. Verf-Referat