The Daily - SportAccord Convention

Transcription

The Daily - SportAccord Convention
The Daily
inside
ISSUE 1 - MONDAY, 20 APRIL, 2015
#SAC2015
www.sportaccordconvention.com
Patrick Nally
The ‘founding father of
sports marketing’ reflects
on a game-changing
career in the industry
PAGE 15
Rugby
in sevens
heaven
ahead of
big year
Page 10
Ski jump
Sarah Lewis talks
about FIS’s success
in reaching out to
interesting new
horizons PAGE 12
vizer states
visibility aim
President outlines goals for the future
M
arius L. Vizer has spoken
of his desire to continue
enhancing the visibility
of SportAccord and the continuity
of SportAccord Convention World
Sport & Business Summit under his
presidency, as the 2015 Convention
kicked off yesterday.
In welcoming delegates from
around the world to the state-ofthe-art Sochi Expocentre, Vizer
highlighted the progress made
over the past 12 months ahead of
the SportAccord General Assembly
this (Monday) morning and a busy
week of high-level meetings and
networking.
“The primary challenge at the
beginning of the last 12-month cycle
at SportAccord was visibility,” Vizer
told The Daily. “Today, thanks
to the initiatives that we have
undertaken to improve our media
strategies, more people know about
SportAccord and its activities and
the number is growing by the day.
“The most important aim for us
is to increase the global visibility
of SportAccord. The scale of the
organisation, thanks to the strength
of all its members, is immense and
the potential is limitless.
“We want to realise this potential
and improve the attractiveness of
the SportAccord brand so that we
can provide even better services to
all our Member Federations.”
In recent months, SportAccord has
struck an agreement with Euronews
to launch a “truly representative”
programme, ‘Sports United’, which
presents news from Member
Federations to more than 400 million
households worldwide each week.
SportAccord has also developed
its Multi-Sport Games strategy by
awarding Lima the 2017 World
Combat Games and receiving
offers of interest in hosting the
organisation’s other events, with a
SportAccord and
SportAccord Convention
President Marius L. Vizer
host for the inaugural World Beach
Games set to be announced “very
soon”, according to Vizer.
“Academically, we have increased
sports education avenues for
enthusiasts and professionals alike
by launching the SportAccord
Academy, which is a unique online
platform that offers world-class
sports education to all,” Vizer
added. “At present, the SportAccord
Academy is providing the Certified
Sports Professional course to
everyone across the world, free
of charge.
“Similar to this, we are looking
to launch a platform soon that
will allow athletes to complete
their college education using the
SportAccord Academy, while still
being able to compete.
“We wish to facilitate this wellrounded development of athletes
and the SportAccord Academy is an
important tool for integration.
“Also, when we speak of
education, we believe that the
IF Forum and SportAccord
Convention are important platforms
for us to facilitate an exchange
of ideas.”
Switching attention to the 2015
Convention, Vizer is delighted with
preparations for this year’s event.
“We have expanded the scope
of SportAccord Convention to
include business and industry
into discussions with the sports
Continued on Page 2
Your guide
to what’s
happening
today at
SportAccord
Convention
World Sport
& Business
Summit
Opening
Ceremony
tonight
A stunning Ice Show
will mark the opening
ceremony of SportAccord
Convention World Sport
& Business Summit this
evening.
The event, which will
start at 19.00, will take
place at the nearby Iceberg
Skating Palace, with the
Convention’s official
shuttle transport service
running from Official
Convention Hotels and the
Sochi Expocentre.
The Ice Show, which
will feature some of the
most famous names in
Russian sport, will be
directed by former ice
dance world champion
Ilya Averbukh, who is the
Founder and CEO of the
renowned Ilya Averbukh
production company.
“For me it is a great
honour to direct the official
opening ceremony for
SportAccord Convention
World Sport & Business
Summit,” Averbukh told
The Daily.
“It will be a big and
bright show highlighting
various types of sports,
including gymnastics,
figure skating, judo, skiing
and much more. Former
world champions and top
sportspeople will take part
in the show, including
figure skaters Irina
Rodnina, Alexey Yagudin,
Tatyana Navka and Roman
Kostomarov, Tatiana
Volosozhar and Maxim
Trankov, speed skater Ivan
Skobrev, ice hockey player
Vyacheslav Butsayev and
gymnast Alexei Nemov.”
The ceremony will
feature 3D projections and
sound effects against the
backdrop of a performance
by Tamara Gverdtsiteli,
a leading singer. There
will also be references to
the Kuban Cossacks and
Russia’s heritage of space
exploration.
2 The Daily Monday, 20 April, 2015
SPORTACCORD
CONVENTION
world sport
& business
summit
Gold Partners
Host City Partners
social media
Link up with us through our website,
www.sportaccordconvention.com
and via the following:
@saconvention
#SAC2015
sportaccordconvention
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the daily
The Daily is
produced by
Squires Media
– Editorial
Communications and Publishing
for the International Sporting
Community
www.squiresmedia.com
Editor: Rory Squires
Production Manager:
Richard Mulligan
Journalists: Laura Aleksyan,
Phil Ascough, Asiyat Barkhozova,
Karen Danelian, Kristina Ekzaryan,
Emma Milner, Simon Redfern
legal aid
for sport
B
etter legal support for
International Federations,
greater protection against
the rising threat of litigation
and first-hand reports from key
figures behind Russia’s sporting
success will combine to create
a compelling programme in an
expanded LawAccord schedule.
Steve Townley, Chair of
LawAccord, told The Daily that
the increasing importance and
complexity of legal issues within
the world of sport is behind the
move to hold two events during a
full day.
Townley added that the result
will be greater benefits for the
sport and legal communities,
with an array of expert speakers
making full use of the time
available to address a wider range
of issues.
Last year’s LawAccord took a
back-to-basics stance, recognising
that while such major issues as
doping and match fixing remain
hugely important in sport, IFs
also need help with the dayto-day challenges of running
sporting events.
This year’s event, which takes
place in Press Briefing Room 1
from 09.00 on Tuesday, will take a
more comprehensive approach to
meet the rising demand for legal
guidance in sport.
“The sport legal community
and the IFs have benefited from
LawAccord over the years as a
result of the exchange of ideas and
knowledge around such important
topics as integrity, governance,
dispute resolution and testing,”
Townley said.
“Subsequently, LawAccord
has grown over the years and the
increasing importance of these
issues was behind the invitation to
extend the programme in Sochi.”
The Tuesday morning session will
Steve
Townley
kick off with the basic question
facing IFs of how to approach
legal issues.
“One of the very specific areas
of feedback that we received from
last year’s LawAccord sessions
was that a number of Federations
had experienced real difficulties
in choosing a lawyer and then
in negotiating the terms of his
or her appointment,” Townley
added. “Some Federations had
‘We want to help
Federations learn
from the experiences
of our panel so they
are better equipped
to make the right
choices’
previously been relying on free
advice from lawyer members of
their boards. This had not always
worked because such advice
might not be independent or
involve real accountability if it
proved to be wrong. Against this
background almost all IFs we
spoke to recognised the increasing
challenges of a highly regulated
business environment in which
they must operate.
“Many commented that they
had found themselves threatened
with litigation from athletes and
other aggrieved stakeholders. We
want to help Federations learn
from the experiences of our panel
so they are better equipped to
make the right choices.”
The opening event will also
pick up on some of themes of a
session hosted by LawAccord
at the IF forum in Lausanne last
November to look at the type of
legal challenges now regularly
being faced by different sizes of
Federations.
“We looked at methods used
to resolve those challenges
from technology-driven risk
management assessments to
mediation, arbitration and the
courts,” Townley said.
“In this session we will have
some case studies on common
problems that arise with
documentation such as hosting
agreements. Lawyers from the
SportAccord team will also
provide an overview of some
of the particular areas that are
trending towards legal conflict.”
Speakers including Russia’s
Deputy Minister of Sport
Natalia Parshikova and Eleonora
Mitrofanova, Permanent Delegate
of the Russian Federation to
UNESCO, will address the
Tuesday afternoon event.
“The Russian Federation is
hosting some significant sports
events in the coming years, not
least of which is the FIFA World
Cup in 2018,” Townley added.
“This follows from the very
successful legacy of the hosting
of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
The Russian Federation has a
strong tradition of developing elite
sportsmen and women.
“This session will provide a
rare insight into how the Russian
Federation has addressed some
of the complex legal issues
concerning the sports industry
from a Russian perspective and
how it intends to contribute
positively to the international legal
community on the development of
these issues in the years to come.
“We are honoured that the
Russian Federation has facilitated
such immensely influential
speakers for this session.”
Convention set to return to Sochi in 2016
Continued from Page 1
world and we are proud to host SportAccord
Convention World Sport & Business Summit
in Sochi, Russia,” he said.
