The Daily>inside

friday, april 11, 2014 issue 5

your guide to what’s happening today at the belek/antalya sportaccord convention>

www.sportaccordconvention.com @saconvention

>TrosT Athlete on panel discussing youth and sport

3>morTon uK sport goes from strength to strength

6>marinescu sportAccord focuses on Members’ requirements

11

ioc lAunches body to Aid rio

plans for a bigger, better and more influential Sportaccord Convention were unveiled by president Marius l. Vizer as he outlined his vision for 2015.

Vizer revealed that three cities have lodged bids to host the event, with inspection visits taking place in the coming weeks, but he made it clear that candidates abu dhabi, durban and Sochi would need to deliver something on a different scale – a “world sport summit” with potentially as many as 10,000 people.

Mainstream media, leading marketing companies and the biggest sports suppliers in the world would all be invited as Sportaccord Convention moves to a new level as part of a long-term strategy for the next six years.

Vizer said : “We have a very good asset for sport and an event which gives opportunities to sport organisations, business, the media and a lot of other entities. We will have a strategy to plan until 2020. Then the biggest companies who are interested in being our partners can make a long-term strategy in partnership with us – big companies from energy, industry, banking, insurance and other sectors.”

a Sportaccord Convention briefing will take place

today immediately after the General assembly, which is scheduled to end at 13.00. Sportaccord president Marius l Vizer will be joined by director General Vlad Marinescu and Managing director Nis Hatt in the press Briefing room at the Susesi Convention Centre.

president’s plans for expansion

A high-level, decision-making body backed by dedicated task forces and a new, local project manager is to drive the progress to rescue the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The body, announced by IOC President Thomas Bach at SportAccord Convention, will comprise members of the Organising Committee and different levels of government in Brazil and its work will be co-ordinated by the IOC.

It will be supported by task forces to be set up within weeks to tackle issues around construction, operations and public engagement.

The IOC will also recruit a local project manager

with experience in construction who will monitor progress with venues and infrastructure on a daily basis.

Bach said any question of blame would wait until after the Games.

He said: “We need all our energy because we all share the concerns to make the Games successful and then, after the closing ceremony of a successful Games, we can go back to this question and speak about responsibility.”

The introduction of special measures for Rio comes after the summer Games IFs voiced concerns this week within ASOIF and direct to the IOC Executive Board.

Bach said: “We will enhance the collaboration with the IFs and other key stakeholders in the way that we did for Sochi, where we had dedicated project teams from different IFs going to Sochi on a regular basis.

“We will follow that example for Rio because it proved to be very successful for Sochi.”

Bach said the measures had been well received by the Mayor of Rio and the Organising Committee.

He said: “The measures were taken as they were meant; a strong commitment by the IOC to the success of these Games.

“We believe that Rio can and will deliver an excellent Games if the appropriate actions are taken now.”

SUppOrT: iOC president Thomas Bach

2 news

co-operate now to fix sport’s ills

fOUCaN’S plaNS fOr freerUNNiNG

SpOrTaCCOrdCONVeNTiON

Belek/aNTalya, TUrkey

THe dailyThe Daily is produced by squires media – editorial communications and Publishing for the international sporting community – www.squiresmedia.com

editor: rory SquiresJournalists: phil ascough, Mustafa kanorwala, luana Nanu,Simon redfern, Musarath Sader, yerbolat Seidilla, rebecca Tobena, abylay Zhunissaliphotographers: emre Çavdar, yaşar Öztürk

do you have a story? Come and see us in person in the press area or email editor@squiresmedia.com with your news.

GOld parTNerS

HOST CiTy parTNerS

The daily features the most interesting tweets of the day in

this special section.

rob strachan @robstrach Fantastic final #sAc2014 plenary session covering integrity in sport. could listen to @JohnAmaechi and @chris_icss discuss all afternoon

mark cooper @markcoopersport @saconvention sports industry embraces fb & twitter just as kids move to whatsapp and snapchat. Are we adapting fast enough? #sAc2014

Jonny murch @jonnymurch “the soul of sport is about well-being and feeling alive not about being a product” @sebastienFoucan @saconvention #sAc2014

Sébastien foucan, the pioneer of freerunning, believes his sport has developed to such an extent that it now needs some form of regular competition.

When foucan launched the sport – an offshoot of ‘parkour’, a creative activity that was first popularised by foucan and some of his parisian friends in the 1980s – he had no intention of it becoming competitive.

However, speaking about ‘rediscovering the Soul of Sport: a perspective from 007 to the inner City’ in yesterday’s Conference programme at Sportaccord Convention, he feels things have now changed.

“My discipline is like any other discipline,” he said. “i started this with no desire for competition, but now as more people are becoming involved, i realise that some of them need competition.

“from there i think it is up to me to create a federation. i hope people can see that and be inspired by us, as i know nothing about federations.”

foucan was surprised that most people at

Sportaccord were unaware of freerunning or parkour, even though it is one of the most searched sports on youTube.

His message to delegates? “you really have to understand the interests of young people and what they are going through in their lives,” he said.

“Most young people are like bombs ready

to explode. if we’re able to channel that energy into something that inspires them, we would have their attention.”

although freerunning looks dangerous with all its jumps, foucan insisted that was just how the sport is perceived.

“i came here on a flight, which is much more risky than jumping,” he said. “i didn’t know the pilot, but you just have to trust him, as he knows what he can do.

“it took 25 years for me to understand what i was doing and 10 years for people to recognise what we are now doing today. it was a long process and journey, but it just came naturally.

“it’s a lot of dedication, practice and discipline, and it’s driven by passion; that’s what makes it happen.

“you have to always read your environment and also know how to manoeuvre around it.

“With the many years i’ve done freerunning, i now realise that risk is everywhere, but it’s just a perception.”

COMpeTiTiON: Sébastien foucan talks about his sport’s future with david eades

A cry for help to combat match-fixing and doping in sport went out to governments around the world at yesterday’s

SportAccord Convention.In the Plenary Panel Session, ‘The

Integrity Issue’, which was amongst the most thought-provoking debates in the Convention’s history, match-fixing was described as a bigger problem than doping.

Panellists called for all sports to work together to halt match-fixing and for a response from governments, as there had been little or no progress so far in halting its spread.

“This organised crime is hurting sport,” said Friedrich Stickler, President of the European Lotteries. “It’s such a complex issue that everybody has to work together. It cannot be done by a single initiative.

“Things are moving but not fast enough. We need more education and more information.”

Chris Eaton, Director of Sport Integrity at the International Centre for Sport Security, believed that match-fixing was a symptom, not a cause.

“The wider issue of integrity is related to culture, so we have to address this issue from a cultural point of view,” he said. “We need to see more government response.”

John Amaechi OBE, Managing Director of Amaechi Performance Systems, felt that match-fixing, betting and doping reflected a lack of integrity in sport.

“Criminality is drawn by a lack of integrity,” he said. “So many different sports are in danger. We are talking about organised crime.

