Two inspiring days at BASES Conference 2024

BASES Conference 2024 took place on 20-21 November at Coventry Building Society Arena; two inspiring days filled with world-leading insight and expertise. The 2024 conference also celebrated BASES being granted Royal Charter status.

Thank you to all delegates, speakers, presenters, exhibitors and Gold Supporters: COSMED and Routledge for being part of the conference.

BASES Chair Prof Zoe Knowles FBASES, said, “The 2024 conference was a great success, it was wonderful to see so many familiar and new faces networking between the sessions. On behalf of BASES, I would like to thank everyone involved in helping to create such an outstanding event."

Dr Kevin Currell FBASES, Director of Science and Technical Development at the UK Sports Institute, opened the conference with the invited keynote: Reflections on Sports Science Support for Team GB at the 2024 Paralympic and Olympic Games. Following this was a day of thought-provoking poster presentations, free communications and parallel invited symposiums including: ‘Plantarflexor mechanics during movement presented by Dr Laura-Anne Furlong and ‘Using technology to support active lifestyles’ presented by Dr Alison Kirk.

The Outreach Project Team planned a free to access public talk, entitled ‘Applied psychology in elite sport’. This was presented by Dr Andy Hill, a senior sport psychologist and Technical Lead at the UK Sports Institute. It was open to any interested parties and took place at the end of the first day’s sessions.

Within the BASES Annual General Meeting, members were shown a short promo video and the new logo for when BASES is reincorporated as CASES, the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, from 1 April 2025. Following the 2024 AGM, the first day ended with a Gala Drinks Reception and Conference Dinner where the 2024 BASES Fellows were awarded their official certificate and badge. Prof John Dickinson FBASES ran an excellent quiz throughout the Gala Dinner, which also saw Jane Bairstow being commended for 25 years’ service at BASES, a great achievement. Delegates also saw the new logo for CASES, the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, and a short promo to show the evolution from BASES to CASES (see here).

The second day showcased a variety of rich content including invited symposiums: ‘Physiology of cold-water swimming and its application’ presented by Prof Mike Tipton, and ‘Performance and health support for Paralympic sports: future directions in a changing landscape’ presented by Nik Diaper.

Prof Catherine Ross, Scotland's Chief Scientific Officer, closed the conference with her Keynote: ‘Science in Health – ensuring sustainable NHS services for the future.’

Dr Daniel Bailey FBASES, Chair of the BASES Conference Planning Group, reflects, ‘The 2024 Conference at the Coventry Building Society Arena proved another great success. Two days of cutting-edge, world-leading content across sport and exercise sciences were delivered. On behalf of the Conference Panning Group, I would like to extend my thanks to all our speakers, delegates, and sponsors for being part of an inspiring event.’

Well done to everyone who presented at the conference and congratulations to all award winners. All accepted conference abstracts will be published in an online supplement of the Journal of Sports Sciences. Free-access will be available upon publication of the supplement, until 31 December 2024 at www.tandfonline.com/rjsp. The hashtag #BASESCON24 captured conversations over the two-days which you can view via X and Instagram.

A few sessions from the conference have been recorded and will be available in the Members’ Area of the BASES website shortly.

Earlier this year, the Board agreed to deliver a new-look single three-day Conference, combining the Annual Conference and the Student Conference. In June 2026, BASES will bring a reimagined conference to the sector from Manchester Metropolitan University. Celebrating the ‘Best of British’ and the application of sport and exercise science will be at the heart of the event. Please save the date (2-4 June 2026), for which more details will be shared with members in due course.