“I believe the 2015 Convention will
consolidate the present standard of the
Convention, will give new impetus to the
development of the sports world in order
to reach a higher standard and will also
consolidate the unity of the IFs and all the
platforms and programmes that support the
development of sport.”
SportAccord recently announced the opening
of its first regional office in Moscow – a step that
Vizer is confident will “create new opportunities
within the international sports world”.
He added: “As the International Federations’
union, SportAccord can bridge the divide
between the International Federations and
Russia, and vice versa. The regional office
is working diligently towards increasing
access to Russia for the international sports
community and has played a big role in the
organisation of SportAccord Conventon
World Sport & Business Summit in Sochi.
“It is an honour to reunite the world of
sports, sports business and sports media, and
I want to take this opportunity to thank the
Government of the Russian Federation and
all the organisations who supported us in
delivering this event.
“As for other offices across the world, they are
high on the agenda for SportAccord and we are
in initial discussions with a few global cities.
With a multitude of regional offices across the
world, SportAccord will aim to bring sports
to newer cross-sections of society.” Vizer also
explained that Sochi’s outstanding facilities
would provide an ideal base for the Convention
beyond this year’s event.
“We are working on improving the
continuity of the Convention, which is why we
are happy to announce that we will be hosting
the 2016 edition in Sochi with an option to stay
in Russia for the 2017 and 2018 editions. This
will allow us to use our time and resources to
improve content and tone, learning from our
experiences this year, without having to work
on infrastructure and logistics in a different
destination,” he added.
“At the same time, we have been working
on providing additional support to
International Federations on different matters,
thus increasing the scope of their activities.
“So the last 12 months have been very busy
and fruitful for SportAccord and the next
12-month cycle promises even more.”
Monday, 20 April, 2015 The Daily 3
TAKE PART IN
PwC study
on legacy
Delegates have been invited
to take part in a research study
into the legacy of major sporting
events that is being carried
out by PwC, a Gold Partner of
SportAccord Convention World
Sport & Business Summit.
The study aims to explore
which aspects of sporting legacy
are most valuable and significant
lessons from previous event
experiences.
PwC will unveil the
preliminary results of the study
during its Plenary Panel Session,
‘What’s in a word? The truth
about legacy’, during the Main
Conference Programme on
Wednesday (10.45-12.00).
The PwC team is continuing to
gather feedback for the research
study this week and will use
responses submitted this week
to build on the insights from
the preliminary findings. All
responses are anonymous, and
the final results will be released
in a post-event report which will
be available to delegates.
To access the questionnaire,
which takes about 15 minutes
to complete, visit: http://bit.
ly/1Ovu5jh
 A marathon ballot tested
the ARISF constitution to
the limit after six rounds of
voting failed to produce a new
Director for the body’s Council
yesterday evening.
The General Assembly
finally voted for Anna
Arzhanova (CMAS) after a
seventh vote – a third head-tohead ballot with John Liljelund
(IFF). The original seven
candidates were reduced to
two by withdrawals and a
series of four votes, none of
which produced an overall
majority. Arzhanova and
Liljelund were locked at 17
votes each in the second
head-to head before the former
won 19-15. ARISF President
Raffaele Chiulli said: “This was
one of the most challenging
contests in ARISF’s history.”
For more information about
the ARISF General Assembly,
check out tomorrow’s edition
of The Daily.
Peace and
Sport Watch
C
find press
schedule
Members of the media will be
able to stay up-to-date with the
latest developments during
SportAccord Convention World
Sport & Business Summit
by checking out the Media
Opportunities Schedule, which
is now available at www.
sportaccordconvention.com.
During the Convention,
there will be a number of
news conferences and media
briefings by SportAccord and
SportAccord Convention,
heads of International
Federations and Organisations,
as well as industry and media
stakeholders.
As soon as media events are
organised and confirmed, details
will be posted on the schedule.
All press briefings will take
place in Press Briefing Rooms
1 and 2 or in the Aggreko
Media Suite unless otherwise
stated. Please check the Media
Opportunities Schedule for
details by visiting www.
sportaccordconvention.com
and clicking on Media Centre >
Media Opportunities Schedule.
onvention delegates and
the media have been
invited to the launch of
the new Peace and Sport Watch
platform tomorrow (Tuesday),
which is taking place with the
assistance of FrancsJeux.
Joel Bouzou, the President and
Founder of Peace and Sport, will
lead the briefing, which will take
place in Press Briefing Room 2 at
the ExpoCentre from 12.00-12.30.
“Since its creation in 2007, Peace
and Sport has been a pioneer
of the peace through sport
movement,” Bouzou told
The Daily.
“We have attracted many
supporters through the Forum,
Field Programmes and Awards,
and numerous inspiring initiatives
are springing up every day
throughout the world.
“All our events are catered to
suit the needs of a large number of
stakeholders, from International
Federation leaders to businesses
and practitioners.
“The message we convey
through all of our actions is that
everyone can be a supporter of
peace through sport. This message
recently led to the launch of our
new brand identity under the
slogan, ‘Be part of what matters’.
“In launching the Peace and
Sport Watch, our aim is to help
foster the movement by offering
its supporters and the wider
public a digest of the latest news
and critical analysis of the sector.
“In partnership with AFP,
the Peace and Sport Watch will
become the one-stop-shop for
every person who cares about
peace through sport and who
wishes to know more about our
common vision and get examples
of best practices to follow and
encourage.”
At the launch of Peace and Sport
Watch, Bouzou will be joined by
Vincent Amalvy, the Global Head
of Sport at the AFP news agency,
and athletics legend Wilson
Kipketer, a ‘Champion for Peace’
at Peace and Sport.
“Above all, we believe in the
power of sport to change the
world,” Bouzou added.
“Our organisation works
to build sustainable peace
throughout the world by
promoting the practice of
structured sport as a tool for
educating young generations
and fostering social stability and
dialogue among communities.
“In short, this means we
promote the use of sport as a
tool for dialogue on political and
practical levels.
“By promoting both a top-down
and a bottom-up approach, we
offer peace through sport every
chance of developing successfully
and sustainably.
“Of course we could not do
this without the support of
our International Federation
partners and our role models, the
‘Champions for Peace’ – top-level
athletes who contribute their time,
popularity, sporting experience
and skill or resources to help
projects for peace-promotion and
peace-building through sport.”
 For further information about
Peace and Sport Watch, contact
Nicolas Serres of Peace and Sport
Communications at
[email protected]
Foundation meeting for MediaAccord
Members of the media will attend a
Foundation Meeting this Thursday ahead
of the launch of MediaAccord at the 2016
SportAccord Convention World Sport &
Business Summit.
The session, which will be led by Michael
Peters, the CEO of Euronews, will take place
from 15.30-17.00.
The aim of the meeting will be to introduce
the concept of MediaAccord and stimulate
discussion between different sectors of the
media industry. Representatives of television,
print, photography, new media and general
press will feature in MediaAccord, with other
categories including industry, education and
marketing.
“The purpose of MediaAccord is to
provide a shared platform at SportAccord
Michael
Peters
Convention World Sport & Business Summit,
to enable International Federations, media
organisations and media experts to work
together and share best practices across all
media platforms; and find winning ways to
capture the passion and opportunities for the
further development of sport,” SportAccord
Convention Managing Director Nis Hatt said.
In November, Euronews and SportAccord
signed a historic collaboration for sports
programming.
Peters added to The Daily: “At Euronews,
our values are very similar to those of sports
– performance, discipline, neutrality, mutual
respect, diversity. We are eager to highlight all
aspects of sports on a global level.”
“It is motivating for our team to partner
with an organisation that shares our corporate
values.
“Our partnership with the Convention
also allows us to diversify our sports-news
coverage beyond the traditional disciplines
and we are deeply convinced that this is what
our high-educated audience is looking for.”
4 The Daily Monday, 20 April, 2015
Monday, 20 April, 2015 The Daily 5
Local children get involved in the Sports Demo Zone,
while the SportAccord Convention Village puts the
spotlight on the culture of the Sochi region
village to open
up convention
to
sochi
culture
T
his year’s SportAccord
Convention World Sport
& Business Summit will
forge closer links with its host city
than ever before thanks to the new
SportAccord Convention Village.
The new initiative, which has
been introduced by Marius L.
Vizer, President of SportAccord
and SportAccord Convention,
is designed to open up the
Convention to the general public
and specifically the community of
the Greater Sochi area, which has a
population of 600,000.
The SportAccord Convention
Village will feature the returning
Sports Demo Zone, powered by
Edmonton Events, which will
once again serve as a platform for
various sports demonstrations.
However, it will also offer a
cultural market, with local vendors
showcasing and selling items and
food from the Sochi area, giving
Convention delegates a taste of the
culture and traditions of the area,
and also art exhibits, including
paintings, sculptures, architecture,
music and dance.
