Background

The History of EFOST

The idea of founding a new organization in Europe dealing with Sports Traumatology, based on the association of different nations through north, east, south, west, or middle of Europe was planted after the First World Congress of Sports Traumatology in Palma de Mallorca in May 1992. Dr. Jean-Claude Imbert and Dr. Hans Paessler suggested a new formation of an amalgam in sports trauma consisting of national sports trauma societies from the different European countries.

The new group was planned to be a “Federation”, not an individual society with the purpose of coordinate and improve knowledge on sports related injuries within multidisciplinary areas. Therefore, EFOST (European Federation of Orthopaedic National Association for Sport Traumatology) was announced to be founded in Munich by the initiatives of French and German National Societies (SFPTS and GOTS). The founders contacted with National Sport Trauma Associations and 1st General Assembly of EFOST was held in Santa Margareta di Liguria, Genova (Italy) at the Hotel Miramare in September 1993. Jean-Marie Baillon (Belgium), Jean-Claude Imbert (France), Wolfgang Pförringer, Hans H. Paessler (Germany), Pantelis Nikolaou, Georgis Priftis, Nikolaos Piscopakis (Greece), Filippo Rettagliata (Italy), Arthur Dziak (Poland), Jose M. Vilarrubias (Spain) and Mahmut Nedim Doral (Turkey) as the founder delegates. A constitution for an European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedic Sports Traumatology (EFOST) was accepted as a conclusion of this inaugural general assembly.

Jean-Claude Imbert was elected as the first president of EFOST and the mission was announced as bringing the Sport Traumatology issue under the name of “Federation” together, spreading its concept throughout Europe and creating new ones in the Countries with no such organizations.

The organization’s object clause comprises the promotion, the implementation and the development of scientific research in the field of sports traumatology. In order to achieve its goals the duties of the organization was defined as; enhancing the exchange of knowledge and ideas in biometrics and pathology as well as prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of sport injuries, caused to the skeletal system, enhancing education and scientific research in this domain, cooperating with scientific and professional organizations implied in the development of requirements pertaining to training and practising the specialty, enhancing and support the formation of national organizations working in the domain of sports traumatology, organizing international conventions, educational programs and cooperating with educational institutes, enhancing basic and clinical researchs and establishing relationships with organizations working in the domain of sports traumatology.

Second general assembly was held at the second congress of the European Federation of National Association of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT) in 1995 in Munich and Giuliano Cerulli (1995-1997) was elected as the new president of EFOST by vote unanimously. At that time Dr. Huylebroek, Dr. Benazzo and Dr. Biosca became further active and very engaged board members of EFOST. The first Specialty Day Meeting at EFORT Congress in Munich, was followed by the other EFORT meetings in 1997 Barcelona, in 1999 Brussels and in 2001 Rhodes. EFOST organized the first congress in Munich with the presidency of Hans H. Paessler.

EFOST has organized seven congresses until now:

• Munich 2001, with GOTS, Congress President Dr. Hans H. Paessler,
• Monaco 2003, Congress President Dr. Jean-Claude Imbert,
• Madrid 2004, Congress Presidents Dr. Pedro Guillen & Dr. Paco Biosca,
• Pavia 2006, Congress President Dr. Franco Benazzo,
• Antalya 2008, Congress President Dr. Mahmut Nedim Doral
• Brussels 2010, Congress President Dr. Jose Huylebroek
• London 2012, Congress President Dr. Francois Kelberine & Dr. Roger Hackney (Combined with World Sports Trauma Congress)

Lots of things were carried out since 1993 and EFOST is stil growing. E-journal, fellowship programs, improving national sports traumatology societies, having more comprehensive website and preparing continuous E-Newsletter by Dr. Doral and Dr. Mann are other current actions of EFOST. Dr. William Wind and Dr. Michael Rauh from USA were the first two fellows of EFOST fellowship program in 2008. Dr. Omer Mei-Dan (Israel) and Dr. Mike Carmont (UK) were the great representatives of the European Sports Medicine Surgeons with EFOST Fellowship program.