“In too many countries we don’t have well-educated police personnel. We should have an organisation that combines all the necessary sectors to fight against these organised crimes.

“It’s all very well trying to educate people, but hypocrisy will prevent education. That is the actual problem.”

Andreas Krannich, Managing Director of Strategy and Integrity at Sportradar, complained that sport had been talking about integrity “for ages”, but added: “Still nothing has happened. Only a very small part of match manipulation has been detected.

“I want to motivate decision-makers

to understand that it is a severe problem and we should take it very seriously.

“I am very frustrated that nothing is happening about manipulation.

“Many sports federations dismiss the problem, as they want to move on. They are just doing the minimum to satisfy the public.

“As a result, clubs are starting to use opportunities from the betting market to pay players as well as themselves and players are being forced to travel around the world but are not earning enough money.

“How easy is it then to fall in the temptation of the betting market.

“Sport has to look into education. This will not remove the problem, but it will help.”

Gianni Merlo, President of the AIPS, the largest global organisation for professional sports journalists, branded the world of sport “dirty” and declared: “We need to clean it up.

“We need all the different associations to cooperate to create laws. Only with laws can we stop the criminal situation.”

As for the issue of doping, Sir Craig Reedie, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency, was more optimistic.

“Sport has always thought that doping is a problem. We struggle on and we would like to think we are getting better at it,” he said.

“But we need governments to help us. I think they are getting more involved and they understand the issue.”

prOBleM: panellists discuss integrity in sport

news 3iaaf pleased with legacy

simone.masserini@filmmaster.com

With branches operating in Rome, Milan, Dubai, London and Rio, and 35 years of

experience, Filmmaster Events is one of the leading international events companies,

three times awarded as Best Event Agency and one of the few companies in the world

accredited for creation and production of Olympic Ceremonies.

Filmmaster, together with SRCom, in 2011 was appointed by the Rio 2016 Olympic & Paralympic Organizing Committees, to be Producer of Opening & Closing Ceremonies and Torch Relays. Thrilling people, allowing them to dream, transmitting values. With

passion. With typically Italian flair. This is the mission of an organisation that fully covers

all the phases of creation, planning and production of events.

The company has left its mark on four Olympic events, starting with Salt Lake City 2002 (Flag Handover), continuing with Turin 2006 (Ceremonies) and London 2012 (Flag Handover), ending with Sochi 2014 (Paralympic Ceremonies Concept).Many other international events have been produced by Filmmaster Events: the UEFA Euro 2012 opening and closing ceremonies, the America’s Cup opening ceremony in 2012, the spectacular opening of the Juventus Stadium in 2011, the inauguration ceremony for the Donbass Arena in Ukraine in 2009 and the opening ceremony for the

Mediterranean Games in 2009.

Filmmaster Events is increasingly expanding its expertise in the world of entertainment.

Thanks to its incredible creative and productive ability, the company has been asked to

devise the storyline for the Cinecittà World Theme Park in Rome, for which it will also

develop the permanent shows and entertainment contents.

Filmmaster Events has created and planned the renovation of the Luneur Park in Rome,

one of the most famous fun fairs in Europe, which it will also operate.

www.filmmasterevents.com

SAC DELEGATE

FILMMASTER EVENTS

London 2012 Flag Handover / August 12th 2012, Olympic Stadium - London, Uk.

Uefa Euro 2012 Opening Ceremony / June 8th 2012, Warsaw.

Juventus Stadium / September 8th 2011, Opening Ceremony - Turin, Italy.

Donbass Arena / August 29th 2009, Grand Opening Ceremony - Donetsk, Ukraine.

PRODUCER OF RIO 2016 CEREMONIES

international association of athletics federations (iaaf)

president lamine diack told The daily that the ticket sales for the diamond league meeting at london’s Olympic Stadium last year had justified the decision to retain an athletics track at the venue. “last year, 120,000 tickets sold out in just over an hour,” diack said. “This was a vindication of the iaaf’s firm backing for the successful campaign to retain the track in london’s Olympic Stadium – a venue which will host the 2017 iaaf World Championships. This is athletics legacy in action. i’m sure future host cities will recognise that athletics’ mass appeal stretches way beyond the major championship environment.”

federations can “hook” a whole new audience by engaging fully with

new technology. penceo Sport, whose clients include fia, fiBa, fiNa and Uefa, want clients to reach out to the public through a campaign that makes the most of social media and video footage. pascal Willoughby petit, Managing director of the design agency, which is Sportaccord Convention’s Official digital Communications partner, said: “We want clients to engage with their audience, and also to monetise their product. Our thinking and our results are always at the cutting edge of technology and design.”

World swimming champion Katinka Hosszu yesterday urged athletes to learn how to use social media properly so that they can connect fully

with the younger generation.The 2013 world 200 metres individual medley

gold medallist was speaking at the Panel Session, ‘Youth Club’, at SportAccord Convention.

“Athletes have to learn how to use social media,” said the Hungarian, 24, who is trying to persuade the Hungarian Swimming Federation to adopt Twitter. “We have stories behind the athletes, we can put our personal information on social media and connect with our fans.

“Fans can just look at your page to check all your data, information and updates regarding competitions and results.

“However, young athletes should be responsible and careful about what they write on social media, and should take social media training on how to use it.”

Italian high jumper Alessia Trost agreed, stressing that athletes need to be taught how to use the likes of Twitter and Facebook.

“We need to be supported and trained in how to use social media technology,” said the 21-year-old. “We need trainers to tell us and encourage us to tap into our talents and motivate us to perform and train effectively.”

Paralympic athlete and former Bath rugby player Megan Harris described social media as “a new form of journalism”.

“With the youth getting instant information

from the web and social media on everything that’s happening in the sporting world, it has definitely changed the way of journalism and directed it more towards social media,” she said.

Panel Moderator Prof. Andy Miah, Director of the Creative Futures Institute, University of the West of Scotland, emphasised that social media isn’t just for sportsmen and women. “People want to hear directly from leaders and social media provides this opportunity,” he said.

However, Nick Butler, a reporter with insidethegames.biz, felt that there was still a place for newspapers. “Journalism is immediate now,” he said. “You can’t sit on a story overnight. Newspapers still have 30-40 years left in them.”

Hosszu called on sports officials to organise more events to get more young people involved and interested in sport.

“We need to engage youth by doing more events regularly for more youth participation,” she said.

“I enjoy competing a lot and, as athletes, we should travel and compete more. I try to be an example to youngsters and travelling more also enables me to connect with people and my fans.”

However, Harris pointed out that funding is an issue, saying it is “great” at the top but “not so great” at the bottom.

“A lot of work has to be done to get a balance between education, family, sport and training,” she said. “There has to be a method or way to do this properly for enhancing young talent. The participation of the Federations is very important.”

Trost suggested that International Federations should work together on competition and training, as young people would then have the same starting point and it would raise the standard of competition. “It would be great for developing countries to have equality in terms of support and funding,” she added.