Famous 3D artist Valentina Jarrett
will also host a 3D Art Corner
workshop, while a sports area will
feature fixed table tennis, a billiard
table, minigolf lines and a Taishan
Fun Zone.
For the remainder of the week
in the Sports Demo Zone the
following sports will be featured:
Monday – Wrestling (UWW),
Boules CMSB, Floorball (IFF),
Sambo (FIAS), Orienteering (IOF)
Tuesday – Orienteering (IOF),
Sambo (FIAS), Athletics (IAAF),
Judo (IJF), Aikido (IAF)
Wednesday – Wrestling (UWW),
Sambo (FIAS), Muaythai (IFMA),
Orienteering (IOF), Belt Wrestling
Koresh
Thursday – Wrestling (UWW),
Sambo (FIAS), Karate (WKF),
Orienteering (IOF), Go (IGF)
“Over the past few years we
have had the Sports Demo Zone,
which has worked very well, but
it was only open to the delegates,”
Convention Event Executive Lia
Luzzi told The Daily.
“Mr. Vizer wanted to create a
new concept to also bring the local
public to our event and show the
legacy of our event.
“We also wanted to offer
to SportAccord members the
opportunity to showcase their
sport to the local public. We
wanted to create an atmosphere,
not only by having the sports area,
but also by creating a small village
with local craft and products and
also local artists. “We really want to show a bit of
the region through the SportAccord
Convention Village.”
The Village is expected to attract
between 800 and 1,000 people
per day, including families,
schoolchildren, students and
organised groups. The Village,
which is situated next to the
Exhibition Zone, will be open from
09.00-18.00 daily through to this
Friday. Delegates will be allowed
to visit the Village, but members
of the public will not be allowed to
enter the Exhibition Zone.
T
he Sports Demo Zone,
powered by Edmonton
Events, started yesterday
with the IFF, IOF and FIDE,
the global governing bodies of
Floorball, Orienteering and Chess,
respectively, demonstrating their
sports to Convention delegates and
the public at large.
This year, the Sports Demo Zone
is taking centre stage in the new
SportAccord Convention Village,
as described ABOVE/BELOW.
With the Village expected to
attract up to 1,000 visitors per day,
as well as delegates, the sports
featured in the Zone will receive
greater exposure than ever before
at the event. The Zone will run
through to the end of Thursday.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) the IAAF,
the global governing body of
Athletics, will demonstrate its
Nestlé Kids’ Athletics, the flagship
development project of its school
and youth programme.
IAAF/Nestlé Kids’ Athletics
is one of the largest grassroots
sports development programmes
in the world. Tomorrow the
demonstration will be attended
by IAAF President Lamine Diack
and two 800m running greats
– Denmark’s three-time world
champion Wilson Kipketer and
Russia’s 2004 Olympic champion
Yuriy Borzakovskiy.
Six teams comprising 90 12-yearold children from schools in Sochi
will take part in the event, which
will feature a series of fun activities
that will cover the core skills of
‘run, jump, throw’.
Edmonton set to
build on success
E
dmonton’s ambitions in
the international sports
event-hosting industry
remain “stronger than ever” after a
“transformative” year, according to
James Jackson, Event Development
Manager of Edmonton Events,
which is powering the Sports
Demo Zone here in Sochi.
Edmonton Events, which
is also a Silver Partner of
SportAccord Convention World
Sport & Business Summit, has
had an “incredibly busy” year
as the Canadian city gears up
to host the Pan American Judo
Championships, FIFA Women’s
World Cup, Pan American
Junior Athletics Championships,
FIBA Americas Women’s
Championships, the Tour of
Alberta Pro Cycling Festival and
the ITU World Triathlon Series.
“Our team has expanded with
the additions of two new members
of staff – Janelle Janis and Amy
Krautt – to increase the service
Edmonton Events is at Stand 122
and attention we can offer rights
holders and event producers,”
Jackson told The Daily.
“We have also worked internally
on diversifying and increasing
our funding processes, thus
making funding access much more
accessible to events.
“All these changes occurred at the
same time as Edmonton hosting
many successful events, including
the ITU Grand Final – which was
just named International Sport
Event of the Year at the Canadian
Sport Tourism Alliance’s Sport
Event Congress – the Tour of
Alberta Pro Cycling Festival, FIFA
U20 Women’s World Cup and the
FIVB World League.
“We are looking to build on the
successes of 2014. We are looking
to further develop our marketing
support to rights holders and as
always we are looking to host
events in the future.”
In February, Edmonton was
forced to withdraw its bid for
the 2022 Commonwealth Games
due to financial constraints, but
the city’s bidding aspirations
for the event and other major
championships in the future
remain undiminished.
“Edmonton is a very ambitious
sports city, and our commitment
to hosting major international
events is stronger than ever,”
Jackson added.
“The decision to pursue the 2026
Commonwealth Games bid rather
than 2022 was predicated on the
Alberta Government’s financial
constraints due to the falling price
of oil.
“While disappointing, Edmonton
supports that decision given
the need to prioritise services to
Albertans such as healthcare and
education. The decision has not
impacted any of our other bids or
aspirations. In fact, we are busier
than ever.
“Similar to many cities or regions,
the increasingly competitive
market to host events forces us
to focus on what we are good at
and look for ways we can truly
contribute to the development of
a sport.
“We value long-term
relationships with rights holders.
Although a challenge, the increased
competition is keeping us agile and
focused on what matters – hosting
successful events and building
sport for all.
“This has been a transformative
year for Edmonton Events, but we
still focus on the goal that drives
us – the long-term, sustainable
hosting of major international sport
events.”
Edmonton Events’ involvement
in the Sports Demo Zone is part
of the organisation’s contribution
to the “growth and development
of the sport community”, Jackson
added.
“Encouraging the participation
in sport and healthy lifestyles are
values we take seriously, and we
are glad to see that expanded upon
this year with the Village and the
Sports Demo Zone,” he said.
 Simon Farbrother, City Manager,
Edmonton Events will be speaking
on the Main Conference Programme
Panel Session ‘The Legacy
Requirement’ from 14.00-15.00
on Tuesday
6 The Daily Monday, 20 April, 2015
Monday, 20 April, 2015 The Daily 7
athletes power
sport’s future
T
The perfect stage
S
portAccord Convention
Managing Director Nis
Hatt has urged delegates to
make the most of the outstanding
networking opportunities in Sochi
this week.
With more than 25 industry sectors
involved and 93 per cent of attendees
being Presidents and CEOs, Hatt
told The Daily that this year’s event,
under the new ‘World Sport &
Business Summit’ name, represents
an exciting step into the future.
“Rather than ‘renaming’,
SportAccord Convention World
Sport & Business Summit represents
progression and expansion,
embracing the wider needs and
aspirations of the World Sports
Family, and reinforcing the focus and
future of SportAccord Convention
for its Members,” Hatt said.
“This Summit is the only sports
business event on the annual
calendar that is ‘owned’ by sport,
and consequently is on target to
provide the most wide-ranging
opportunities for everyone with
full meeting, conference, social and
cultural programmes.
“This is an important year with
Nis Hatt
the Convention having grown in
stature to become the World Sport
& Business Summit, offering all
of us the opportunity to explore
exciting new terrains.
“Bringing together all levels of
sport, industry, media, suppliers,
art and culture, provides a joint
platform to do this.
“As a result, I would like to
encourage everyone to approach
this year’s Convention with the
spirit of discovery in mind. Take
advantage of the many ways you
can use your time to meet up with
friends and colleagues, network,
establish new relationships and
participate in the business and
social events that have been
organised. The broader format
will also provide focus for new
projects, including MedicalAccord,
MediaAccord, LawAccord and
the Ministers Meeting. The
SportAccord Awards are also a
new addition to this year’s Summit.
“This is the only event, owned
by sport, where everyone has the
opportunity to take advantage of
numerous opportunities – in one
location.
“This is an ideal framework for
networking, meetings and business
opportunities over the six days.
“I would like to extend a
big thank you to the Russian
Federation, the Krasnodar Region,
the City of Sochi, and last but
not least, to all our International
Federations and Associations.”
As an “international sports,
business and tourist destination”,
Sochi illustrates the “excellent
progress that has been made within
the Russian sports industry in
recent years”, according to Hatt.
“Sport is deeply rooted in
Russian society and strikes a strong
chord with citizens,” he said.
“It forms the footprint and
foundations for legacy on which
we can build and lead by example.
“Embracing legacy should
encourage and foster aspiration,
for children passing through the
educational system, as well as
citizens going about their daily
lives, so they can benefit and
achieve their goals and desires.
This is what legacy is about and
sport holds these values.”
