2012 Daily - Day 3 - SportAccord Convention Quebec City 2012

>inside 2 >future aims New name marks progress for IF group

10

4 >game-changer Peter Moore on the look-out for innovations

>big picture

John Amaechi on sport's promise to society

The>Daily

your guide to what’s happening today at the Québec city sportaccord convention www.sportaccordconvention.com

wednesday, may 23, 2012

@saconvention

issue 3

watch ioc on screens!

elected Francesco Ricci Bitti and Ching-kuo Wu

Key appointments on big election day

F

rancesco Ricci Bitti and Ching-kuo Wu were elected to key positions within the international sports movement during the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) General Assembly at SportAccord Convention yesterday.

Ricci Bitti, the President of the International Tennis Federation, was elected unopposed to become the new President of ASOIF from January 1, 2013, succeeding Denis Oswald, who is President of Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, the International Rowing Federation.

In the run-off for Oswald’s place on the International Olympic Committee Executive Board,

Ching-kuo Wu, President of the International Boxing Association, was backed by 20 votes to eight against fellow candidate Pat McQuaid, President of Union Cycliste Internationale, the International Cycling Union.

“I’ve been with the IOC very long,” Wu said following a tumultuous afternoon.

“Many of the members have been my colleagues for some time. Everybody knows me and what I did for boxing, and people have seen that.

“All my work is concentrated on the development of sports and for the Olympic Movement.”

Wu secured the chance to take a place on the IOC Executive Board due to 70-year-old Ricci Bitti’s IOC membership expiring this year. “I believe a stronger IF

means a stronger Olympic movement and we have to co-operate to make the role of the IF, especially in the preparations of the Games, clearer,” Ricci Bitti said.

“We are a little bit in between the organising committee and the IOC.” One of Ricci Bitti’s top priorities will be to help continue the evolution of the Olympic Charter.

“They did a great step in 2001 after the Salt Lake City problem, but since then, nothing has been done really strongly,” he said.

Other matters on the agenda at the Assembly included presentations from organisers of the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games as well as the organisers of the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games.

Organisers of the SportAccord Convention have urged delegates to watch this afternoon’s International Olympic Committee announcement of the Candidate Cities for the 2020 Olympic Games on screens around the Convention, rather than try to squeeze into the Conference Hall.

The announcement is scheduled for 6.30pm, but with interest having gone through the roof, organisers are concerned that the announcement will attract an over-capacity crowd to Conference Hall 400C. So the message is… watch it on the TVs! The cities of Baku, Doha, Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo will discover whether they have made it on to the shortlist of Candidate Cities for the Games in eight years’ time.

The announcement, which will also be attended by scores of members of the international media, will represent the climax of an unmissable day at SportAccord Convention.

The conference sessions will get underway at 10am with a keynote address from Charlie Denson, President, Nike Brand, NIKE Inc, who, as readers of yesterday’s edition of The Daily will be aware, will offer an engaging insight into the strategy of one of the world’s most famous companies.

A plenary panel session, including stellar speakers such as Peter Moore, the Chief Operating Officer of Electronic Arts (interview on p4 of The  Continued on P2

2

news Watch IOC decision on the big screens  Continued from P1

sportaccord convention quÉbec city 2012 gold sponsors

Official Delivery Partner:

Host City Supporters:

the daily The Daily is produced by Squires Media – Editorial, Communications and Publishing for the International Sporting Community - www.squiresmedia.com Editor: Rory Squires Journalists: Simon Redfern, Aman Dhanoa, Gavin Day, Kamila Hinkson, George Menexis Photographers: Marc-Antoine Jean, Edouard de Blay

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

Do you want to comment on anything at SportAccord Convention? Include the #SACon ‘hashtag’ on your Twitter post so we can pick up your thoughts.

#SACon poll

Q

Is it time for sports rights-holders to switch focus from television to the internet?

The result will be in your issue of The Daily tomorrow

Daily today), will look into the top ‘game-changers’ in sport over the next decade from 11.10am.

Then, at 12.10pm, NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus, IMG Media President Michel Masquelier, National Hockey League Chief Operating Officer John Collins and Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Québecor Inc, will tackle the question: ‘Will sports TV viewers still watch live games and events in 10 years’ time?’