We MUST CONNeCT

GeNeraTiONS: a youthful panel discuss how sport can attract a younger audience

a place in the Winter Olympics is the aim of the world’s top orienteers who test their skills in the ice and snow.

Hans Jørgem kvåle (pictured), Chair of the international Orienteering federation’s athletes’ Commission for ski events, said the sport would be a perfect fit with the Winter Games. an example of the growth of the various formats of orienteering comes with the current events in palmela, portugal. Competitors from 30 nations are taking part in the european Orienteering Championships and 19 nations are represented in the european Trail Orienteering Championships. in total more

than 400 competitors will take part.Both disciplines have World

Championships and World Cups scheduled, as does Mountain Bike Orienteering and kvåle’s Ski Orienteering. The ski, foot and mountain bike versions also

accommodate junior and master events.kvåle said a push for a Winter Olympics

place is the obvious next step: “Ski orienteering is a challenging outdoor sport which not only focuses on the body but also on the mind. it can take place anywhere and involves skiing, running and cycling.

“My dream is to make ski orienteering an Olympic sport and we hope to accomplish this by 2020.”

4 news

kaZakHSTaN iS aiMiNG HiGHert he Olympic success of Kazakhstan’s

Combat and Strength Sports Confederation has given the nation a fighting chance of making a big impact on global sport.

The commitment of the Confederation to Gold Partner status at SportAccord Convention is also supporting its athletes by forging the development of new opportunities and building experience. Kazakhstan athletes won seven medals at London 2012, with five of them secured by the stars of the Confederation.

Confederation chairman Timur Kulibayev said: “The London Olympics was the most successful for our country.

“We believe and hope that our athletes can repeat and surpass this success.”

This year the Confederation is hosting the IWF Olympic Qualifying World Weightlifting Championships, the Asian Greco-Roman, Freestyle, and Women’s Wrestling Championships, World Judo Grand Prix and World Taekwondo Grand Prix (WTF). In 2015, the Confederation welcomes the IJF World Judo Championships to its capital, Astana.

Kulibayev added that a Gold Partner role at SportAccord Convention will help the Confederation promote its sports – particularly the Olympic sports of boxing, wrestling, judo, taekwondo and weightlifting.

He added: “We are able to strengthen our relations

with International Federations, share experiences and promote Kazakhstan.” The nation’s plans for its future sporting success revolve around a strategy that includes physical activities at the grassroots level all the way up to international partnerships.

Kulibayev said: “We have a number of key directions of the Confederation’s activity designated by the Chairman of the Confederation.

“These are the creation and strengthening of the material and technical base, the development of training and retraining of medical and coaching personnel, popularisation of sports and a healthy lifestyle, introduction of the practice of fair play, the enhancement of the system of exchange of experience and the strengthening of international cooperation.”

HISTORY IN THE MAKINGTHE FIRST EUROPEAN GAMES

baku2015

BakuGames2015

+Baku2015

baku2015

baku2015.com

THE FIRST EUROPEAN GAMES will take place in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, in June 2015. All 49 National Olympic Committees of Europe will participate in the Games – more than 6,000 athletes will compete in 20 new or refurbishedcompetition venues, across 19 sports

the winning wayInternational Relations and Communications in Sport

www.jtassocs.com

We look forward to seeing you at the JTA Business Club(next to the convention entrance and the Aggreko media suite)

SILVER PARTNER 2014

OrieNTeeriNG’S GOal

The international paralympic Committee has a challenge

to fill the gaps between the paralympic Games if the profile of the movement is to be enhanced, according to president Sir philip Craven.

Craven said that the recent Sochi 2014 Winter paralympic Games was just the latest in a series of success stories for the movement, and delivered improvements on a number of fronts.

However, he added that the challenge now is to remind the media and potential paralympians that there is more to the ipC’s activities than the Games, which attract an increasing global TV audience.

Craven told The daily: “i am very happy with the growth of the paralympic movement. However, one of our priorities is that we must improve the events outside of the paralympic years.

“By doing this we will increase the levels of media coverage and help maintain interest levels outside of the paralympic Games.”

reflecting on the recent Sochi Games, Craven said that the event had “exceeded all our expectations”.

He added: “We had record crowds and TV viewers, and the performances of the athletes were absolutely mind-blowing. like london, Sochi has raised the bar higher for pyeongchang in 2018.”

london has been named as the SportBusiness Ultimate Sport City for the second consecutive time.

The announcement was made by SportBusiness yesterday

morning, with Iain Edmondson, Head of Major Events at London & Partners, accepting the award.

“As ever in the SportBusiness Ultimate Sport City Awards, there was a huge amount of competition for the top prize,” Matt Cutler, the Editor of SportBusiness International – which is a Media Partner of SportAccord Convention – told The Daily.

“However, London is more than worthy of winning for the second time in a row. It is an inspirational and iconic stage to host major events – largely due to the city’s passion for sport, unrivalled transport links and ability to draw huge international global press and media audiences.”

There were a number of winners in various categories unveiled alongside the overall winner yesterday morning.

New York won the ‘Best Sports City – XL’ award, with Melbourne claiming the prize in the large cities category, Auckland winning in the medium category and Calgary claiming top spot in the small category.

As well as winning the overall prize, London was named as the best city in the hosting, marketing and branding, and public sports interest categories.

Melbourne picked up the prize for the best

venues and best event strategy award.Auckland added three more gongs to its

name with awards for the best legacy and best security, and a special award for the best home-grown event – the Auckland NRL Nines rugby competition.

Other winners included Berlin, which was named as having the best transportation; Istanbul, which picked up the prize for the best accommodation; Vancouver, which was hailed as offering the best quality of life; and Kazan, which was named as the best newcomer.

The Awards are internationally recognised and the longest established rankings of the world’s top sports hosts. They have been held

every two years since 2006.Initially 30 cities were shortlisted and

evaluated by Head Judge Rachael Church-Sanders according to the size and volume of events they have hosted and will host over an eight-year period, from 2010 to 2018. Points were awarded due to the size and status of an event.

Within the events strategy section, two new areas were judged – cultural events and home-grown events – reflecting the increasing cohesiveness of major event strategies across all genres, as well as the desire to build events that reflect a city’s capability and brand respectively.

Once the five top cities in each category were generated, an external panel of expert judges voted on the winners by awarding additional points that were combined with the earlier scores.

This enabled the major event strategies and other areas of those cities’ major event strategies to be explored in greater depth than would have been possible by applying straightforward data-based measurements or indices.

news 5

HISTORY IN THE MAKINGTHE FIRST EUROPEAN GAMES

baku2015

BakuGames2015

+Baku2015

baku2015

baku2015.com

THE FIRST EUROPEAN GAMES will take place in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, in June 2015. All 49 National Olympic Committees of Europe will participate in the Games – more than 6,000 athletes will compete in 20 new or refurbishedcompetition venues, across 19 sports

edmonton is eyeing a new bid for the commonwealth Games that could take the event back to the city after a gap of more than 40 years.

