EAPC Symposium “Sports Cardiology 2026” at TUM Campus at the Olympic Park

When the international sports cardiology community meets in Munich, the focus is on more than the question of how much exercise a healthy heart can tolerate. At the European Association for Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) Symposium “Sports Cardiology 2026” on September 1, current issues surrounding sports, cardiovascular disease and a safe return to sport were at the centre of the programme. Around 190 participants came together in person at TUM Campus at the Olympic Park and online.

The international character of the symposium was also reflected in the composition of the participants: researchers, experts and interested professionals from Australia, the Philippines, various African countries, Central Asia, the USA, China, Japan and numerous European countries used the event for scientific exchange and networking.

Prof. Dr. Martin Halle, head of the Chair of Preventive Sports Medicine and Sports Cardiology and organiser of the symposium, adds: “I am proud that we were able to bring together practically the entire international sports cardiology expert community here in Munich at TUM Campus at the Olympic Park. The direct exchange on site was so important and productive, as it directly improves sports medicine care for people with cardiovascular conditions who participate in sport.”

From Abnormal ECGs to Returning to Sport

The full-day symposium combined scientific expertise with interactive and practice-oriented formats. Presentations, case studies, pro-and-con debates, panel discussions and an electrocardiogram (ECG) quiz provided diverse and varied perspectives while enabling direct exchange.

In terms of content, the spectrum ranged from elevated troponin levels in athletes and valvular heart disease to coronary artery disease, myocarditis and cardiomyopathies, as well as arrhythmias, athletes’ ECGs, and winter and high-altitude sports. Diseases of the aorta and questions regarding sports eligibility and a safe return to sport were also discussed.

Making Decisions Together, Sharing Responsibility

A particular highlight was the keynote by Professor Antonio Pelliccia from Rome. The focus was on “Shared Decision Making” in sports cardiology and the question of how medical recommendations can be developed together with those affected. The development of guidelines was also examined, from the ESC recommendations of 2020 to the ACC recommendations of 2025.

Prof. Halle draws an absolutely positive conclusion: “The symposium demonstrated how dynamically sports cardiology is currently developing. New scientific findings, controversial discussions and practice-oriented case studies showed that the safe management of cardiovascular conditions in sport increasingly requires individual decisions and close exchange between research and clinical practice. The EAPC Symposium provided an international platform for addressing current challenges and discussing future developments in sports cardiology. In addition, the visit to TUM Campus Olympiapark highlighted to many participants that Munich as a location, and the connection between medicine and sports science at TUM Campus Olympiapark, are exceptional, making it one of the leading centres for sports medicine and sports cardiology worldwide.”

To the homepage of the Chair of Preventive Sports Medicine and Sports Cardiology

Kontakt

Prof. Dr. Martin Halle
Chair of Preventive Sports Medicine and Sports Cardiology
Am Olympiacampus 11
80809 München

Phone: 089 4140 6774 (TUM Klinikum)
Phone: 089 289 24441 (TUM Campus im Olympiapark)
E-Mail: Martin.Halle(at)mri.tum.de

Text: Bastian Daneyko
Phoros: Private