Hatt is confident that the
Conference Programme’s theme of
‘Legacy’ will provide the perfect
spark for an engaging week of
discussions at the stunning Sochi
Expocentre (pictured above).
“Legacy is an important part of
our heritage and touches every
aspect of life,” he added.
“Leaving a legacy is not only
about the event itself, or the
sportspeople involved, but also
recognises the wider Sports
Family and the ‘players’ who have
contributed to making the event
such a great success. Legacy is
about social responsibility and
sustainability. These considerations
include the use of stadiums beyond
the event, hotel and hospitality
services, education, as well as
the contributions made by local
organisations and citizens who
have worked hard towards the
successful staging of an event.
“Other major themes for this
year’s Convention are likely
to see discussions around
groundbreaking ways to improve
fan engagement and experiences,
whether attending an event or
using second screens.
“Youth and Sport is also a strong
contender and closely tied to
legacy, while Women and Sport is
also high on our Members’ agenda
and builds on the discussions
that took place at the IF Forum in
November 2014.”
Hatt also believes that the
SportAccord Convention Village,
highlighted on p4 of today’s
edition of The Daily, will prove to
be a popular concept for delegates
and members of the public.
“Visitors and schoolchildren alike
can soak up the atmosphere in the
Village and enjoy what’s on offer in
a fun and dynamic atmosphere in
the Spirit of Sport,” he said.
Mega-events driving the Middle East region
By Chris Scudamore, Partner
Home Office: Middle East
(Doha and Dubai)
Background: Chris has spent his
career advising clients in the
public and private sectors in
relation to the delivery of major
projects and, in particular, major
infrastructure projects. Now
based in the Middle East, Chris
is involved with mega-events
projects in both Qatar and the
United Arab Emirates.
It is a well-known fact that
mega-events can act as a
catalyst for economic growth
in developing countries.
Both Qatar with the Qatar 2022
World CupTM and Dubai with
its hosting of Expo 2020 have
recognised the potential economic
benefits and opportunity to
accelerate economic development
that comes from hosting megaevents.
Recent changes in the oil
price have acted as a trigger for
governments to re-assess their
spending. However, we are seeing
Insights
that governments in the region are
remaining committed to projects
such as these mega-events despite
the oil price pressure.
The changes in oil price are
in fact making projects such as
the Qatar 2022 World CupTM and
Expo 2020 more important. If the
long-term prospect for oil prices is
low, then countries must work to
accelerate economic diversification
of their carbon-based economies at
an even faster pace.
From a purely sporting
perspective, we see a regional
trend for more investment in
the development of the sporting
capabilities of the national/local
populations across the GCC (Gulf
Co-operation Council) countries.
Many countries are experiencing
some long-term health issues
among their populations (such as
diabetes) and are working hard to
develop a sporting culture from
a grassroots angle. In the coming
years, we will see more evidence
of this on an international basis
– particularly from the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
and Qatar.
 For more information on PwC’s
Global Sports Mega-Events Centre of
Excellence, including access to PwC’s
Thought Leadership publications
related to sports mega-events, please
visit www.pwc.com/sports-megaevents
he engines may be loud,
but they should not drown
out the voices of the drivers
who wow fans around the world,
according to Marit Strømøy.
The F1 World Powerboat
driver, who is also Chairman of
the Athletes’ Committee within
UIM, the sport’s regulatory body,
believes that sports can become
stronger if they take on board the
views of the athletes.
“The Athletes’ Committee is new
in the UIM and so far there have
only been a few meetings, but it’s
definitely an important group,
as now have more power and
influence,” Strømøy, who is also
the Head of Strømøy Racing, told
The Daily ahead of her speaking
appearance in Sochi this week.
“We, the athletes, live with the
decisions made in the different
committees and sometimes the
voice of the athletes can ensure
a discussion or a possible rule
change. A strong group of athletes
is important in developing the
sport. Personally, my wish for the
sport is to have safe races with
Marit Strømøy
big crowds and the right winner.
In order to get this, we need to
continue to work on safety, PR and
make the rules fair and clear.
“I want the sport to continue
to grow and we need to work on
getting the sport and especially
the big international classes into
the media. I’m also certain that
safety will be an issue that we will
constantly work with.
“Safe and fair racing are the
key words in order to attract new
racers, sponsors and media.”
Strømøy is a rarity – a female
at the top of a motor sport. The
‘We, the athletes,
live with the
decisions made in
the committees and
sometimes the voice
of the athletes can
ensure a discussion
or possibly even a
rule change’
38-year-old Norwegian burst onto
the scene in 2007 and competed
at Class 1 level in 2010 and 2013,
having been involved in the sport
all her life, as her father, Leif, was
also a powerboat driver.
Her best results include three
European Championship titles and
she has made a good start to the
2015 season, finishing sixth in the
opening race in Qatar. However,
she has lofty ambitions for the
remainder of the campaign.
“From the age of seven, I was
always with my father at the races
and my dream was to become a
driver myself one day,” she added.
“I have been driving boats for my
whole life and with my father’s
support it was quite easy for me
to join the sport. My first race was
in 1989 in a small circuit class. My
career goal was to reach F1 and I
was very proud when I took part in
my first F1 race in 2007.
“My goal as a racer is to be the
World Champion of F1. It’s a
big goal to achieve, but it’s there.
My goal for the 2015 season is a
podium finish.”
While winning races is the
biggest challenge for any driver, as
a team owner she faces the same
funding issues that challenge many
who are involved in sports that rely
so heavily on technology.
“Powerboat racing is like other
motor sports – very expensive,”
Strømøy added. “The main
challenge for me as a driver and
team owner has been to find the
sponsorship to race.
“For the last 20 years I’ve been
chasing sponsors and trying to
make a decent budget in order to
be competitive. Now in F1 there are
a lot of my competitors who have
support from the state, like Team
Abu Dhabi and Team Qatar.”
Some see Strømøy as a role
model as she makes a major
impact in a male-dominated sport.
However, although she is “proud”
to hear the description attributed
to her, Strømøy is keen to focus on
the racing.
“To survive in this masculine
world, my key issue has always
been to concentrate on the goal – to
win races,” she said.
“I’m in this game to win and
being different has never bothered
me. I think it’s very important as a
woman in motorsport to clarify the
reasons for being involved.
“I’ve never done it to run an
equality campaign or prove a point.
I’m racing because I love it and I’m
good at it and I want to win.”
 Marit Strømøy will speak on the
Main Conference Programme Panel
Discussion entitled ‘High Road or
Low Road? What it takes for motor
sport to thrive in a fast-changing
landscape’ on Wednesday from
14:15-15.15
HOSTING
WINNERS
Everyone’s a winner when hosting events in Denmark.
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Everyone plays on your team to take it to a higher level.
When you place your event in Denmark, you’re bringing
it to a vibrant atmosphere served by a wealth of trustworthy and experienced partners. Together we’ll make
your event a winner.
8 The Daily Monday, 20 April, 2015
finding out
the true
meaning of
legacy
Hazem Galal, a Partner at PwC
and the Global Leader for PwC’s
Cities and Local Government
Sector, believes that the issue
of legacy is continuing to grow
in the international sports
landscape.
Galal will introduce and
moderate a panel session on
‘The L word’ during the Main
Conference Programme on
Wednesday from 10.45-12.00,
with the importance of legacy
having increased markedly in
recent years.
“If you look at the sort of
investments that host cities in
sport have to make – whether
the money is coming from
the government or the private
sector and whether it is a mega
event or a smaller event – it has
become increasingly important
to justify why such events
will be beneficial to the host
destination,” he told The Daily.
“The legacy does not just
have to be financial. There can
be social and environmental
legacies as well as economic,
plus major infrastructural
changes that can be
transformational for cities – as
we have seen in the Olympic
hosts like London, Sochi and
Rio de Janeiro, where the legacy
is starting to happen before the
2016 Summer Olympic Games.”
Galal, who first visited Sochi
five years ago, believes the host
city of the 2015 SportAccord
Convention World Sport &
Business Summit is a prime
example of a positive legacy.
“The infrastructure obviously
changed greatly in Sochi and
Russia, including significant
improvements for disabled
people, for example, but there
was also a new way of thinking
thanks to the Olympic Games,”
he said.
“For example, the volunteers
for the Games travelled to Sochi
from all over Russia, and they
took that spirit back home with
them.
“We will be looking at lots of
examples during the Conference,
but we will also be very aware
of the different stakeholders
involved, to offer different
perspectives and provide
delegates with a comprehensive
overview.
“This will be my third time at
the Convention, which I always
describe as the ‘Davos of sport’.
Attending the Convention has
been very rewarding for us, and
if you really want to understand
what is happening in the sports
sector, this is the event to
attend.”
 On Wednesday during the Main
Conference Programme, Hazem
Galal will make the Keynote
Plenary Introductory Address,
‘The L Word’, from 10.45-11.00
before moderating the panel
session entitled ‘What’s in a word?