James Jackson, of edmonton events, a silver Partner of sportAccord convention, told the daily they are assessing the possibilities with regard to adding the 2024 commonwealth Games to an expanding and impressive portfolio of major events.

“the commonwealth Games have always been on our radar and we have always been fond of them, so now we are taking the next step,” he said. “We are still in the very early stages, but we have sent a letter and we are exploring our options.”

edmonton first staged the Games in 1978, an era when track and field featured the likes of don Quarrie, raelene boyle and Geoff capes, Azumah nelson won bantamweight boxing gold and sharron davies shone in the pool.

in 2001 the city hosted the iAAF World championships. other events have followed and Jackson said there are more to come.

he said: “We are pretty busy; we host around 30 events every year and we work closely with the iFs and with sportAccord convention.”

domestic events heading to the city include the canadian track and Field championships in 2015 and 2016, but Jackson and his colleagues are also working towards some major international events, particularly in football.

this year the city will host seven matches in the FiFA u-20 Women’s World cup, partnering with toronto, Montreal and Moncton, and next year it will host 11 matches when the full FiFA Women’s World cup arrives in canada.

the world’s top triathletes will be in edmonton in september this year for the itu Grand Final and next year the city will welcome the red bull crashed ice World championships.

edMONTON eaGer london is no.1

WiNNer: iain edmondson receives london’s award from Head Judge rachael Church-Sanders

‘it’s an inspirational and iconic stage to host major events’

6 news

uK looking ahead

city impactsport has the power to transform communities. and a well-executed event has the power to redefine a city or even a nation.

suPer Bowl XlViii: making hisTory, cemenTing a legacy in new york/new Jersey more than 111 million viewers tuned in to super Bowl XlViii on February 2, 2014, making it the most-watched television event in us history. For the first time, the event was hosted jointly by two states because neither state individually met the necessary criteria to host the event.

“it was a big win for both states,” alfred F. kelly, Jr., President and ceo of the new york/new Jersey super Bowl host committee, said. new Jersey provided the world-class stadium and practice facilities while both states provided the hospitality required.

source: it’s how you play the game: matching a region’s priorities with the right mega – or not so mega – event, Pwc, april 2014

by

simon Morton, the Director of Major Events and International Relations at UK Sport, believes record levels of funding allocated through the high-performance sports agency will give

the country an ideal opportunity to meet the “very challenging” medal tally target for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games.

Following Team GB’s impressive medal hauls at the London 2012 Summer Olympics and Sochi 2014 Winter Games, UK Sport launched its ‘Mission 2016’ initiative in December with the aim of bringing home 66 medals from Rio 2016.

“We recognise our high-level goal of winning more Olympic and Paralympic medals at the next Summer Games while building a stronger more sustainable high-performance system is very challenging,” Morton told The Daily.

“We know that if we continue to focus our energy and resources, we can deliver our commitment to Government, build on that outstanding success of London 2012 and make this nation proud again.

“It is testament to the strength of our high- performance system that we have so many sports that have been identified through our Mission 2016 review process as being capable of winning medals within the next two Summer Olympic and Paralympic cycles. It is UK Sport’s job to do everything it can to ensure they get all the support necessary to achieve that goal.”

UK Sport is distributing about £350 million of National Lottery and Government funds into

Olympic and Paralympic sports for the Rio Games cycle.

“UK Sport is confident that improvements are being made in the high-performance system supporting our Olympic and Paralympic efforts that will enable performance levels to be maintained,” Morton added. “We have also worked diligently to ensure improved connectivity and alignment of investment across all sport – helping develop more seamless pathways from grassroots through to elite level.

“UK Sport has also increased its investment in areas such as coach development, talent identification, and research and innovation, to underpin its investment in sports and athletes, and ensure the high-performance system continues to operate at the cutting edge of world sport.

“The other key focus is building on the success of hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, through our Gold Event Series, which is the UK’s major events legacy programme.

“It provides a comprehensive package of strategic, financial and technical support to ensure that the UK continues to stage some of the most important sporting events on the international calendar.”

The Gold Event Series, an initiative that targets numerous premium sports event properties for the UK, is already starting to reap long-term rewards, according to Morton.

“Through our partnership approach we are already more than halfway towards our goal of hosting 70 world-class sporting events by 2019 through the National Lottery-funded Gold Event Series,” he added. “This clearly demonstrates the UK remains committed to providing International Federations and rights holders with a world-class environment to host their major events.”

organisers of the buenos Aires 2018 youth olympic Games have underlined their commitment to search for best practice and local talent.

their efforts to identify what turns a good event into a great event are already underway, with ceo leandro larrosa and coo Francisco irarrazaval making the most of the opportunity to strengthen links with the iFs at sportAccord convention.

sharing top spot on their agenda for the week was a desire to learn from nanjing 2014 – a fellow exhibitor at susesi convention centre – prior to visiting the 2014 youth olympic Games in August. larrosa said: “We have already visited nanjing and seen what a good job they are doing. they are going to have a great youth olympic Games.”

irarrazaval, who is the secretary of sport for the city of buenos Aires, said the talent search will include a scouting programme covering 1.5 million youngsters and will extend through schools and sports clubs.

he said: “in buenos Aires we have 300 neighbourhood sports clubs, so an average of one every 500 metres. We are also working with the schools to introduce olympism into the curriculum and make sure the students are learning about sport and olympic values.”

Buenos aires commitment

‘uk sport has also increased its investment in areas such as coach development’

SUppOrT: Simon Morton

Heritage is at the heart of Holland’s major events bidding programme as the country’s historic cities join forces to promote their venues. This year’s fiSa World rowing Championships will be contested on the Bos Baan, which was first excavated in the 1930s. The european athletics Championships in 2016 will be held in the restored 1928 Olympic Stadium.

The same stadium may even inspire a bid for the 2018 iSU World Speed Skating Championships on the strength of their recent Winter Olympics success.

Henk Stokhof, Sports director for the City of amsterdam, explained: “amsterdam in 1928 was the first Games to have the Olympic flame and we lit it every time Holland won a gold medal in Sochi. We

also created a temporary ice rink on the 400-metre track and we held speed skating, which attracted more than 100,000 people.”

for next year’s fiVB Beach Volleyball World Championships the dutch will build arenas outside some of the country’s iconic buildings, including on a raft in a lake opposite the parliament building in The Hague. erik Cornelissen, director of Topsport in amsterdam, said: “The beach volleyball arenas will be set up outside the Binnenhof in The Hague, royal palaces in apeldoorn and in dam Square, amsterdam and the new railway station in rotterdam.”

Stokhof said: “We are very proud of our performances in sport, but as a relatively small nation we decided a couple of years ago to join forces to bid for big events.”

HOllaNd’S HeriTaGe

news 7‘leGaCy’ iS key fOr eVeNT HOSTSlegacy is the key

word in successful sports event hosting according to a survey carried

out by Sport Event Denmark at this year’s SportAccord Convention.

