Dear colleagues and friends
This issue is overshadowed by the passing of our friend and my sports medicine mentor, Dr. med. Hans Spring. Hans deserves the highest respect, which is why he will receive the honour that is due to him in the “In Memoriam” section written by our esteemed colleagues and Hans’ longterm companions Dr. Beat Villiger and Professor Hans Hoppeler.
Concerning this, it is also an honour for me to carry forward what Hans Spring always conveyed to me as a young assistant in his warm and personable way, namely the passion for sports medicine, for sport, and for life. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Hans!
In the course of 2026 I will be taking over the role of the Editor-in-Chief step-by-step from my highly esteemed colleague Dr. med. Boris Gojanovic. Therefore, Boris will be responsible for Issue 1 and 3 and I will be responsible for Issue 2 and 4 this year. Accordingly, it is a great pleasure for me to introduce you into the “new” concept of the SEMS journal. To this end, the SEMS journal will henceforth take on more of the character of a sports medicine magazine, with all the sections predetermined in the interest of “recognition value”. The purpose of each section will be described repeatedly in the context of the title. We will also deliberately write the majority of articles in English, both to use the language of science and to accommodate the multilingual nature of Switzerland.
With sections such as “One Team One Spirit”, we also want to give important partner organisations a platform to place their news. To underscore the responsibility of sports medicine as a public health tool, we consider sections such as “Exercise is Medicine” to be of fundamental importance. In the course of this issue PD Dr. med. Davis Niederseer will familiarize you with lipid management in athletes. Furthermore, individuals in Switzerland who deliver extraordinary achievements in the field of sports medicine should receive a degree of recognition and credit in the “Frontrunners Who Knocked It Out of the Park” section. Hence, Dr. med. Martin Takes shares his insights with regard to transarterial embolization therapy with us.
In the busy day-to-day lives of medical professionals, certain scientific developments can sometimes go unnoticed, which is why in the “Stay Ahead of the Game” section we would like to offer an efficient way to gain an overview of the most important publications.
Likewise, the “new” sems journal also aims to serve as a platform for critical exchange of opinions with a “Dropping the Gloves” section. In the course of this issue experts of the fields of Addiction Medicine (Prof. Dr. med. Philipp Brugmann), Psychiatry (Dr. med. Ingo Butzke), Sports Philosophy (Prof. Julian Savulescu), and “Men’s Health” (Dr. med. ¬Jonathan Apasu) will shed light on the Enhanced Games which took place on May 24th in Las Vegas (USA) for us.
Ultimately, we would also like to support the next generation of sports medicine professionals, while also conveying the enjoyment of learning new content as experienced practitioners. We have planned this in the “Don’t Throw in the Towel” section with the support of the Junior SEMS division, which will comprehensively cover certain sports medicine topics for you. In this issue “Thoracic-Outlet” expert Prof. Dr. med. Jörg Grünert will outline his extensive experience with this syndrome.
Finally, we consider the print medium of the SEMS journal to be more of an entry point into certain topics, which is why we would also like to provide ideas through the “Ride in the Slipstream” section on how you can fill your time in the car, on the train, or on holiday with an informative podcast. And ultimately, important continuing education dates and information should of course also feature in the “Training Schedule and Season Highlights” section, as well as potential opportunities for further development in your sports medicine career in the “Touch Base on the Transfer Market” section.
The ulterior motive of this “special issue” was also to introduce myself to you. Since I work both in vascular medicine and sports medicine, this edition’s content focuses on vascular (sports) medicine, as well as on anti-doping topics which was the subject of my PhD thesis. I wish you much enjoyment reading the modified SEMS journal. We look forward to constructive feedback, as this journal is an organ of SEMS and is intended above all to serve your continuing education and your information.
Last but not least, I would like to once again express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. med. Boris Gojanovic, who over more than 10 years made this journal what it is today – a crucial element in our sports medicine community. Boris is not only the SEMS president, but also a meritorious colleague who has actively supported and encouraged me in the implementation of the new journal format. Thank you, Boris!
Roman Gähwiler
Dr. med. Dr. sc. med.
Editor-in-Chief
roman.gaehwiler@hin.ch