The truth about Legacy’ from
11.00-12.00
Q&A
Baku’s National Stadium
will host the 2015
European Games
Craig excited
by ambitious
new markets
A
ndrew Craig, the Chief
Executive of The Craig
Company, who has been
involved in a number of successful
event bids, has backed emerging
markets to play an increasingly
significant role in the international
sports events sector in the coming
years.
Craig served as an adviser for the
inaugural European Games 2015
in Baku and the first staging of
the Formula One Baku European
Grand Prix, both in Azerbaijan,
and he is currently working with
Almaty in Kazakhstan on its
bid for the 2022 Winter Olympic
Games.
“Almaty 2022 has a compelling
offer for the Olympic Movement
with world-class existing venues
located close to the city in a true
mountain environment,” he told
The Daily.
“We have adopted the slogan
‘Keeping it Real’ for the bid for the
simple reason that this is exactly
what Almaty 2022 will provide – a
genuine winter sports city within a
community that understands and
loves winter sports.”
While Almaty will find out on
July 31 whether it has overcome
rival Beijing to win the hosting
Andrew Craig
rights for the 2022 Games, Baku
will be placed firmly under the
spotlight the previous month, with
the European Games taking place
from June 12-28.
“Azerbaijan and Baku have been
well-kept secrets for too long,”
Craig added.
“Baku is a vibrant European
city but has not been seen as such
in the past. The European Games
will help to bring attention to a
remarkable young nation that is
committed to growth and to the
prosperity of its citizens.
“I am proud to have played
a role in taking the European
Games from concept to reality. The
European Olympic Committees
(EOC) is fortunate to have a host
city and nation that also has a
clear vision about what it wants to
achieve.
“I think that launching the
European Games has to be
regarded as a remarkable
achievement by the EOC.
“As with most things new, the
chattering class within the sports
world struggled to grasp the
concept, but the EOC had a clear
vision and a resolute approach.
With 20 sports and 6,500 athletes
it looks like the EOC vision is very
much aligned with the needs of
European sport.”
The launch of Formula One
Grands Prix in Sochi and Baku has
led to fervent speculation about
the future direction of the leading
motorsport series.
Craig, Vice President of the
Touring Car Commission at
the FIA, motorsport’s global
governing body, and the one-time
Chief Executive of Championship
Auto Racing Teams, believes that
the traditional markets still have a
big future in the sport.
However, he also feels that
reaching out to new geographical
zones has always been one of
Formula One’s strengths.
“Certainly the traditional
markets in Western Europe remain
important for Formula One,” he
added.
“The strong appeal of F1 in these
markets must be maintained for
the future.
“However, an important part
of F1’s overall appeal is that it is a
sport that has always captured the
imagination by taking its races to
new and interesting places. Baku
is exactly in this category. It is a
dynamic city in an important and
developing part of Europe.
“Having spent a lot of time in
Baku in the last few years, I am
confident that this new F1 race will
become a fixture on the calendar
and will become a ‘must attend’
event for fans.
“The race will be held on the
streets of Baku and will showcase
both the exotic nature of parts
of the old city along with the
beautiful and modern water front
on Baku Bay.”
 Andrew Craig will take part in the
Main Conference Programme Panel
Discussion entitled ‘High Road or
Low Road – What it takes for motor
sport to thrive in a fast-changing
landscape’ from 14.15-15.15 on
Wednesday
The Daily: What have been the
most important developments
for Combat and Strength Sports
Confederation of Kazakhstan in
the past year? Confederation: “The last year has
certainly been very successful for
Confederation. The Kazakhstan
national team in the Confederation
sports won 32 medals – nine
gold, 12 silver and 11 bronze – at
the Asian Games in Incheon,
South Korea. Moreover, the
2014 IWF World Weightlifting
Championships in Almaty was a
historic success too.
“The Championships were
attended by 538 athletes from 72
countries and there were 15 world
records recorded in Almaty.
“Our athletes, Ilya Ilyin,
Zhasulan Kydyrbaev and Zulfiya
Chinshanlo, became World
Champions, while Vladimir Sedov
and Zhazira Zhapparkul won
silver medals.
“According to the International
Weightlifting Federation, the
Championships in Almaty were
one of the best ever.”
The Daily: What does the
Confederation have lined up in
the coming months?
Confederation: “In August
2015, the capital of Kazakhstan
Monday, 20 April, 2015 The Daily 9
Combat and Strength Sports
Confederation of Kazakhstan
The Daily caught up with Combat
and Strength Sports Confederation
of Kazakhstan, a Gold Partner of
SportAccord Convention World Sport &
Business Summit, to find out about the
organisation’s latest developments...
will host the IJF World Judo
Championships, Astana 2015, and
in 2016 we are planning to host
the AIBA World Women’s Boxing
Championships.”
The Daily: You have signed up as
a Gold Partner of the Convention
for a second year in a row. Why
is this an important event for the
Confederation?
Confederation: “Participation in
the Convention gives us invaluable
experience of working with the
best representatives of the sports
industry and an opportunity to
meet new people in the business.
“In a global industry this
kind of Convention becomes a
significant platform for dialogue in
international sports communities.
“There is an opportunity to
send our experts for training with
international sports organisations
as well as to improve knowledge
in the field of sports. In particular,
Confederation pays great attention
to anti-doping programmes
and the development of sports
medicine since last year.
“This year, our athletes, coaches,
referees and sports physicians
will be attending courses of the
Olympic Solidarity Programme
Fund of the International Olympic
Committee with the assistance of
the National Olympic Committee.
We are also considering opening
the Department of Sports Medicine
at the Medical Academy in Astana.
“As part of the development
of international cooperation,
Confederation entered into
the Kazakh-Austrian Business
Council and co-operates with the
International Judo Federation and
the Olympic Council of Asia, and
medical centres in Germany and
Italy which are specialising in
sports medicine.
During this Convention,
Confederation will be happy to pay
attention to sports development
programmes and invite the
industry to major sporting events
that will be held in our country.
“We look forward to seeing you
in Kazakhstan!”
The Daily: What is your future
direction and your ambitions in
sports development?
Confederation: “One of the main
directions of Confederation is
to achieve the best results in the
international arena.
“The next two years are special in
the world of sport. National teams
have the goal of securing as many
Olympic qualifications as possible.
“Kazakhstan weightlifters had
a very successful qualifying event
last year, and they have great
expectations of the Olympics.
There has already been success in
this regard in boxing.
“The development of sport is
a priority in our work. Sport has
become not only an integral part
of everyday life, but also the factor
that unites countries and people of
the world.
“Uniting the five leading sports
federations of the country, the
Confederation imposes more
responsibility for their
systematic and widespread
development.
“Therefore, strengthening the
material-technical base is one
of the important tasks in the
Confederation.
“It is equally important to supply
sports facilities with modern
equipment and to build the
universal sports and recreation
centres in the regions, and open
unique sports facilities worldwide.
“By developing sports
infrastructure, we will strengthen
international relations. In 2014, we
opened the AIBA World Boxing
Academy.
“This scientific training complex,
which has no equal anywhere in
the world, is a specialised centre
of excellence for National Boxing
Federations.
“By providing the modern
training base and programmes
for the development of not only
athletes, but also for coaches,
referees, doctors, managers and
administrators, the Academy
in the near future promises to
be one of the key tools of
development and promotion of
boxing worldwide.”
rugby in
sevens
heaven
With the Rugby World Cup later this
year and an Olympic return in Rio, World
Rugby’s Mark Egan tells The Daily that
it’s a great time for the sport...
Monday, 20 April, 2015 The Daily 11
W
orld Rugby is set to break new
ground in the next 18 months.
Rugby’s global governing body
is preparing to oversee a record-breaking
2015 Rugby World Cup in England before
the long-awaited return of the sport to the
Olympic Games programme next year.
However, the differences beyond rugby in
Rio and the form of the sport that last graced
the Olympics in Paris in 1924 extend beyond
the condensed, all-action seven-a-side format.
Central to the change is the commitment
by World Rugby to become a truly global
sport. In Paris, the tournament attracted only
the United States and Romania to challenge
host France, but the rugby Olympians next
year will have to earn the right to play by
negotiating a tough qualifying programme.
“Our major focus in 2015 is ensuring that
rugby sevens’ Olympic Games debut at Rio
2016 is spectacular and that we maximise
the benefits for the International Olympic
Committee, for the ongoing development
of rugby in Brazil and worldwide,” World
Rugby’s Head of Competitions and
Performance, Mark Egan, told The Daily.
“We are excited about our opportunity, and
planning and preparation is very much on
track. We do not get a second chance to make
a first impression at the Olympic Games, and
we have had discussions with the Rio 2016
and Tokyo 2020 Organising Committees
about continuing the strong progress that
we have collectively made to ensure superb
men’s and women’s rugby sevens events that
are great for rugby, great for the host nation
and great for the Olympic Games.
