Welcome Letter from the Congress Chairs

Dear Colleagues and Friends,
It is a real pleasure to have you here in Padua at the 16th FEPSAC European Congress of Sport and Exercise Psychology held by the University of Padua, in collaboration with the Italian Association of Sport and Exercise Psychology (AIPS – Associazione Italiana di Psicologia dello Sport) and Symposia srl, under the patronage of Padua’s City Council.
The overall topic of the Congress is Sport, exercise and performance psychology: challenges and opportunities in a changing world, and the Scientific and the Organizing Committees have worked hard to provide all attendees with a rich and interesting program. During the Congress’ 5 days there are scheduled a wide range of scientific events, such as pre-congress workshops and symposia, several important keynote speakers’ contributions, round tables, oral and poster presentations and a science slam – as well as a multitude of social activities!
We are excited about the outstanding collaborations with FEPSAC, the University of Padua, the City of Padua and its Mayor, the many supporters and sponsors, the AIPS, the Regional Order of Psychologists and the Italian National Olympic and Paralympics Committees and, last but not least, the President of the Veneto Region.
We believe that the FEPSAC 2022 Congress represents an excellent opportunity of networking that will bring together professionals and members of the Sport Psychology’s international academic community.
Seven hundred researchers and professionals from 52 countries by 5 continents are attending the congress, presenting 10 pre-congresses, 251 oral presentations, 4 roundtables, 32 workshops and 40 symposia.
A word about the venue: Padua is a historical town situated in the Veneto Region in the North of Italy. It hosts one of the most ancient Universities in the world, established in 1222. Therefore, in 2022 the University is celebrating its 800th founding anniversary. Padua has many historical monuments and artistic sites such as the Scrovegni Chapel (a masterpiece in the history of painting in Italy and Europe in the 14th century, which is considered to be the most complete series of frescoes executed by Giotto) and the Orto Botanico (UNESCO World Heritage Site), the world’s first botanical garden, created in Padua in 1545. Our keynote speakers are presenting in the wonderful Palazzo della Ragione, another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Furthermore, Italy is a pioneering country in the field of Sport Psychology; as a matter of fact, in 1965, the International Society of Sport Psychology was founded in Rome, which shared with Padua the institution of the first Faculty of Psychology in Italy.
We are confident that you will not only take benefit from the extremely ambitious Conference and its high-level panel and participants, but will also be delighted by the exceptional opportunities of the venue and the surrounding environment. After the COVID-19 pandemic this is a great moment for the entire sport psychology community to gather and share our thoughts.
Enjoy!

Prof. Maurizio Bertollo

FEPSAC Chairman
Professor of Motor Behavior at the “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara

Dr. Marcella Bounous

FEPSAC Co-Chair
Past-President of the Italian Association of Sport and Exercise Psychology (AIPS)

Antonio Paoli

FEPSAC Co-Chair
University of Padua

Marta Ghisi

FEPSAC Co-Chair
University of Padua