John Amaechi OBE, the former basketball star and bestselling author, will kick off the afternoon session of the conference by speaking about ‘Sport’s promise to society’ from

2pm. For a taster of his fascinating thoughts on this subject, see p10 of The Daily today for an in-depth interview.

Allison Melangton, the President and Chief Executive of the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee, will describe what it is like to stage ‘The world’s biggest tailgate party’ from 2.40pm, before the final conference session of the day looks into ‘The changing landscape of sports sponsorship’.

Yann Le Moënner, the Chief Executive of Amaury Sport Organisation (interview on p4 of The Daily today) will take part in the session alongside the likes of US Olympic Committee Chief Executive Scott Blackmun and Thierry Borra, Director of Olympic Games Management at The Coca-Cola Company, from 3.30pm.

Canada up for the challenge C anada has “big shoes to fill” when it stages the next FIFA Women’s World Cup following the success of the 2011 edition in Germany, according to Don Hardman, VicePresident of Venues at FIFA World Cup Canada 2015.

The 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup set attendance and viewership records and was lauded for the high quality of the play.

“We’re in a nation that has competing interests in sport, but soccer continues to grow,” Hardman said yesterday, before he spoke alongside Ulrich Wolter, Managing Director, DFB Consulting & Sales Services, and a member of the 2011 tournament’s Organising Committee, on a City Forum panel on the subject of the Women’s World Cup.

'We think we have a really good shot to raise the bar even higher and set new records for television' – Don Hardman

Wolter admitted: “In 2008, we did not believe we could fill such a big stadium as the Olympic Stadium [in Berlin].”

A crowd of 73,680 people watched the host country beat Canada 2-1 on the opening night of the 2011 competition, and an average audience of more than 16 million viewers in Germany watched the host country lose to Japan – more than the 14.8 million who tuned in to see Germany’s men play Serbia during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

“We think we have a really good shot

AIMS for the future The Alliance of Independent Members in SportAccord (AIMS) was created yesterday during a meeting of the International Federations not recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

This group of 24 IFs, which includes the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations (WAKO) and the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF), was known at first as the ‘Non-IOC Recognised Federations’, then as ‘Other IFs’.

Espen Lund, Vice-President of WAKO and representative for the newly-named organisation on the SportAccord Council, believes their former monikers carried a negative connotation, but also downplayed the adoption of the new name.

“There have been a lot of suggestions of names, but names, in my mind, are not that important. The point is to give a positive image of what we are,” Lund explained.

During their plenary session AIMS decided on its objectives and main tasks, which focus on helping its members to attain IOC recognition. Lund stressed that AIMS is not an official association, but that he and the working group will try, informally, to streamline interactions between the IFs. He added: “We are very different, but we have something in common – that we are not big federations, we have very few resources and we need to help each other."

positive Espen Lund

to raise the bar even higher and set new records for television [in Canada],” Hardman added.

The 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the first single sporting event in Canada to be held coast-to-coast, so the focus will be on providing a consistent experience for spectators and athletes.

“This is the pinnacle of the focus in women’s soccer and we want to make sure there are no impediments in the stadia or in the training sites that would get in the way of the competition,” Hardman said.

3

actualitÉs British Business Club lunch Delegates are invited to attend the launch of a UK suppliers’ directory to major sports events at a British Business Club lunch in the SportAccord Convention Café today at 1pm. Sir John Armitt, Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority and President of the British Business Club, will introduce the directory – entitled “Springboard to Success” – along with the UK Minister for Sport and Olympics, Hugh Robertson MP. Delegates will have a chance to find out about 600 UK-based companies who supply to the major sports events industry and meet with key influencers in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics. For more on this, see p7 of today’s edition of The Daily.  Saskatchewan is hosting a cocktail reception in the SportAccord Convention exhibition area from 4.307pm this afternoon. Coverage of the International Olympic Committee’s announcement about the 2020 Olympic Games candidate cities will be shown on a big screen from 6.30pm. So come and have a drink in relaxed surroundings!

decisions must be made early

D

ecisions on expenditure for sporting events should be made as soon as possible in the bidding process, according to a leading official from the Union Cycliste Internationale, International Cycling Union (UCI).

Speaking at a City Forum at SportAccord Convention yesterday, Gerrit Middag, the UCI’s Marketing and Events Director, advised that solutions should be found and addressed in the initial bidding process and planning stages.

