International Mountain Summit: a meeting and a discussion about alpinism, doping, culture and the environment

At the International Mountain Summit 2014, that will take place in Brixen, Italy, from 16 - 21 October there are two important days organised by the Master in Mountain Medicine and his director Dott. Luigi Festi. The first, on 17 October, is entitled 'A mountain of words, images, emotions, colors' while the second on 18 October is entitled 'Clean and Honest Mountaineering: Reality or Illusion?' and will host an international meeting discussing the use of doping in alpinism and mountain sports.
1 / 1
From 6 - 21 october 2014 at Brixen, South Tyrol, the IMS International Mountain Summit
IMS
17/10/2014 - A mountain of words, images, emotions, colors
Once again this year, on the day dedicated to mountain culture and environment, the cross-border collaboration between the Kiku. International Mountain Summit in Bressanone/Brixen (BZ), the University of Insubria (Como/Varese-Italy), the Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine/EURAC in Bolzano as well as the organizers of the International Master in Mountain Medicine will be presented. The goal of this Master is to educate and train people to become expedition doctors capable of setting up a practice in the mountains. These doctors will become an integral part of the Alpine and expedition world. Their career profile will be such that he/she will be familiar with all aspects of the mountain world so as to be able to interpret those aspects with an increased awareness and a deeper knowledge, thereby increasing safety in the mountains.
Working together with IMS friends, the idea of opening the didactical part of the Masters to the public, as a common good, came into being. On October 17 th, during the morning session, some of the most famous writers, journalists, photographers, and naturalists from Italy and abroad will present some never before discussed aspects of alpine history with the help of new means of communication. For example, it will be explained how we can immortalize our experience in a photograph, and how we can interpret the mountain flora. At the same time, as passionate lovers of the mountains, our souls will open up, catching glimpses of unknown beauty and fascination.
At the end, we will have come full-circle, returning to the topic of mountain medicine. Friends from Spain will present for the first time in Italy, the experience gained in Nepal regarding expedition-related medicine.
Guest speakers Luigi Festi, Pietro Crivellaro, Teresio Valsesia, Ely Riva, Guido Novaria, Angelo Valsecchi, Leonardo Bizzaro and Maria Antonia Nerin
- Download the program A mountain of words, images, emotions, colors

18/10/2014 - Clean and Honest Mountaineering: Reality or Illusion?
The IMS Congress which is taking place on Saturday, October, 18th at the Kiku. International Mountain Summit in Bressanone/Brixen (Italy) will take up the controversial topic "Doping in Mountain and Mass Sports" and analyze it critically.
The aim of this long overdue discussion at international level is to find a definition of Doping in Mountaineering and mass sports, to establish policies and therefore to improve the safety in mountain sport and to guarantee the freedom of Mountaineering.
Mountaineers, representatives of Alpine Clubs, athletes, journalists, ethicists, anti-doping and High Altitude Medicine experts, officials of Sport clubs, coaches and all interested parties are invited to participate at this International Congress.
Guest speakers: Peter Bartsch, Marco Maggiorini, Martin Burtscher, Urs Hefti, Gian Franco Parati, Ben Levine, Guido Giardini, Waldemaro Flick, Maria Antonia Nerin, Michele Signorini, Georg Simeoni, Toni Lamprecht, Peter Koler, Marlies Prinzing, Martin Burtscher, Giulio Sergio Roi, Renato Jorioz, Francesca Canepa and Jörg Jaksche.
- Download the program Clean and Honest Mountaineering: Reality or Illusion?


CLEAN AND HONEST MOUNTAINEERING - REALITY OR ILLUSION by Dott. Luigi Festi

The IMS Congress which is taking place on Saturday, October, 18th at the Kiku. International Mountain Summit in Bressanone/Brixen (Italy) will take up the controversial topic "Doping in Mountain and Mass Sports" and analyze it critically.
The aim of this long overdue discussion at international level is to find a definition of Doping in Mountaineering and mass sports, to establish policies and therefore to improve the safety in mountain sport and to guarantee the freedom of Mountaineering.
The first part of the congress will be conducted by Dr. Luigi Festi, Head of the International Master in Mountain Medicine, in cooperation with the Italian Alpine Club CAI and the Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine/EURAC and will focus mainly on the medical aspect of high altitude mountaineering. The second part of the congress in the afternoon will be dedicated to the social point of view and will be conducted by the German, Austrian and South Tyrolean Alpine Clubs DAV, OeAV and AVS.
The end of the congress will take place on the big IMS stage in form of a discussion around the central theme of "doping in Mountaineering and Mass Sport" with all protagonists and experts of the congress day. The discussion will be moderated by Vinicio Stefanello, famous editor of the mountain platform www.planetmountain.com.
The opportunity to push the limits of the own physical performance in an artificial way, by taking medicines, is considered an appealing solution for many human beings. Is the fact that the Mount Everest has been climbed up with artificial Oxygen also to consider Doping? Is it a fraud? Should the usage of acetazolamide and phosphodiesterase-inhibitors intended to improve acclimatization, also be considered as Doping? What are the effects on the organism? Is it fair to use analgesics or anti-inflammatory medicines, to complete inter alia a trail-competition or to win?
Taking medicines to improve the performance in sports is generally considered Doping and as an illegal measure it is not accepted on the whole neither by society nor by athletes. Does it also apply to mountain sports?
In mountaineering, as well as in mass sports, medicines are more often used to prevent altitude sickness, as a pain therapy or for the physical well-being. The aim is usually to achieve an improvement of the physical performance. The reasons for this development are various: the timing needed and the financial costs, the personal and the mental performance pressure, the fear of failure. The personal environments, media and sponsors play an important role and can affect considerably decisions. Side effects and adverse health effects are often not considered or underestimated.

Dott. Luigi Festi
Italian Alpine Club Central Medical Commission President


Note:
www
www.ims.bz



Latest news


Expo / News


Expo / Products
Ever since its market launch, the Barryvox avalanche transceiver has been among the most reliable transceivers in the world.
Versatile and sturdy men’s mountaineering boots
Scott skis, light enough for ski touring, and shaped for freeride skiing.
Hooded down jacket designed for high-altitude mountaineering.
Automatic ski mountaineering crampons
Un nuovo standard di calzatura polivalente per alpinismo tecnico e veloce, escursionismo impegnativo e vie ferrate.
Show products