The Gold Partner asked for visitors to their exhibition stand and those on social media to name three words that describe what it takes to be #morethanahost, with the suggestions from some of the Convention’s biggest names – including SportAccord and SportAccord Convention President Marius L. Vizer and IAAF Vice President Sergey Bubka – featuring each day in The Daily.

The results have been turned into a wordcloud, which shows that ‘legacy’ was the most common response, but while Sport Event Denmark was not surprised to see the commonly-used word come out on top, Chief Executive Officer Lars Lundov believes that all hosts must now look closely about what it actually incorporates.

Lundov said: “Legacy is not only something that happens after the event.

It is being worked on from the very beginning before the event – actually it starts with the bid.”

‘Legacy’ and ‘sustainability’ are words that are both regularly featured in bids for major events, but the latter did not feature as prominently as Sport Event Denmark expected.

Lundov said: “I would have thought sustainability would have been higher up.”

Sport Event Denmark has been delighted with the huge number of visitors to their stand over the course of the week in Belek/Antalya, and delegates have been very interested in the results of their #morethanahost survey.

“People have come back to find out what others have been saying and what we have found out,” added Lundov.

“We have engaged the participants in our activity on the stand and by getting involved and by listening to the visitors we have a better image of the theme #morethanahost.

“We are happy to share our findings with everyone.

We will continue by keeping in touch with our network.

“It is key for us to secure the important transfer of knowledge between the different Local Organising Committees and from our network here at SportAccord enabling us all to do a better job and create memorable major events in Denmark – for the benefit of the International Federation, the athletes, officials, the media and the spectators.

“For me, this is what SportAccord Convention should be all about.

“It’s a place where people can meet and actually exchange and share ideas.”

The World Masters Games is set to provide a huge boost for the local economies in Québec in Canada and auckland in New Zealand over the next three years, according to newly-reported figures.

The next summer and winter editions of the international Masters Games association’s multi-sport event will take place in Québec in 2015 and auckland in 2017.

Next year’s event in Québec is projected to generate between CaN$6m-10m whereas the next Summer Games in 2017 in auckland is expected to contribute NZ$53.5m towards the country’s gross domestic product and NZ$36m into auckland’s local economy, according to independent estimates.

“auckland prides itself on being a vibrant international events city – and our plan to host the World Masters Games 2017 is a fantastic example of this in action, bringing significant economic and social benefits,” rachael Carroll, auckland Tourism events and economic development’s (aTeed) General Manager destination and Marketing, said. “The event

will showcase the region to thousands of international visitors. On top of that, aucklanders and New Zealanders will have the opportunity to participate in the world’s largest multi-sport event as athletes, volunteers or spectators.

“as auckland continues to build on the momentum of rugby World Cup 2011, hosting major events like this provides a great boost to our growing international reputation.”

auckland will join an increasing number of cities that consider sporting events as a major driver of tourist activity.

The london Olympic and paralympic Games were credited with boosting tourism spending in the Uk capital by seven per cent year-on-year to more than £10bn, but single- or multi-sports events of all sizes can also generate significant returns for host cities, according to newly-reported figures.

Visitors to the 2013 international Skating Union World figure Skating Championships in london in the Canadian province of Ontario spent CaN$5 million, with three-quarters of all spectators coming from outside the host city.

Cities looking to sport

8 newsThe international Triathlon

Union has opened a training and education facility in Cairo, egypt. Under a collaboration with the africa Triathlon Union, the iTU development Centre will offer office and lecture space, as well as training facilities. it will employ staff to assist with development programmes in the african and arab regions, with a focus on educational opportunities for coaches, officials and athletes. “The opening of the development centre is a very positive step in the right direction to further our goal of growing the sport of triathlon on the continent of africa,” iTU president Marisol Casado said. “We have been making large strides in the region in the last several months, and this is one more step in the path to making triathlon an accessible sport to all.”

Clare Briegal was recently appointed as Chief executive

Officer of the international federation of Netball associations (ifNa). “We are delighted that Clare has accepted this role,” ifNa president Molly rhone said. “She has proved herself a strong leader and the right person to take international netball to the next level.” Briegal added: “i am looking forward to the challenge of optimising netball, building its profile and welcoming new partners and sponsors to further strengthen our sport.”

Connect with us at Booth 79Malaysia Major EventsMalaysia Convention& Exhibition Bureau (868264-K)

Suite 5.1A, Level 5, Menara IMC8 Jalan Sultan Ismail50250 Kuala LumpurMalaysia

T +603 2034 2090F +603 2034 2092info@mymajorevents.com.mywww.mymajorevents.com.my

MyCEB

@myceb

mymajorevents

On the map, On the calendar

Our mission is to place Malaysia on the world map as the event venue of choice. To be top of mind, right at the onset as the centre stage for sports,

locally and globally.

Who we are, What we do

Connecting the dots

Think of us as a one-stop vital resource for keeping the chain running from commencement to completion:• Identify and support bids for major sports, arts,

lifestyle and entertainment events• Provide key information for facilitating procedures

and processes• Liaise with various event stakeholders to ensure

event success

• Measure, monitor and analyse event results, participation and spectatorship

• Advise and assess on feasibility and viability of event projects

• Forge partnerships with relevant parties

Every event must result in a total

experience

We make it happen

vmy2014.com

Malaysia Major Events was set up in 2011. Since then, Malaysia has success-

fully enticed more international event

owners to stage their events here.

Similarly, home grown events and

home hosted events strengthen

Malaysia’s global appeal as an interna-

tional venue for major events.This

includes music festivals, sporting

championships, touring events and

lifestyle showcases, such as Jennifer

Lopez Live in Concert, Future Music

Festival Asia, Ironman and FISE World

Series.

Malaysia Major Events is a division of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) tasked under the Prime Minister’s Economic Transformation Programme.

As an agency of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, we provide a shared platform with both public and private sectors and act as a vital link in facilitating and promoting major events.

By this, we aim to amplify our venues, showcase national highlights, increase participation and spectatorship and leave indelible impressions.

The best drawcard is drawing applause

1

2 3

THERE ARE PLENTY OF

PEOPLE LOOKING FORWARD

TO 2016. MINAS GERAIS,

IN BRAZIL, IS READY TO

WELCOME YOU.

Minas Gerais has hosted national and international

sporting events over the last years, as well as providing

excellent training locations for athletes and teams from

around Brazil and the world. In addition, the British team

has chosen Minas Gerais as its training base for 2016.

16 sporting facilities in 9 cities of Minas Gerais have

had the support of the Minas 2016 Program, created

by the Secretariat of Tourism and Sports. Not only

does it provide all the support to the delegations but it

also contributes to the exchange among the different

sports in 2014, 2015 e 2016.