“When you’re bidding for an event, that’s when all the decisions on who pays for what should be decided,” said Middag.

Don Elliman, Chancellor of the University of Colorado Denver, added: “Post-2008 we’re in a much different place.We talk a lot about win-win, but we’ve really got to be able to look at past models and realize it doesn’t work.”

Elliman stressed the need for being practical by asking: “What’s the purpose? What are you trying to achieve? Are you adding value every step of the way?”

Diamil Faye, President and CEO of JAPPO Sports and Events Management Consulting, stressed how African countries have their own set of challenges.

“Which way do we go? Do we make our own model and do it our own way or follow the North American model?” he asked. “This is the issue we need to figure out first.

“The challenge we have in most African countries, South Africa apart, is the cost of building venues. Where do you get the money to build venues? We don’t have the budget to build and maintain these facilities. There are huge costs for the cities.”

 Getting the whole country behind you is the key to making a Games a success, according to a former official of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Andrea Shaw, the ex-Vice-President of Sponsorship Sales and Marketing for the committee, gave her advice at the ‘Taking It To The Streets – City Activation’ City Forum panel at SportAccord Convention yesterday.

“Our corporate partners, government partners, sports partners, athletic partners, first nations partners and host nation

partners all contributed and collaborated,” she said. “Not only that, but every single province and territory also invested, because they had a return. It was a win for all of us.”

Professor Terry Stevens, Managing Director of leisure and tourism consultants Stevens & Associates, stressed the importance of engaging everyone in the process and of choosing an event that is a good fit for the city. “Cities need to be able to see what their capacities are, what their value system is and which event will be the most successful for them,” he said. “This will allow them to reinforce the outcome.”

4

news

Keeping cycling on the right track C ycling, like many sports, has been a victim of the global financial downturn. Commercial partners come and go in sport but, as many organisations at SportAccord Convention will testify, when a recession bites, commercial setbacks can be an all too regular occurrence.

However, Yann Le Moënner, the Managing Director of Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), believes that cycling is sufficiently robust to negotiate any bumps in the road.

“We do believe that cycling is still a very attractive model for sponsors, when you compare it to other sports,” he said.

According to Le Moënner, cycling represents a unique opportunity for brands to reach eyeballs on site and through the media. Within ASO’s portfolio of 40 events per year – primarily in cycling, golf, motorsports and sailing – there are lots of opportunities for commercial partners to enjoy valuable exposure.

Of the 220 days of competition organised by ASO annually, 100 are dedicated to cycling. They host some of the premier events in the world of cycling, such as the Tour de France, LiègeBastogne-Liège and Paris-Roubaix. ASO also recently co-organised the Tour de Beijing. The

attractive The Tour de France is cycling’s premier event

company had previously worked with organisers of Indonesia’s Tour de Singkarak in a consultancy capacity, but the Chinese event in October marked its first proper foray into Asia.

Another area of growth for ASO is mass participation events, according to Le Moënner.

“There are more and more people running, cycling and swimming, and we do see a bright

SAVE THE DATE! www.sportsandevents.co.za

12–14 September 2012 International Convention Centre, Durban An event proven to be of international standing after the extremely successful inaugural show held in Cape Town in 2011, this “confex” will again focus on the world-class standard of facilities and services South Africa has to offer as a host for all top-level international events - sports, concerts and other.

Attend the informative conference with keynote addresses from both international and local leaders in the industry.

Meet with venue and stadium owners, mega-event organisers, sports federations, sport marketing and management companies, hotels and service providers.

Hosted by

Endorsed by

Organised by

For more information www.sportsandevents.co.za • Email: AlisonT@tepg.co.za Tel: +27 11 549 8300 • Fax: +27 11 549 8546

Exhibitions Special Projects Events Conferences ● Venue Management ●

●

future for mass participation events,” he said. He cited the Paris Marathon, which welcomes 35,000 participants every year, and added that amateur cycling events that take place on the same courses as professional events can bring the public closer to the sport.

The organisation has also developed an initiative aimed at youth, ‘À chacun son Tour’,

which encourages youth engagement in cycling in France. With a global population that is increasingly fixated on making healthier choices, cycling’s audience is growing internationally, with Australia and the United States being particular hot spots. Le Moënner believes the winning formula for ASO will be one that develops events in new markets while preserving cycling’s ‘roots’, which are planted in Europe.

