Football Australasia: controversies in 2003

During Australian Football League (AFL) grand final week in 2003, a three-day Football Australasia conference was held in Melbourne on 23–25 September, immediately after the annual conference of the Australasian College of Sports Physicians. The Football Australasia conference was attended by over 300 delegates, including doctors (sports physicians, general practitioners, orthopaedic surgeons and rheumatologists), other experts (such as physiotherapists, podiatrists and conditioning coaches), and representatives from Australian football, rugby union, rugby league and soccer. One of the achievements of the conference was the sharing of information across the football codes. Each topic (which focused on a body area, such as “shoulder injuries”, or a general issue, such as “career ending injuries”) established a list of controversial practical and research issues to be examined in over 100 presentations or posters and assorted panel discussions.