“With rugby sevens enjoying record
exposure, we are also in the process of
confirming the line-up of 10 major city
destinations that will comprise the four-year
men’s World Rugby Sevens Series cycle from
2015-16. Following a highly competitive
process that involved 25 nations, reflecting the
World Rugby/Martin Seras Lima
10 The Daily Monday, 20 April, 2015
Rugby sevens
will be on
show in Rio
enormous interest in sevens as an Olympic
sport, we are delighted with the composition
of a schedule that will have athlete welfare
and fan experience at its heart.”
Egan’s appearance at SportAccord
Convention World Sport & Business Summit
is all about building for the future. He will
expand on his thoughts in a Plenary Panel
Session entitled ‘What’s in a word? The truth
about Legacy’ on Wednesday.
“We are well under way with our legacy
programmes in Rio and are delighted with
the huge enthusiasm and appetite for the
sport across Brazil, where 13,000 children
have been introduced to rugby through
our ‘Get Into Rugby’ mass participation
programme in the last year,” he added. “We
are also focusing on the delivery of the high
performance programmes for the Brazil
men’s and women’s national teams, who are
making great strides on the world stage.
“Sustainable legacy should be a top priority
for all rights owners and International
Federations as we look to grow our sports
outside of our traditional markets.
“With so much competition in the sporting
and entertainment marketplace, the key is to
recognise how to maximise the opportunity
of event hosting in terms of engaging and
inspiring the next generation of participants
and fans. This is certainly a strategy that
has proven successful in the form of rugby
sevens and been a great way to introduce
new audiences to our sport. I am looking
forward to discussing what legacy actually
means and how is it measured, and
understanding the different approaches
taken by rights owners and where there are
similar lessons to be learned.”
Russia will be absent from the forthcoming
Rugby World Cup, having lost a two-leg
play-off against Uruguay.
However, Russia did demonstrate great
progress and potential. “Russia is a major
sporting and commercial market, and a
rapidly-growing rugby market also, with the
women’s team ranked in the top 10 in the
world on the sevens circuit and the men’s
team, having participated at Rugby World
Cup 2011, narrowly missing out on Rugby
World Cup 2015 qualification,” Egan added.
“We are ensuring that the foundations are
laid for the most competitive Rugby World
Cup to date. We have been working very
closely with the 10 ‘tier 2’ qualified teams
to ensure that they have the best possible
preparation in terms of coaching support
and fixtures as they build towards the
tournament.
“Perhaps the biggest and most exciting
achievement over the past year has been
the success of Women’s Rugby World Cup
2014 in Paris, which demonstrated the rise,
strength and huge interest in women’s rugby
and women’s team sports.
“It really did capture the imagination and
broke attendance, broadcast and competition
records along the way.
“It was great that the media were talking
about superb rugby too, which demonstrates
why we make such large investment in
women’s rugby.”
Egan is looking forward to discussing a
range of issues at the Convention – “a golden
opportunity to network, learn and meet with
other IFs and sporting bodies”.
He added: “As rugby continues to
reach out, engage and inspire new young
audiences, we are particularly interested in
the advances in technology in the areas of
fan engagement and broadcast technology,
and understanding trends in how millennials
consume sporting content and how we can
better inspire them to become involved in
rugby, whether it be as a player or fan.”
 Mark Egan will be speaking on the Main
Conference Programme Plenary Panel Session
‘What’s in a word? The truth about Legacy’ ,
from 11.00-12.00 on Wednesday
Cable parks boost
iwwf expansion
The proliferation of low-cost cable
parks is allowing more destinations to
discover wakeboarding, according to
Kuno Ritschard, the President of the
IWWF, waterski and wakeboarding’s
global governing body.
While water-based speed sports
have traditionally needed expensive
equipment, including a boat and
driver, cable parks allow people to
take part simply through being pulled
along by an overhead cable.
Ritschard has been delighted to see
developments for the sport through
cable parks across Africa, Asia and
South America.
“Since we launched our programme
to support and encourage the
development of Wakeboard and lowcost cable parks, it is clear that this is
our major growth area,” Ritschard told
The Daily. “The additional bonus is
that these are now an attraction in both
the most-watched news channel in Europe
affluent first-world markets and also
in less affluent developing countries.
Low-cost participation has already
taken place.
“This creates an entirely new
potential for the rapid expansion of our
sport in all communities which were
not available in the past.”
see the world in perspective
tv - mobile - radio - internet
get the Event app
Convention attendees can make the most of
their time in Sochi by downloading the official
event app, which is available for free on iPhone,
Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone and
desktop devices.
The app allows delegates to create a personal
schedule, receive notifications and updates, and
connect with other attendees to arrange meetings
through instant messaging.
For further information about the app, visit
www.sportaccordconvention.com and click on
Delegate Info > Mobile App.
euronews.com
euronews.com/apps
12 The Daily Monday, 20 April, 2015
Monday, 20 April, 2015 The Daily 13
Q&A
José
Perurena,
President,
IWGA
A year on from taking the
reins as the new President
of the International World
Games Association,
José Perurena spoke to
The Daily ahead of today’s
IWGA Council Meeting and
tomorrow’s IWGA Annual
General Meeting...
The Daily: How do you reflect on the
past year at the International World
Games Association?
José Perurena: “It has been my first
year in office after my election at
our 2014 AGM in Belek/Antalya,
and my first impressions have been
very positive. The cooperation
between the Headquarters and
the Executive Committee has been
excellent since my first day. As we
said last year, we are willing to take
the next step. We are working on
this progress.
“In November, the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) decided
and areas of focus? How are these
projects taking shape?
José Perurena: “We finalised the
contract with Birmingham and we
hope that our member federations
will ratify our selection for The
World Games 2021 at our AGM.
However, of course The World
Games 2017 in Wroclaw are our
focus. We require outstanding
standards for the Games in Poland.
We want to demonstrate that our
sports are on the same level as
the Olympic sports and we aim to
deliver a superb event.”
The Daily: What are the major
challenges facing the IWGA over the
coming 12 months?
José Perurena: “The IOC President,
Dr Thomas Bach, and as mentioned
the whole of the IOC, are very keen
to bring our two organisations
closer together. We fully agree with
this idea and support it any way
possible. As an IOC Member, I am
well placed to help this process.
“Talking about the preparations
for The World Games 2017, we
are fully on track and we are all
Korfball is just one of the
sports to be played at the
Wroclaw 2017 World Games
to cooperate closely with The
World Games regarding the sports
programme composition and
their respective evaluations. This
decision enhances tremendously
the status of our event.
“At the same session, the IOC
adopted the recommendation to
launch an Olympic TV Channel.
This channel will showcase not
only Olympic sports. To achieve
this, Olympic Broadcasting Services
plans to cooperate with the IWGA,
complementing coverage of these
sports on The World Games
Channel, launched by IWGA in
May 2014.
“We also shouldn’t forget that
we selected Birmingham/Alabama
as the new host for 2021 and with
regard to our own organisation we
closed the IWGA North American
Headquarters and opened our new
Headquarters in Lausanne at the
beginning of this year.
“Ms Chantal Boehi also took over
the position of General Manager
from Ms Patsy Dew.”
The Daily: What are the IWGA’s
current and upcoming projects
set for great Games. We have to
deliver nothing less than the best
World Games ever. Wroclaw has
everything going for it.”
The Daily: What is on the agenda for
the IWGA here in Sochi and what
are the important issues that will be
discussed?
José Perurena: “We want to be able
to take The World Games to the
next level and to show that we have
sports that are Olympic level. To
achieve these goals it is important
to include all the International
Member Federations and to have
the Executive Committee engaged
in the project.
“We want to use our AGM not
only to inform our Federations
about the progress made but also
to emphasise the need for them to
support our work.
“The World Games have a
window of opportunity to showcase
non-Olympic sports, but we have to
work hard for it.
“The IWGA and the International
Federations are working together as
a team. We are heading in the right
direction.”
FIS sees
promise
in new
markets
sportaccord media
house launches
FIS events, such
as snowboarding,
are reaching out
to new regions
SportAccord has linked up with IEC
in Sports to launch a new broadcast
solutions service.
SportAccord Media House will initially
provide services to all of SportAccord’s
Members, offering support in a variety
of areas such as broadcast and digital
media production, distribution and video
archives.
The establishment of SportAccord
Media House will allow its Members to
take advantage of high-quality services
for events of any size anywhere in the
T
he Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has unveiled a new seven-year strategic
plan. ‘Transformation 2022’ was endorsed by the CGF Board earlier this month and
will now undergo a formal process of consultation with the Federation’s members ahead
of final approval at the CGF General Assembly this September in Auckland, New Zealand.