M I N A S 2 0 1 6 . M G . G O V . B R

AdR_Camp_Centro_Treinamento_Esportivo_Minas_2016_Setes_14,7x20,8.indd 1 04/04/14 17:58

UipM SHOOTS fOr GrOWTHuIPM, the global

governing body of modern pentathlon, is targeting an international development drive to boost interest in

the sport from spectators and athletes. According to UIPM Communications

and Marketing Manager James Hamill-Reeves, the governing body has identified increasing participation as one of its priority goals.

As a sport that combines the disciplines of fencing, swimming, show jumping, shooting and cross-country running, Hamill-Reeves is convinced there is plenty to attract athletes and keep spectators entertained.

“Our main challenge is to increase participation at all levels and grow the number of affiliate member nations,” he told The Daily. “Our biggest project by far centres on our development drive.

“We are distributing low-cost equipment around the world, putting together a network of coaches and promoting our sub-sports, including biathle (run-swim-run continuous), triathle (shoot-swim-run continuous) and tetrathlon (fencing, swimming and the combined run/shoot).”

Hamill-Reeves said that the drive would be supported by UIPM’s ‘Sport for All’ initiative, which was launched in December in an effort to

attract more people to the sport.“Quarterbacked by the UIPM office,

the aim is to reach out, work at the local, regional and national levels, and get more young people involved,” he said. “Getting equipment out there and supporting clubs to grow their numbers are also

a priority. The philosophy is one that is both athletic and educational. We have set ourselves targets for this year and for the Rio 2016 Olympic cycle. As an International Federation, we promote competitions in all regions around the world.”

Hamill-Reeves acknowledged that the requirement to be accomplished in so many different disciplines can put off some people from trying out modern pentathlon, but he added that many others relish the challenge.

“Modern pentathlon will never be as popular as the more established sports but it offers so much variation as a participant that you will always be challenged both mentally and physically,” he said. “Accessibility is also often seen as a barrier to picking up the sport as well as the cost involved, but this is a mistaken belief. Through our sub-sports you can get a taste of the skills required.

“With multi-discipline sports going mainstream with films such as ‘Hunger Games’ promoting the need to have a wide range of skills, modern

pentathlon fits in well with popular culture now.“Of course we are competing with the big

established and business-orientated sports, but tastes are changing and modern pentathlon has an opportunity to attract a whole new generation of athletes to its ranks.”

With this in mind, UIPM is now keen to move forward and attract more media and commercial backing to broaden the appeal of modern pentathlon. “We have some very influential people on our executive board and we are looking to work with various agencies to promote our sport,” Hamill-Reeves said.

“We now have a television partner and all our World Cup Series events are broadcast live, so we hope to be attracting more sponsorship soon.

“As we increase participation at all levels and become more recognised in the media outside of the Olympic Games, we hope to grow our reach and popularity. This is a project and we are currently building for the long term.

“We feel that we are putting in place the foundations that will generate a return in the future. However, for now the most important thing is to get more people involved, get more young people to take up the sport and provide quality competitions in which they can express themselves and entertain others.”

THe Sky iS THe liMiTMeGafOrCe and Magic Sky MeGafOrCe is keen to expand into markets outside europe after playing a crucial role in the successful delivery of Sportaccord Convention 2014 in Belek/antalya.

MeGafOrCe and Magic Sky MeGafOrCe has supplied the Convention this year with canopy services at Susesi luxury resort and Convention Centre, helping to prevent delegates from overheating in the glorious Turkish sunshine.

“We basically construct roof-top canopy systems ranging from 10m to 36m in height, and these canopy systems can be used for many different purposes and events from fashion shows to concerts, corporate events and various platforms,” MeGafOrCe Chief executive Officer Torsten Hagedorn told The daily.

“The important aspects of these canopy structures are that they act as a shade for a stage platform or event and come with advanced UV protection, which is

quite important for countries with high sun exposure.” The company has been running for 22 years, and is currently operating around the world.

“Our headquarters are in Germany and currently we are operating and providing services in over 20 different countries around the world, most of which are in europe,” Hagedorn said. “Our goal is to expand our company to more countries outside europe.”

MeGafOrCe and Magic Sky MeGafOrCe provides solutions for various events, and the company’s work extends beyond the provision of temporary canopies to various other aspects of a conference and convention that may go unnoticed but are absolutely essential for the comfort of participants.

“apart from the canopy structures, we deal with a lot of other aspects of events, like planning of the stage, lights, technical solutions and screening,” Hagedorn added.

COVer: Canopy at the Sports demo Zone

news 9

sochi helps students

Connect with us at Booth 79Malaysia Major EventsMalaysia Convention& Exhibition Bureau (868264-K)

Suite 5.1A, Level 5, Menara IMC8 Jalan Sultan Ismail50250 Kuala LumpurMalaysia

T +603 2034 2090F +603 2034 2092info@mymajorevents.com.mywww.mymajorevents.com.my

MyCEB

@myceb

mymajorevents

On the map, On the calendar

Our mission is to place Malaysia on the world map as the event venue of choice. To be top of mind, right at the onset as the centre stage for sports,

locally and globally.

Who we are, What we do

Connecting the dots

Think of us as a one-stop vital resource for keeping the chain running from commencement to completion:• Identify and support bids for major sports, arts,

lifestyle and entertainment events• Provide key information for facilitating procedures

and processes• Liaise with various event stakeholders to ensure

event success

• Measure, monitor and analyse event results, participation and spectatorship

• Advise and assess on feasibility and viability of event projects

• Forge partnerships with relevant parties

Every event must result in a total

experience

We make it happen

vmy2014.com

Malaysia Major Events was set up in 2011. Since then, Malaysia has success-

fully enticed more international event

owners to stage their events here.

Similarly, home grown events and

home hosted events strengthen

Malaysia’s global appeal as an interna-

tional venue for major events.This

includes music festivals, sporting

championships, touring events and

lifestyle showcases, such as Jennifer

Lopez Live in Concert, Future Music

Festival Asia, Ironman and FISE World

Series.

Malaysia Major Events is a division of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) tasked under the Prime Minister’s Economic Transformation Programme.

As an agency of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, we provide a shared platform with both public and private sectors and act as a vital link in facilitating and promoting major events.

By this, we aim to amplify our venues, showcase national highlights, increase participation and spectatorship and leave indelible impressions.

The best drawcard is drawing applause

1

2 3

A partnership with global sport at the highest level is helping a new force in education develop the resources and expertise to produce the experts and administrators of

the future.Students from the Master of Sport

Administration (MSA) course at the Russian International Olympic University conducted more than 200 face-to-face interviews during the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games to find out the views of athletes and the media about the planning and staging of the event.

The University has also taken on the role of chief curator of the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games archive, with the task of preserving materials provided by the Organising Committee but also making them accessible.

Nikolay Peshin, Vice-Rector for research at the University, said: “We aim to absorb as much best practice knowledge from Sochi 2014 as possible.”

The University only opened in September last year but is committed to gaining recognition as being at the cutting edge of sport management.