He added that environmental awareness, as well as healthy living, is also driving the spike in interest. “Cities and governments [are] realising they need to give a place for biking in cities, which will push the practice of the sport,” he explained.

Le Moënner stressed the importance of considering cycling not only as a sport, but also as an environmentally-friendly mode of transportation. “Cycling is part of the solution against pollution,” he said.

 Yann Le Moënner is speaking at today’s conference session, ‘Show me the money – the changing landscape of sports sponsorship’

en français

L’Organisation de Sport Amaury croit que le cyclisme doit se développer dans des nouveaux marchés, tout en gardant ses vraies racines en Europe

Embracing the future Peter Moore’s insight into the sports and entertainment industry remains virtually unrivalled.

Moore, right, who switched to the role of Chief Operating Officer at Electronic Arts last August after spending four years as President of EA Sports following spells with Reebok, Sega and Microsoft, will take part in this morning’s plenary panel session: “What will the top ‘Game Changers’ in sport be over the next decade?”

As an avid supporter of Liverpool FC and sport in general, Moore, who is at the cutting edge of the industry, is always on the look-out for new technological innovations to enhance the ‘fan’ experience.

“Some of the advances we’re seeing in stadium technology are significant,” Moore said.

“We’re seeing a lot of developments in terms of how stadia are going to be wired in the future.

“What does that mean for somebody involved in the business of sport as well as a huge sports fan? Technology for me has become more and more important, particularly over the past couple of years with ubiquitous broadband wireless.”

Many hardcore sports fans like Moore are ‘wired-in’ through their computers and mobile devices when watching sport at home as well as live at a stadium or arena.

“I find myself – whether I’m in a stadium

or whether I’m at home multi-tasking, trying to get more information other than what I’m just seeing on the TV or on the field of play in front of me,” he said.

“I think how we embrace technology is going to be critical for the sports industry.

I think there’s a huge opportunity to build even stronger revenue platforms around technology.

“I think the key is going to be ‘do we embrace it?’, ‘do we allow it?, ‘do we facilitate it?’ or ‘do we allow third parties like broadcasting networks to take full advantage of it?’

“I think the industry in the past has tried to actually push back and say, ‘just focus on what you’re seeing’. However, I think today’s consumer wants multiple inputs and that’s going to be a multi-tens-of-billions-ofdollars opportunity for the sports industry over the next decade.”

Moore also believes that interactivity will continue to be a crucial driving force in engaging users and establishing a relationship between the industry and the consumer.

“Technology, entertainment and sports all collide in the daily work of the interactive nature of what we do, and I think that’s the key,” he said. “We’re doing a lot in the interactive entertainment world, and certainly at EA and EA Sports in particular, we’d like to think we’re driving the conversation rather than listening to it.”  What will the top ‘Game Changers’ in sport be over the next decade?

– Today, 11:10-12:00

5

actualitÉs toasting success

Wales’ Major Events Unit at SportAccord Convention has invited delegates to attend a whisky tasting from the Principality’s only distillery this afternoon at 3pm.

The award-winning Penderyn Single Malt Whisky, which was officially unveiled

by His Royal Highness Prince Charles in 2004, will be on offer at Exhibition Stand 49.

Penderyn boasts a number of international awards and claims to be one of the world’s finest premium whiskies. It is available throughout the UK and in 16 other countries, including 28 American states.  SportAccord Convention Chairman

Hein Verbruggen will take on Mayor of Québec Régis Labeaume in a game of table tennis next to the IF Demo Zone at 4pm today. Come along to see who will emerge triumphant!  Nathan Jones, the International

Federation of American Football’s Country Administrator for China, has offered his advice on breaking into the market.

“Before you make plans, discover who the decision-makers are for your sport at different levels of government supervision, listen to them first, and ask for their advice as to who else you should reach out to,” he said.

“If you need a local expert to guide you through the process, use one."

Fixing the problem T

he responsibility for investigating match-fixing should lie with the police, rather than sports bodies, according to the results of one of the key propositions tabled at the LawAccord Convention yesterday.

Only 27 per cent of those voting on the proposition agreed that sports bodies are best able to investigate allegations of such corruption in sport, with 73 per cent insisting it should be a matter for the police.

