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WFATT 13th World Congress in Maynooth 16th-18th October 2025

Elevating and Uniting Sports Medicine

ARTI were delighted to host the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy (WFATT) 13th World Congress in Maynooth this October, which provided discussions, networking and invaluable learning opportunities. 

Overview:

Over 300 delegates arrived from 11 different countries for the event which spanned across 3 consecutive days. Delegates from as near and far as UK, US, Canada, Japan, Greece were brought together to collaborate and learn from each other. Talks and workshops took place in various topics such as, diagnostic ultrasound, aquatic therapy, empowering educators, concussion rehabilitation, women in sport, developing interdisciplinary teams, sickle cell traits, mental health in athletes, mitigating social determinants of health and educating the educator.

While there were both professional and educator strands running consecutively there was also a student focused programme on Friday. The uptake for the student cohort was fantastic to see and bodes well for the future professionals, their student tailored programme cumulated with an inaugural Student Bowl Quiz on Friday evening. There were students from TUS Midlands, DCU, SETU Carlow, ATU Donegal in attendance who were joined by students from US and Canada. 

WFATT Leadership Summit:

The Congress began on Thursday with a Leadership Summit of which a number of ARTI members attended: Dr. Lynn Allen, Dr. Enda Whyte, Dr. Sinéad O'Keeffe, Mr. Frank Devereux, Mr. Damien Byrne, Mr. Andrew Watson. This allowed the international organisations (JATO, CATA, NATA, BASRaT, WFATT, ARTI, BOC, CAATE, PBATS) to come together with the intention of improving athletic therapy worldwide. Pictured below are attendees at the Leadership summit, with members from 8 different organisations.

Workshops: 

Thursday also saw the opportunity to attend short topic focused workshops, again with strands dedicated to professionals, students or educators. This environment allowed for plenty of opportunity to discuss the topic in detail and gain valuable experience both in terms of practice and hearing from others experiences internationally. CATs Martin Sweeney and Enda Whyte led a student workshop on "Utilising sports related concussion assessments to inform rehabilitation planning". 

Opening and updates:

WFATT President Dr. Brian Zeller opened the event alongside ARTI President Dr. Lynn Allen on Friday morning. While the WFATT members meeting took place on Friday afternoon, announcing Matthew Kutz as incoming President, Atsuko "Sue Onishi" Nakaniida and Colin King as Vice Presidents of WFATT.

Pictured: WFATT Executive Board From Backrow L-R: Colin King, Matthew Kutz, Glen Bergeron, Brian Zeller, Sinéad O'Keeffe, Atsuko Nakaniida.

Keynotes:

The Keynote Speakers included Prof Brian Devitt, who alongside CAT Ryan Alexander provided an update on ACL injury epidemic, while Dr. Ciaran Cosgrove gave insight into working with the Irish & British Lions, all staff from UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic.

The final keynote speaker was Sue Falsone, who discussed her journey as a pioneer in female Athletic Therapy, becoming the first ever female to be employed as head athletic therapist in professional sport in the US, Sue began with the Dodgers a Major League Baseball team and has since returned this season.

Presentations:

There was a fantastic scope of presentations available ranging from "Conquering the conversation" to "Developing a shoulder MAP" to public health practice, tactical care, resilience, breast weight management, unlocking better outcomes and examining Achilles tendon loads. 

A number of ARTI members presented or formed part of panel discussion in the following areas:

• Karen McCann: Her Game Too panel
• Siobhán O'Connor: Navigating a career as a woman in Sports & Exercise Medicine panel
• Enda Whyte: The International Agreement 
• Lynn Allen:  Evidence based practice and Global mobility of students panels and Learning to learn - metacognition

Research Presentations: 

ARTI were extremely well represented across Friday and Saturday during the research presentations with 6 athletic therapists presenting their research spanning from recent grads to PhD candidates;

• Ryan Alexander (Arthogenic muscle inhibition)
• John Corrigan (LGFA injury prevention and Exam Anxiety in AT students)
• Breanna Ní Fhionnaláin (Mental Health in collegiate athletes)
• Laura Power (Concussion time loss across genders in rugby)
• Alannah Reville (Fall incidence in jockeys)
• Isis Schockaert (Female clinicians perceptions).

Poster Presentations:

Similarly a fantastic variety of posters were presented from the Irish accredited Universities, a link to these will be added in future. 

Let's chAT: an Athletic Therapy Podcast:

James Gardiner was in attendance and recorded many snippets from delegates at the conference, you can listen to these here: Session 179: World Congress, A Reflective Recap

Our thanks:

To the WFATT organising committee:

• Pete Dewar
• Chris Schommer

Who alongside the ARTI organising committee:

• Lynn Allen
• Frank Devereux
• Sinéad O'Keeffe
• John Corrigan

And with the aid of ARTI executive members:

• Ciara Mulrooney
• Shane Dalton
• Damien Byrne
• Aaron Byrne
• Karen McCann
• Calvin Teahan
• Hannah Stewart

ensured the smooth running of the event. 

Pictured L-R: ARTI Executive members: Aaron Byrne (Vice Treasurer), Frank Devereux (Vice President), John Corrigan (Treasurer), Lynn Allen (President)

We also extend thanks to sponsors and exhibitors of the event, more details of whom can be found here: 13th World Congress Registration | World Federation of

We're looking forward to 2027 in Edinburgh for the 14th World Congress. 

 

Pictured: L-R ARTI executive members: Ciara Mulrooney PRO, Karen McCann Secretary, Shane Dalton Vice PRO.