Peshin said: “We have to keep moving forward, exploring new opportunities and developing existing projects.

“The model of conducting our own research and combining it with materials

from the Organising Committee results in a comprehensive transfer of knowledge. Our professors gain access to best practice examples and this develops the skills of our students, making them familiar with cutting-edge theories and practices in the sports industry.

“The result is that our MSA graduates will be highly skilled and ready to apply their expertise in a real sports environment as soon as they leave the University. Whether they work in sport at a general or local level, or on global projects, such as the Olympic Games, they will all be familiar with the objectives of the IOC and will look to

instil Olympic values through their work.”Sochi 2014 was just the start. Peshin said the

University is exploring opportunities to partner its MSA with such events as Formula One races from this year, the FINA World Championships in 2015, the IIHF World Championship in 2016 and the FIFA World Cup in 2018.

He said: “We are only at the start of Russia’s decade of sport and these events will provide excellent opportunities for combining theory and practice.”

Peshin said the project with Sochi, which included an open day for the Olympic family, has already generated increased interest in the University and eased access to some influential sporting contacts.

He expects further opportunities to arise as the archive develops.

He said: “The archive is open for anyone to access, from academics to sports fans to

documentary-makers. It will contain a range of interesting materials, including electronic copies of documents, official publications of audio, photo and video materials, artefacts and memorabilia, for the entire period of the Organising Committee’s work.

“This resource will help future organising committees and general sports administrators learn about Sochi’s Winter Games experience. By absorbing the global values of Olympism and feeding them into the University’s teachings and culture we can develop a new generation of sports managers for Russia and the Olympic Movement whose education is shaped by the rest of the world.”

Immediate plans are to add a Russian language MSA and an executive MSA to the existing English language course, with the University also working towards an agreement which would enable students to take on internships at Sochi’s Olympic venues.

Diversity is already evident, with the 27 students on the first course drawn from 14 different countries. Peshin said there is no specific target when it comes to the proportion of overseas students, but that demand is expected to be high as the University builds partnerships with NOCs, IFs, the IOC and other universities worldwide.

BeST praCTiCe: Nikolay peshin

‘we have to keep moving forward, exploring new opportunities’

Potential broadcast exposure is a crucial factor in deciding whether to strike a partnership with a sporting property, according to Swiss Timing Chief Operating Officer Eckhard Frank.

The company supplies timing solutions to various sporting events and is involved with a number of International Federations.

“Television coverage is key for us when it comes to selecting our partners,” Frank told The Daily.

“Another important factor for us is the activation opportunities within that partnership. Such events and properties have to be in sync with our own brands.

“For a commercial partnership in sport to be successful, the sport part of the relationship must be experienced and reliable. It should also be of a significant size.

“Having said that, there is no limit to the number of partnerships we can enter. We base our decision on the demands of customers. We follow the strategy of the customer.”

In considering the success of such partnerships, Frank said that International Federations should not take on too many partners.

“Federations should consider if the commercial partnership would grow the community of both viewers and fans,” Frank said.

“Such partnerships could also bring new technology to a sport, and that is always a positive angle. We

are often asked about technology by International Federations.

“These deals also have the potential to bring forward new information and statistics, which have the potential to improve the sporting property as a whole.”

Looking ahead to future plans, Frank said that Swiss Timing has a number of larger projects coming up surrounding the Olympic movement. The company is working on projects for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games, the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

“We already have a team on site for Rio 2016 and we are also involved with SportAccord’s multi-sport events, and that forms a major part of our future plans,” Frank said.

“We are continuing to develop new technologies all the time for our various sporting partnerships. This will help us to best serve all the championships we are engaged in during 2014.

“Rather than the focus being on us, we hope it instead falls upon the athletes, organisers, the sport itself as well as our customers.”

10 news

‘we base our decision on the demands of customers’

erikSSON HailS SWedeN’S reCOrd Of deliVerySweden has an outstanding track record of delivering major sporting events and is keen to expand its portfolio in the coming years, according to Swedish Sports Confederation Board Member Björn eriksson.

eriksson told The daily that the Scandinavian country has invested heavily in sports infrastructure and competition venues to enable it to bid for premium properties.

“There are currently processes ongoing for many of the Swedish Sports associations,” eriksson said. “Major bids are in place right now for the World alpine Ski Championships and the Biathlon World Championships in 2019, while the Swedish football association, together with the city of Stockholm and friends arena, are bidding for the 2020 Uefa european Championships.

“The Swedish athletics federation is investigating the possibility of a bid for the 2021 iaaf World Championships in Gothenburg.

“Sweden has a great track record of organising successful sports events. Swedes have a great interest in sport in general and hosting international events at all levels is a goal for all Sports associations in the country.”

eriksson explained that state-of-the-art venues have sprouted

up across Sweden to support the country’s hosting ambitions.

“There have been major investments in new arenas in all major cities, and more are to come,” he added. “Some examples are the friends arena in Stockholm, with a capacity of 55,000, and the 35,000-capacity Tele2 arena in the same city.”

Sweden also has a thriving grassroots sports movement, with 20,000 local clubs involved in the system helping to give the country a sound structure, according to eriksson. in a competitive international sports events marketplace, eriksson believes that Sweden offers something unique.

“We like to believe that our advantage lies in our ability to create a good event for sportsmen and officials, followed by a nice, friendly and open atmosphere,” he said.

“We also have a genuine concern for and focus on the environmental effects of a sporting event, and that affects everything we do. Moreover, our open-minded and democratic system, in combination with a stable political arena and secure environment, gives us credibility when it comes to arranging sport events.”

TV expOSUre iS CrUCial

The Big inTerView 11

sportAccordfocuses on Member services

sportAccord is an organisation that continues to evolve. This morning the SportAccord General Assembly will take place in Belek, and Members of the global sports

family will hear about the latest developments in a number of areas.

SportAccord Director General Vlad Marinescu told The Daily that it has been a busy first few months at the umbrella organisation for more than 100 International Federations and sports organisations.

“The first task was to gain a clear understanding of the requirements and requests of our Members,” Marinescu said.

“In order to do this, we initiated a survey to all Members asking for their input, which allowed us to align our organisation’s services and support accordingly.

“Together with the Council and President of SportAccord, Marius L. Vizer, the organisation’s strategy was iterated, directly taking into account the feedback from our Members, the International Federations.

“Having a clear strategy, the SportAccord team focused on enhancing its operations to fit today’s requirements.”

Marinescu explained that, of SportAccord’s various projects, there have been three particular areas of focus – specifically the development of the Multi-Sports Games, the optimisation of SportAccord departments and focal points, plus major IT implementations.

“We have worked very hard to raise the bar and increase viewership of the World Combat Games and World Mind Games events, respectively held in October and December 2013,” he said.

“In previous editions, only a limited audience was able to follow the events. Specifically with regard to the World Combat Games, the creation of a high-definition international TV signal attracted new broadcast partners and gained exposure in over 100 territories. In 11 of those territories the event tracked more than 660 hours of air time. This is a huge difference compared to the previous edition.