“The distinction made by the panel is that it is a public law issue rather than a private law issue, so it’s a society issue,” LawAccord Chair Stephen Townley said.

“If you look at the volume of illegal betting that

LAWACCORD SportAccord Convention chairman Hein Verbruggen and CAS' Matthieu Reeb

is happening, the arbitration process in sport is somewhat irrelevant to the wider issue.

“In an arbitral tribunal, there aren’t the powers to knock down doors and seize documents. That is what needs to be done to get to the root of the problem.”

Townley added that the result of the vote result represented a “recognition from the sports bodies present that they don’t have the resources, and in some cases the skills, to do the job of investigating properly”.

In one of the other vital issues to be discussed at LawAccord, delegates voted 58-42 per cent in favour of sports bodies including independent non-executive business directors – with experience outside sports administration – on their boards.

“At times there can be an image of sport that it just wants to keep everyone else out,” Townley said.

“However, this result shows that there is a trend, and a recognition, that independent nonexecutives play a very valuable role.”

Townley was delighted with the event, which featured figures such as CAS Secretary General Matthieu Reeb.

“LawAccord is now becoming a very credible voice that people are beginning to listen to,” he said. “These results will go into the sports industry and they will look at them.

“We’ve had really good speakers and a really good quality of audience, and to marry the two together adds real credibility to the output.”

caterpillar chooses ces systems Cat Entertainment Services (CES) has been chosen by Caterpillar Inc to be a global service provider for international events and production projects, supplying temporary power generation and temperature control equipment.

CES prides itself on making sure all its equipment conforms to local power requirements and any environmental considerations.

By using innovative power supply technology, it further limits the

carbon footprint.

CES is also able to assist with event planning, site surveys, technical drawings and engineering solutions.

Bill Rohner, Caterpillar Vice-President for the electric power division, said: “Caterpillar is excited to support Cat Entertainment Services as it expands its role in the major international events market.”

6

around the convention

combat meeting arranged

Representatives of SportAccord, International Federations, the Russian Union of Martial Arts and other stakeholders will gather for a meeting tomorrow to discuss the progress of preparations for the second SportAccord World Combat Games.

The next edition of the multi-sport event will take place in St Petersburg, Russia from October 18-26, 2013, and will be organised by the Russian Union of Martial Arts.

The elite event has been created to promote values of self-control, determination and technical mastery, with the martial arts and combat sports on display integrating elements of culture, wisdom and friendship, according to SportAccord. The 2013 Games will feature the following 15 martial arts and combat sports: Aikido, Boxing, Fencing, Judo, Jujitsu, Karate, Kendo, Kickboxing, Muaythai, Sambo, Savate, Sumo, Taekwondo, Wrestling and Wushu.

Additionally, the Games will incorporate a cultural programme that will reflect the ancient traditions of martial arts as well as the social and cultural values of the sports on display and the event as a whole.

For more information, visit: www. worldcombatgames.com

>catching up with: Gernot Leitner, General Director of Masterconcept Consulting, a bronze partner of SportAccord Convention

‘Major events are a great leverage to change a region’ The Daily: Tell us about Masterconcept’s involvement in sports...

Gernot Leitner: “Masterconcept is a multidisciplinary consulting firm working on different levels of sport event planning, bidding and delivering.

“We work mainly in the area of integration of major event infrastructures in a city and regional context, based on GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technologies.

“Masterconcept and its key directors have been involved in bidding processes and major event and Olympic Games delivery for more than 15 years.”

The Daily: What are you hoping to achieve at SportAccord Convention this year?

GL: “We will present the advanced version of our Intermodal Transport Simulation Model, which has been enhanced to be an integrative operational tool for major event transport centres as well as regional transport management. Furthermore, we will meet our clients and partners from all over the world and look forward to an interesting exchange on latest trends in the sports industry.

Kerri Walsh (USA) / Murilo (BRA) / Ekaterina Gamova (RUS)

RAISE YOUR EXPECTATIONS

THIS IS VOLLEYBALL

The Daily: Masterconcept is a bronze partner of the Convention. Why is this an important event for your company?

GL: “Masterconcept offers cities and regions master planning support based on GIS technologies.

Major events are a great leverage to transform a region on a large scale and therefore SportAccord Convention is an important platform and networking opportunity for us.”

