2026 FIT PRO

22nd Annual International Conference on Sport & Exercise Science
as part of the Annual Academic Meetings of the Social Sciences Division

Tentative Program (Athens Local Time)

27-31 July & 1 August 2026
9 Chalkokondili Street, 10677 Athens, Greece

(Note 1: the program is organized along time slots and not according to common theme)
(Note 2: at the end of each session questions and discussions will follow)
(Note 3: joint sessions organized in parallel with other conferences in support of the interdisciplinary nature of our mission)


Monday 27 July 2026


08:30-09:00
Registration

09:00-09:45 Opening Speech and Welcoming Remarks
Speakers:
Gregory T. Papanikos, President, Athens Institute & Professor (Adjunct), University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.

09:45-11:30 Session 1
Moderator:
Christos Anagnostopoulos, Associate Professor and UNESCO Chairholder, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar.
  1. Spiro Doukas, Professor, American Public University, USA.
    Title: Sport Tourism and Regional Development Through Marathons and Long-Distance Runs: A Case Study of the Ioannina Lake Run.
  2. Unsal Ozdogru, Clinical Associate Professor, University of Illinois Chicago, USA.
    Kyungsoo Chon, University of Illinois Chicago, USA.
    Title: Perceived Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Running.
  3. Ruta Dadeliene, Associate Professor, Vilnius University, Lithuania.
    Mantas Sapranauskas, MSc Student, Vilnius University, Lithuania.
    Title: Physical Characteristics and Movement Quality of Athletes in Different Sports.
  4. Emil Maj Christensen, Urban Planner, Danish Cyclists’ Federation, Denmark.
    Title: Cycling-Friendly Urban Development Beyond Big Cities: Integrating Cycling in Low-Density Areas.

 

11:30-13:00 Session 2
Moderator: 
Spiro Doukas, Deputy Head, Sports Unit, Athens Institute & Professor, American Public University, USA.
  1. Christos Anagnostopoulos, Associate Professor and UNESCO Chairholder, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar.
    Khouloud Mtibaa, Laboratory Manager, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar.
    Title: The Governance Cascade: Stakeholder Expectations and Institutional Gaps in an Academic Exercise Science Laboratory.
  2. Gregory T. Papanikos, President, Athens Institute & Professor (Adjunct), University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.
    Title: UEFA-versus-UEFA Matches at the 2026 World Cup.
  3. Gergo Szilagyi, PhD Student, Matej Bel University, Slovakia.
    Title: Explosive Strength as a Key Predictor of Kata Performance in Youth Karate Athletes: A Pilot Study.

 

13:00-14:00 Session 3 – Symposium on “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Teaching, Research, and Publishing: Personal Experiences from Users”
Moderator: Gregory T. Papanikos, President, Athens Institute & Professor (Adjunct), University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.
 

Click here for the program

 

14:00-15:00 Lunch 

15:00-16:30 Session 4 – Microsymposium on Foresight
Moderator: Gisele Tchamba, Faculty Member, Adventist University of Africa, Kenya.
  1. An-Chun Teng, Assistant Professor, Ming Chuan University, Taiwan.
    Title: When Natural Disasters Become Governance Crises: Media Narratives of Crisis Management and Disaster Governance in Taiwan.
  2. Samaneh Ebrahimabadi, Researcher, Finland Futures Research Center, University of Turku, Finland.
    Title: Temporal Dimensions in Corporate Foresight: Gaps, Approaches, and Future Directions.
  3. Rong Guo, Vice President, Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, China.
    Like Yuan, Director, Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, China.
    Xinyu Xiao, Researcher, Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, China.
    Kaiyuan Long, Researcher, Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, China.
    Zheng Qin, Researcher, Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, China.
    Title: Technology Foresight in China: Methods and Practices.
  4. Naila Keleta-Mae, Associate Professor, University of Waterloo, Canada.
    Title: Black Visual Art as Freedom in International Contexts.

 

18:00-20:00 Session 5 – Visit Aristotle’s Lyceum

This is not a guided tour, and participation in this visit is not included in any conference registration fee. It requires pre-booking. It includes visits to Aristotle’s Lyceum, the Panathenaic Stadium (Kallimarmaro), the National Garden, the statues of Sophocles, Aeschylus, and Euripides, and Syntagma Square, where the tour concludes in front of the Hellenic Parliament. Click here for more details.