“Secondly, we have worked at developing a sound model of multi-sports events which include Olympic and non-Olympic sports and disciplines with one common theme, such as Beach, Urban and Ball Games, for example.

“Creating such a template for these Multi-Sports Games is vital to ensuring the successful development and running of the Games while simultaneously offering financial and promotional value to the participating International Federations.”

Marinescu added: “Following requests from our Members, we have now finalised bid documents for the various Multi-Sports Games. After collaboration with experts in the field, our team has identified a strategy for the SportAccord calendar to appropriately coincide with today’s global market.

“We are currently in discussions with several cities for our next Games. A formal announcement in this regard will be made to our Members during the General Assembly.”

SportAccord is also working hard to optimise the services provided by each of its respective Units, amending and adapting them to the requests made by its Members.

“Taking the Doping-Free Sport Unit as an example, we will continue to service the current 30-plus Members who are outsourcing their activities in full or in part. However, we will place more emphasis on education and prevention, and promote specialised tools to International Federations and athletes.

“An Event Organisation Guide (EOG) is an item SportAccord is currently developing for its Members. Event management and planning exists across all International Federations. In this regard, Federations can be seen as one of the largest hubs for information.

“It is essential that this knowledge and data be compiled and shared amongst the sporting community. The objective of the EOG is to offer a checklist to help develop specific standards at Members’ events.”

In terms of IT initiatives, SportAccord has

made giant strides since Marinescu and Vizer entered office last year.

“We have developed a specialised system in which Members can log into a database that will provide them with assistance in preparing International Olympic Committee recognition documents,” he added.

“Today, Members of AIMS (Alliance of Independent Members of SportAccord) are already using the system and it has allowed for a simple understanding and a united approach to the application process.

“Furthermore, we have created a news portal, media.sportaccord.com, which was used during the World Combat Games and World Mind Games 2013 editions. This

system granted participating International Federations the ability to log in and enter their own news and photos during the event.

“In parallel, the Federations can easily link the system back to their official web portals, avoiding dual entries of the same content. In parallel, end-users have the ability to filter news related to their preferred sport or sports and country or countries, allowing them to have a unique and customisable news feed.

“Having received positive feedback from the International Federations and the end-users, SportAccord is currently developing new media systems to further benefit its Members.”

There has also been significant progress in SportAccord’s Top-Level Domain (TLD) .Sport initiative, according to Marinescu.

“At this time, we are working hard to finalise the process and win the necessary battle with competing organisations for the

TLD,” he added.“All signs are positive and look to be in our

favour. At the same time, the SportAccord team is developing a roll-out plan to efficiently launch this property with the best conditions for the sport community.

“Our highest concern is to protect the interests of our Members and be able to generate positive economic feedback.”

There have been non-stop developments at SportAccord over recent months with the news in November that the organisation had struck a partnership with the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and, in a separate move, decided to press ahead with plans to establish a Sports Integrity Standards Organisation.

“The establishment of a Sports Integrity Standards Organisation is an important step to accelerate our efforts in the areas of sports integrity and social responsibility,” Marinescu said.

“Currently, we are in the organisational phase, establishing our pilot projects and securing the strategic partnerships and funding for this entity.

“We are very happy to work together with ANOC for the benefit of sport and athletes. It is a pleasure to identify common points and activate our strengths for this objective.

“SportAccord and ANOC are working to finalise strategic and operational objectives for a future that can enable a better service and support for SportAccord and ANOC Members while maintaining a great relationship with the International Olympic Committee.”

Marinescu added that SportAccord’s focus over the next 12 months would be to develop the organisation’s range of projects in order to enhance support for Members.

“These projects will be instrumental in providing better existing and future services to our Members,” Marinescu said.

“Our objective is to continue to support our Members with services and benefits of the highest calibre, and together influence positive change in society.”

direCTOr GeNeral eNJOyiNG NeW rOle

‘our main concern is to protect the interests of our Members’

UNderSTaNdiNG: Vlad Marinescu has been finding out what Members require

12 social

meeTings09.00-13.00 – ioc eb (ioc eb Meeting room)

10.00-13.00 – sportAccord General Assembly (Main Auditorium)

oTher13:00-13:30 - sportAccord convention Press briefing (Press briefing room)

social13.30-14.30 – lunch (exhibition area)

morning eXerciseTOday: 06.30-07.30 – Group run/Walk (lobby of official convention hotels at 06.15)

TriBUTe TO SpiriT Of SpOrTsportAccord will today

pay tribute to individuals and organisations who have used sport to

drive positive social change when the President, Marius L. Vizer, presents the annual Spirit of Sport Awards.

Three individuals and five projects are challenging for the Awards, which will be presented during today’s SportAccord General Assembly.

Last year the individual award went to Ms Zahra Nemati, 2012 Paralympic archery champion and the first Iranian woman to win a gold medal at Olympic or Paralympic level.

Esther Vergeer, who retired last year having become the most successful wheelchair tennis player in Paralympic Games history at London

2012, is nominated by the International Tennis Federation for her achievements on court and in setting up her own foundation to use sport to inspire, motivate and activate children with disabilities.

Fernando Aguerre, President of the International Surfing Association, is nominated by the ISA for his efforts in developing the Federation and in promoting surfing’s culture of caring for the environment, health and fitness, peaceful relations among all

people and engagement of youth with sport.Istvan Kiraly, nominated by the World

Association of Kickboxing Associations (WAKO), has developed and run a sport integration programme, the Halker-Kiraly Team Pointfighting Academy, which provides

opportunities for socially disadvantaged children in Hungary. He also uses kickboxing methodology to deliver aggression management training.

Last year the ITF’s ‘Wheelchair Tennis’ initiative was named best project for its work since 2003 in establishing self-sustaining wheelchair tennis programmes in 35 developing nations. ‘Sport Is Your Gang’, nominated this year by the IFMA, promotes efforts by the world governing body for muaythai to support

children and combat drugs. Also nominated is the International Judo Federation for its project, ‘Judo to Build a Better Society’, which includes worldwide programmes to promote peace and to support young people.

The International Rugby Board has nominated its ‘SOS Kit Aid’ project, which collects good quality, unwanted or second-hand rugby kit from the UK and Ireland for redistribution to disadvantaged children around the world.

The International Netball Federation has submitted ‘Come On Tonga: Let’s Play Netball’, a project which has won an award from the World Health Organisation for its work to counter physical inactivity among women and girls.

The International Softball Association is also on the shortlist for its Australian Indigenous Softball Programme, which works to provide opportunities to female and male indigenous Australians of all ages to play softball.

MakiNG WaVeS: participants enjoy the fiNa Sports demo Zone event, featuring Olympic swimmer katinka Hosszu

60

NEW TAIPEI CITY

Today at a glance

SpiriT: Zahra Nemati at last year’s event

three individuals and five projects are challenging for the awards