The strategic plan will prioritise an innovative and inspirational Games, good governance
and management, strong partnerships and a valued brand. CGF President HRH Prince
Imran said: “The strategic plan recognises the rapidly-changing landscape of
international sport as we continue to develop the world-class sporting stage that is the
Commonwealth Games.”
ISMF’s team boost
growth in fresh locations
is encouraging for FIS
secretary general...
ISMF, ski mountaineering’s governing
body, is reaping the benefits of its
collaboration with La Grande
Course (LGC).
The integration with LGC has helped
to create a combined World Cup circuit
made up of seven events that culminate
with the Long Distance Team race at
Trofeo Mezzalama later this month.
Poster2.pdf 1 15年4月9日 下午3:58
T
he FIS, the global governing
body of skiing, has been
encouraged by a growing
trend of cities developing winter
sport and skiing facilities to drive
visitor numbers, according to
Secretary General Sarah Lewis.
With the 2014-15 season having
concluded in the six disciplines
on the programme of the Olympic
Winter Games just a few weeks
ago, the FIS is currently analysing
its various events ahead of the FIS
Sarah Lewis
Technical Committee meetings in
early June.
However, from a broad perspective, numerous
destinations – and not necessarily those in
traditional markets for FIS events – now appear to
be recognising the benefits of winter sports.
“There are increasingly countries developing
skiing and snow sports for tourism, and the
organisation of competitions provides exposure
and promotion,” Lewis told The Daily.
“Both candidates for the Olympic Winter
Games in 2022, Kazakhstan (Almaty) and China
(Beijing), are two such examples. Additionally,
the organisation of specific
competitions in metropolitan
locations, such as Alpine Skiing
city parallel slalom events, CrossCountry Skiing sprint races and
Freestyle Ski and Snowboard big
air enable new parts of the world to
host events.
“Last season a Snowboard big air
competition in Istanbul was such
an example.”
As it seeks to develop its
disciplines on a global basis, FIS
acknowledges that the accessibility
of snow sports is an ongoing challenge.
“As far as recreational activity is concerned,
skiing and snow sports are not readily accessible
everywhere from a geographical perspective,”
Lewis added.
“In some parts of the world it is possible to put
your skis or snowboard on close to home and take
a few runs in a short period of time such as
at lunchtime, but more commonly there is
travelling involved and it takes a weekend or a
week’s holiday. Additionally, similar to many
sports, skiing and snow sports face the challenge
‘There are increasingly
countries developing
snow sports for tourism
and the organisation of
competitions provides
exposure and promotion’
of competition for people’s time and
resources.
“The development of competition
activities involves finding a balance
between the events at traditional sites as
well as expanding into new areas for the
sport. One of the drivers of expansion into
new areas is through the Olympic Winter
Games and we have seen the effects of
this with Sochi 2014.”
Sochi, traditionally viewed by many
as a summer destination, has reinvented
itself in recent years as a hub of elite
winter sports, ensuring it now has a
broad appeal for all sports enthusiasts.
However, Russia as a whole is now an
intriguing market for a number of IFs,
including FIS, which will take its
Alpine Junior World Ski Championships
to Sochi in 2016.
“Russia is an interesting and important
market for the FIS disciplines across the
entire country,” Lewis continued.
“There is a great history with CrossCountry Skiing in the country and many
traditional competitions including a
regular event on the World Cup calendar.
“Ski Jumping has developed
considerably over the past five years, with
high-level venues hosting World Cup
events. Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard
competitions have been carried out
for many years including flagship
competitions on the specially constructed
ramp in Moscow.
“Alpine Skiing has also seen parallel
races take place there too in the build-up
to Sochi 2014 and now we are looking
forward to the first ever FIS Alpine
Junior World Ski Championships in
Russia, which will take place next season
in Sochi.”
fina eager to build uponkazan opportunity
Kazan’s countdown clock displays how
long until the start of the FINA event
FINA, the global governing
body of aquatic sports,
is “very satisfied” with
preparations for its 2015
World Championships
in the Russian city of
Kazan, according to the
International Federation’s
President, Dr. Julio
Maglione.
FINA’s focus is firmly
fixed on the Championships,
which will take place
from July 24 to August
9, with Maglione having
acknowledged the
importance of Russia as a
growth market for
the IF. “The preparations
for the FINA World
Championships are going
very well,” Maglione told
The Daily.
“I can say that we are
very satisfied with the
organisation and the Kazan
2015 Organising Committee
has proved to be an efficient
and very reliable partner
for what is FINA’s signature
event.
“More than 2,000 athletes
from approximately 188
countries have registered
so far, which makes us very
confident that the event
world. “Standardised broadcast
coverage of sport events is of extreme
importance for the growth and
proliferation of sports today, and these
services will be provided at very attractive
prices to all IFs,” said Marius L. Vizer,
President, SportAccord and SportAccord
Convention.
“We also believe that the SportAccord
Media House will enable easier access to
high-quality and competent production
options to the federations for broadcast of
their respective events.”
will be highly successful
because the athletes make
the show at the end of
the day.
“We are very much
looking forward to
welcoming the world
to this prestigious city
and to showcase our six
disciplines to an audience
of about 4.5 billion across
the five continents.
“Russia is, of course, a
great sports nation and
all our sports are very
popular in Russia.
“In particular,
synchronised swimming
is in the spotlight, as the
Russian national team is
one of the very best in
the world.
“Diving and high
diving are also extremely
popular in the country
with the national
superstars such as
Victor Minibaev,
Illya Zakharov, Maria
Polyakova, Kristina
Ilinykh, Artem Silchenko
and many others of note.
“Moreover, given
Russia’s extended
experience in organising
major international
sports events, we look
forward wanting to
maintain a strong and
lasting relationship with
the country for future
events.
“Russia is certainly now
very much a key partner
of the global sports
community.”
 Peter Hall, the Head of
Marketing & TV at FINA,
will speak on ‘Event Watch:
Events to fit any city – an
IF perspective’ during City
Forum on Tuesday from
15.15-15.45
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Roberto Cavallo, ISMF General
Secretary, said: “The first year of the
project with LGC is nearly concluded
now. The ISMF is glad to present an
updated calendar for next season with
a World Cup circuit in which all ski
mountaineering disciplines are included
- sprint, vertical individual and now long
distance team.”
14 The Daily Monday, 20 April, 2015
Monday, 20 April, 2015 The Daily 15
talking point
#sac2015
Patrick Nally has been involved
in some of the biggest and most
groundbreaking commercial
deals in the history of sport
Every day, The Daily will ask attendees at SportAccord Convention World
Sport & Business Summit to answer a topical question. You can join in
the conversation by tweeting your thoughts and including the #SAC2015
hashtag – if you have something interesting to say, you could be in
tomorrow’s edition of The Daily!
Dr. John Grubbström,
President, FAI (global governing
body of air sports):
“I am interested to hear more about the
planned Urban Games, to mention just one
topic. As a recognised Olympic Federation,
we will deepen our discussions with IOC
representatives and update them on our
participation in the Asian Games and
potential new air sports for the Winter
Olympics. We are also members of the
International World Games Association and
want to follow up the planning of the World
Games in Poland 2017. The World Games in
Cali were such a success.”
Marit Strømøy, F1 World Powerboat
Driver, Strømøy Racing:
“This will be my first time at the Convention
and I’m very excited to attend. I’m curious
to experience the format of discussions and
I hope to get a chance to speak about power
boating and share our issues and our sport
with other motorsports.”
what are you
looking forward to
discussing at this
year’s convention?
Salim Kayici,
Acting President, WAKO (global
governing body of kickboxing):
“I am expecting to talk about e-learning,
promotion and marketing of sports, solidarity
projects, anti-doping and integrity issues.
Education of coaches and athletes is very
important and one of the best ways of doing
this is through e-learning applications.”
Kate Caithness, President, WCF
(global governing body of curling):
Ski mountaneering
wants to share
knowledge
“One of the interesting projects I’m looking
forward to hearing about is the new Olympic
TV Channel. We are hoping to hear more
details of how this will develop and how
we, as a sport, can be involved. We are also
looking forward to meeting with existing
and potential new partners at SportAccord
Convention World Sport & Business
Summit. This year, we also have the
added excitement of having two World
Curling Championships taking place on
the doorstep of SportAccord Convention,
which will allow our sport to be viewed by
the visiting delegates.”
“We are looking forward to meeting people
from all backgrounds and nationalities, and
people as open, passionate and creative as
we are.”
Antonio Espinós,
President, WKF (global governing
body of karate):
“The next few years, in terms of the
objectives of SportAccord. It will also
be interesting to compare the intended
developments in the 2013-15 period and the
establishment of new objectives, taking into
account the experience acquired.”