20:30-22:30 Athenian Early Evening Symposium (Sequence of Events: Ongoing Academic Discussions, Dinner, Wine and Water, Music, Dance)


Tuesday 28 July 2026


09:30-11:00 Session 6 – Microsymposium on “Library and Information Science”
Moderator TBA
  1. Mor Deshen, Lecturer, Bar-Ilan University, Israel.
    Noa Aharony, Lecturer, Bar-Ilan University, Israel.
    Title: Artificial Intelligence Literacy among LIS Professionals: An Emerging Research Landscape.
  2. Sibongile Ngwenya, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of South Africa, South Africa.
    Omwoyo Bosire Onyancha, Professor, University of South Africa, South Africa.
    Title: An Informetric Study of the Co-existence of Open Science and Intellectual Property Rights.
  3. Raid Suleiman, Professor, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Jordan.
    Title: Challenges of Disappearance Printed Arabic Newspapers Archive in the Digital Environment (A Case Study: AL-Hussein bin Talal Newspapers Archive).
  4. Chekra Allani, Assistant Professor, Arab Open University – Kuwait, Kuwait.
    Title: From Fairy Tales to Algorithms: AI-Enhanced Bibliotherapy for Mental Health.

 

11:00-12:30 Session 7
Moderator: Gergo Szilagyi
, PhD Student, Matej Bel University, Slovakia.
  1. Abdelghani Miliani, Head, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Health Sciences, Algeria.
    Mahmoud Dib, Lecturer, University of Oran 1 – Ahmed Ben Bella, Algeria a.
    Title: Static Foot Disorders in Young Athletes: Insights from a Podoscopic Study in Algeria.
  2. Katarina Kravec Rerkova, PhD Student, Institute of Pathophysiology, Comenius University, Slovakia.
    Zuzana Novakova, Researcher, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia.
    Karin Marcek Malenovska, Researcher, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia.
    Igor Straka, Associate Professor, Comenius University, Slovakia.
    Lucia Slobodova, Researcher, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia.
    Viera Litvakova, Researcher, Comenius University, Slovakia.
    Peter Valkovic, Professor, Comenius University, Slovakia.
    Jozef Ukropec, Senior Scientist, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia.
    Barbara Ukropcova, Professor, Slovak Academy of Sciences/Comenius University, Slovakia.
    Title: Exercise Modulates Circulating and Skeletal Muscle MyomiR Dynamics in Parkinson’s Disease.
  3. Mahmoud Dib, Lecturer, University of Oran 1 – Ahmed Ben Bella, Algeria.
    Abdelghani Miliani, Head, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Health Sciences, Algeria.
    Title: The Impact of Psychological Factors on Return to Previous Sport after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Prospective Study of 100 Athletes.

 

12:30-14:00 Session 8
Moderator TBA
  1. Christos Mavrovitis, Senior Lecturer, University of Surrey, UK.
    Title: Match Length, Player Rankings, and Bookmakers’ Beliefs – Evidence from Professional Tennis.
  2. Allison Kiefner Burmeister, Associate Professor, University of Findlay, USA.
    Jacob Burmeister, Associate Professor, University of Findlay, USA.
    Title: Body Image and Disordered Eating in Collegiate Athletes and Non-Athletes.
  3. Robert C. Schneider, Distinguished Service Professor, State University of New York at Brockport, USA.
    Title: Leveraging Competitive Sport to Develop Entrepreneurial Competencies.

14:00-15:00 Lunch 

15:45-19:30 Session 9
Old and New-An Educational Urban Walk
The urban walk ticket is not included as part of your registration fee. It includes transportation costs and the cost to enter the Parthenon and the other monuments on the Acropolis Hill. The urban walk tour includes the broader area of Athens. Among other sites, it includes: Zappion, Syntagma Square, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Ancient Roman Agora and on Acropolis Hill: the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, and the Parthenon. The program of the tour may be adjusted, if there is a need beyond our control. This is a private event organized by the Athens Institute exclusively for the conference participants.

20:00-22:00
Closing Remarks by Gregory T. Papanikos: “Wine, Words, and Wisdom: An Ancient Athenian Dinner Symposium” followed by an Ancient Athenian Dinner


Wednesday 29 July 2026
An Educational Visit to Selected Islands
or Nafplio & Mycenae Visit


Thursday 30 July 2026
Visiting the Oracle of Delphi


Friday 31 July 2026
Visiting the Ancient Corinth and Cape Sounion


Saturday 1 August 2026
09:00-10:00 – The Academic Discussion continues in the downtown open agora (close to the Aristotelian Lyceum)
Refreshments are offered by the president of the Athens Institute. The purpose of this academic meeting is to engage in a comprehensive discussion regarding the future of education and research. click here for more details – (Pre-booking is required and the event will only be held if a minimum number of participants is reached)



Conference Venue: 9 Chalkokondili Street, 10677 Athens, Greece