Hearing unheard in sport: a pioneering symposium series
HEARING UNHEARD – This pioneering symposium series aims to shed light on critical yet often overlooked aspects of sport. The series covers topics such as women in sport, the LGBT community and athletes' perspectives. The goal is to foster inclusivity and understanding in the world of sport by bringing to the forefront voices that have been unheard for too long.
One of the key symposia is SS03 - Patient-centred medicine in the world of performance sport(…).The athlete voice is becoming increasingly important in injury and illness prevention research, as it brings a unique perspective that complements scientific and medical expertise.
This session will be led by Dr Debbie Palmer from the University of Edinburgh and Assistant Professor Jane Thornton from Western University, who will provide insights into athlete engagement, experiences of injury and health, and the impact of research on patient/physician relationships in performance sport.
Thursday 29 February 2024
2 - 3 p.m.
Three of the symposia in the series, challenging the current status quo and trying to understand the diverse experiences THAT shape the world of sport, have been submitted by Dr Sheree Bekker, Associate Professor at the University of Bath.
SS04 - A gendered environmental approach to sports injury prevention: from theory to research to practice.
The field of sports injury prevention is recognising the need for interventions that take into account the unique demands of girls’ and women's sports, particularly in the case of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Despite existing interventions, girls and women remain between three and eight times more likely to experience ACL injuries than boys and men. This symposium, led by Dr Sheree Bekker, will present research on how gendered processes can lead to susceptibilities in girls and women; investigate experiences of former elite female athletes; share practice insights from applying a gendered environmental approach in performance innovation; and provide recommendations for the sports sector to help close the injury gap between men's and women's sport. The symposium brings together an interdisciplinary, international collaboration of sports experts with applied academic, clinical and practical expertise.
Thursday 29 February 2024
2 - 3 p.m.
SS09 - Towards LGBTQI athlete health and protection: a safeguarding approach led by Dr Sheree Bekker and Dr Anna Posbergh, Assistant Professor at Florida State University. This symposium will discuss a safeguarding approach to LGBTQI athlete health and protection, centring on the well-being of minoritised stakeholders in sports environments.
In November 2021, following a two-year consultation process with more than 250 athletes and stakeholders, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) released its new “IOC Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations”. Through this Framework, the IOC seeks to promote a safe and welcoming environment for everyone involved in elite-level competition, consistent with the principles enshrined in the Olympic Charter. The symposium will discuss a safeguarding approach to LGBTQI+ athlete health and protection, with experts in primary care sports medicine, policy scholarship, inclusion, and sports and social science.
Thursday 29 February 2024
2 - 3 p.m.
The series also includes SS19 - Is it really #HerGameToo? Women, football and injury prevention. This symposium will delve into the challenges faced by women in football, including injury rates, gender bias, harassment and abuse, unequal pay and prize money, inferior resourcing, a lack of research, and underrepresentation in leadership.
The experts aim to understand how sociocultural factors affect injury and safeguarding outcomes for women in football and offer recommendations for action. The panel includes experts in sports medicine, marginalised athletes, sports and social science, and philosophy of sport and health. The symposium is relevant for anyone interested in injury prevention in women's football and the development of women in sport.
Friday 1 March 2024
4.15 – 5.15 p.m.
Check out the full programme here: IOC World Conference 2024 Preliminary Programme - Agenda (eventsair.com)