Risto Nieminen, President, Finnish
Olympic Committee:
“We are excited to discuss our cooperation
with Cleanteach Finland, which brings
sustainability as a part of everyday life into
the field of sports. We implement green and
sustainable ideas into concrete actions. We
believe in transparency and sharing our
knowledge. We want to promote Finland
as a unique place to organise sports events.
Winter or summer sports, Finns know how
to organise successful world-class events.”
Sergey Vorobyev,
Promoter, Sochi F1 Grand Prix,
Head of Sochi Autodrom:
“The distinctive feature of the Russian GP
is that we are open to the public at large. I
would like to discuss how to host not just
a race weekend, but a motorsport show
that entertains people and encourages
them to get involved. I would like to focus
on how to make the venue attractive for
motorsport competitions, as well as how to
create a multifunctional venue able to host
various events, ranging from sporting and
entertaining to educational and corporate.”
Olegario Vazquez Raña, President,
ISSF (global governing body of
shooting sport):
“ISSF executives will take part in the
SportAccord and the ASOIF General
Assemblies. At the same time, the
Convention will present an opportunity to
meet the organisers of future Games as well
as other sports executives.”
Roberto Cavallo, General Secretary,
ISMF (global governing body of ski
mountaineering):
“For a Federation like ours – which has a
sport with a great story behind it, but with
little work experience with organisations
that govern sport worldwide – SportAccord
Convention World Sport & Business
Summit is a great opportunity to share
knowledge and observe what the current
trends are regarding sport aspects and
what services can provide us companies
attending the event.”
Michael Peters, CEO, Euronews:
Tomorrow’s question: What is the biggest
challenge facing sport in 2015?
Make sure you post your tweets to answer the question, including the
#SAC2015 hashtag, by 4pm today
Svein Romstad,
Secretary General, FIL (global
governing body of luge):
“SportAccord Convention World Sport &
Business Summit provides the best forum
to discuss issues with fellow International
Federations.”
The
INNOVATION
game
Patrick Nally, one of the sports
industry’s pioneers, tells The Daily
about his fascinating past and gives
his thoughts on the future...
P
atrick Nally, a man known
as ‘the founding father
of modern day sports
marketing’, is cautious when it
comes to the issue of ‘legacy’.
Sports industry stakeholders talk
about it, organising committees
push it and interested parties
want it.
However, what does it really
mean, and how can sports events
go beyond merely talking about
legacy to the point where they
can actually leave a lasting,
positive impression upon host
cities and countries?
Nally, the Chief Executive and
founder of West Nally, believes that
the key is to invest in expertise and
make sure that the right people and
organisations are involved from the
very start of the process.
“Legacy has evolved more as a
‘sales pitch’ than as a true entity,”
Nally told The Daily.
“It’s been too easy for the bidders
to make glossy and glamorous
statements about the legacy that
events will leave.
“Once events are secured,
however, the legacy gets scaled
back or is not correctly integrated
with the execution of the event.”
Nally, who will develop the
theme further during the City
Forum here in Sochi, believes that
true legacy needs to be “integrated
into every aspect of an event’s
planning and execution”, and not
just serve as an ‘add-on’.
“Running parallel events
promoting art and culture is all
very well, but a true legacy needs
every element of an event to
be integrated into a solid, well-
Nally was involved in the beginning of the Coca-Cola and FIFA partnership
developed programme,” he added.
“The delivery of such programmes
is way out of the scope of most
International Federations and the
cities bidding to host such events.
“If mega events are to respond
in a detailed way to legacy then
additional, more experienced
stakeholders need to be involved in
the whole event process.
“Sponsors need to be encouraged
to embrace the right legacy activity
and the funding of these projects
needs to be an integrated part of
the event itself.
“After-use of facilities is an
obvious legacy and we have
examples of both good and bad.
Again, as mega events have grown,
the owners and organisers need
to bring in specialists to advise.
Where this has happened in the
area of architecture it’s more than
the aesthetics that need to be part
of the legacy.”
Nally knows what he is talking
about. He set up West Nally almost
50 years ago at a time when the
concept of sports marketing was
virtually non-existent.
Within a few years he had
brought Coca-Cola to the
FIFA World Cup, created the
groundbreaking InterSoccer4
programme and then taken this
successful commercial strategy
to the International Olympic
Committee (IOC).
H
e has also become a
key individual in the
administration of sport,
working behind the scenes on the
IAAF World Championships, the
Rugby World Cup and the FIFA
World Youth Championship, and
playing a part in the establishment
‘It’s been too easy
for the bidders
to make glossy
and glamorous
statements’
of the General Association of
International Sports Federations,
which eventually became
SportAccord.
Nally, who is also currently
the President of the International
Federation of Poker (IFP), is just the
sort of strategist who could help
an event to leave a genuine lasting
legacy.
He is currently looking at ways
that sport can have a positive effect
on the world thanks to an advisory
role with the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO).
“I think that with all the growth
and magnitude of current mega
events, UNESCO is an underutilised body that can help
federations, governments, civil
society, educationalists and other
stakeholders respond better to the
challenges that face sports and
mega events today,” Nally added.
“I therefore have dedicated
a proportion of my time and
resources to work with UNESCO
in exploring how sport can be a
more effective medium in the areas
of education, science and culture.”
As well as his work with
UNESCO and other roles within
education, Nally is still very much
involved in the world of sports
marketing and administration,
and was an adviser to Japan’s bid
for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Of
course, Japan was not successful,
despite an innovative bid centred
around technology, with Qatar
being awarded the tournament in
late 2010.
“During the bidding process,
where I attended many of the
presentations including those to
FIFA’s Executive Board itself, it
was clear Qatar had a compelling
proposal,” Nally added.
“It was always the best-presented
pitch, very well prepared and
seemed to address all the issues,
including summer heat, from the
very outset.
“For those of us involved with
the other bidding nations I have to
say we were not entirely surprised
by the result.
“The media hostility, the
problems faced in Brazil and
the recent ethics issues have not
helped the FIFA image, but since
the agreement to change the date
for the 2022 World Cup, from the
summer to the winter, I think it has
now brought matters together in a
way people can move forward.”
Nally added, with reference
to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar:
“Issues about workers’ rights
are a completely different matter,
as at no time has there been any
real social criteria elements to a
World Cup bid.
“This is a domestic matter that
arose once the world’s media
attention was spotlighted on Qatar.
“I think, in some ways, FIFA and
the World Cup can help to resolve
some of the social issues, but it does
again indicate that perhaps more
stakeholders need to be involved in
major mega event decisions – not
just 24 Executive Board members of
an international sports body.”
 Patrick Nally will speak on the City
Forum panel entitled ‘What’s In A
Word? The Truth About Legacy’, from
11.00-12.00 on Tuesday
16 The Daily Monday, 20 April, 2015
Kick
start
your
day
T
he IAAF, the global governing body of
athletics, is encouraging Convention
delegates to kick-start their day with
a five-kilometre group run every morning
this week.
Starting at 06.30 from the foyers of the
Convention’s official hotels, the Morning Runs
led by ‘IAAF Athletics for a Better World’ will
guide participants around the Sochi Olympic
Park, providing a different perspective of the
host city and a chance to meet other delegates
in a relaxed atmosphere.
The exercise will be adaptable for those who
are frequent runners to others who prefer just
Delegates hoping to keep
fit while in Sochi can
make an early start with
the IAAF Morning Run
an occasional jog. On Wednesday, there will
be a special morning run from the Radisson
Blu Resort and Congress Centre featuring
IAAF Ambassador and athletics legend Wilson
Kipketer and Russian middle distance runner
Yuriy Borzakovskiy, who won the 800m gold
Today at
a glance
Monday, April 20
Meetings:
SportAccord General Assembly
(10.00-13.30)
IOC/ARISF Workshop with IFs
(15.00-17.00)
IWGA Council Meeting
(15.00-18.00)
Medical Accord Foundation Panel –
Invitation Only (15.00-18.00)
Conference:
National Federations Workshop
(15.00-17.00)
medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in
Athens, Greece.
Participants in the run on Wednesday will
also receive an IAAF running T-shirt.
“The Morning Runs really are a great way
to start the day and to meet new people in
an informal setting,” Convention Business
Development Manager Malcolm Hardman
told The Daily.
On Wednesday, the IFMA, the global
governing body of Muaythai, will host a
morning exercise session.
Keep checking out The Daily for further
details about the sessions this week.
Social:
Morning Run led by IAAF
(06.30-07.30)
IF Lunch (13.30-15.00)
Opening Ceremony VIP Cocktail –
Invitation Only (17.30-19.00)
Opening Ceremony (19.00-20.00)
After Hours Bar (19.00-01.00)
Convention:
SportAccord Convention Village /
Sports Demo Zone (09.00-18.30)