The Daily: Tell us about your mountain tourism development – something that will be of particular interest to winter sports organisations reading this...

GL: “Using major events as a door-opener, Masterconcept has moved strongly into this field. We are involved in significant projects in developing new regions.

“The biggest one at the moment is the Russian federal project to develop the North Caucasus touristic resorts, the largest mountain development project in the world.

“The scope of the project has made it necessary to laser scan more than 6,000km² by aircraft in order to create geographic base data and manage a wide

range of data and projects. Implementation has already started and the first skiers are expected in the winter of 2014-15.

“The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics is the catalyst for this project as the Russian skiing market is expected to expand following the Games for decades to come.”

The Daily: What are Masterconcept’s plans for the next few months?

GL: “Masterconcept is launching ITSOS (Intermodal Transport Simulation and Operations System), the world’s first fully GIS-linked intermodal transport simulation tool for efficient transport modelling and operations.

“Furthermore the all-year mountain tourism projects in Northern Caucasus are entering a third stage of planning and we will keep playing an important role there.

“We will also look carefully into cooperation options as part of the preparations for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, the 2020 Summer Olympic Games bidding process and also the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympic Games bids.”

7

Le tour d’horizon Focus on sustainability Waste management Before the event: Organisers started managing waste as early as possible in the planning process. The online registration form included a small questionnaire, asking the delegates about their preferred media for the program. Thirteen per cent of all delegates chose the electronic version only. The exhibitors were asked to apply the ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ principle to their stands and promotional objects, preferring recycled and recyclable materials.

During the event: Waste management includes composting all the organic waste produced during food preparation and sorting meal leftovers. Participants are also encouraged to play their part in achieving the goal to generate less than 125 grams of landfill-bound waste per person per day, by using the numerous recycling stations.

After the event: A responsible event does not end when everyone packs up to return home.

Exhibitors have to dismantle their stands and this is where careful planning prior to the event takes all its meanings. All left-over material from exhibitors will be collected and given to a local charity. You can also use the designated boxes at your hotel’s SportAccord Convention booth.

Register for the sustainability tour: https://taktetik.wufoo. eu/forms/sustainability-tour-registration/ In association with CH2M HILL, Official Sustainability and Legacy Partner of SportAccord Convention

setting a new benchmark S

ir John Armitt, Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority – the organisation charged with delivering the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic venues and infrastructure – believes the preparations for the Games have created a new industry benchmark.

“The construction of all new main venues and infrastructure for the London 2012 Games is now complete,” Armitt said. “The construction programme came in on time and within budget, setting new industry standards and demonstrating the immense capability and skill of UK businesses.”

Armitt, knighted in the New Year’s Honours List for services to engineering and construction, will be looking to promote the United Kingdom’s expertise in the delivery of global sports projects at SportAccord Convention in Québec City.

He will be speaking today at a lunchtime reception hosted by the British Business Club – of which he is President – in the Exhibition Hall café.

Armitt will be aiming to spread the word about the club to global companies looking for contacts around major sporting events and to showcase the knowledge and experience the UK

standards Sir John Armitt

and its companies have in that field. “The British Business Club is a powerful business networking tool for both British and international organisations,” he said.

“The club gives members access to information about networking events, business activity and news around major sports events. Members can create an online profile, allowing them to connect with thousands of other companies to showcase their expertise and know-how.”

Armitt will be launching the second version of the UK Suppliers’ Directory, which provides

a complete listing of the companies involved in the delivery of the 2012 Games and other major sporting events.

“It provides the kind of information relevant to future hosts of major sports events, for example Russia and Brazil,” he explained.

en français

Sir John Armitt croit que les préparations pour les Jeux Olympiques 2012 ont crée des nouveaux standards pour l’industrie

Toronto ready to build Organisers of the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto are ready for an intensive summer of activity as the Canadian city’s preparations for the multi-sport event crank up a notch.

Ian Troop, the Chief Executive of the Toronto 2015 Organising Committee, is determined to fulfil a venue and infrastructure construction plan that will optimise operational efficiency.

“Shovels will be in the ground this summer for several of our major construction projects in order to be ready in time for test events in 2014,” he said.

“We’re using a combination of new construction and renovated

action Ian Troop existing facilities to create a lasting legacy in sport infrastructure in this region.

This includes five major builds and 22 renovations or refurbishments as the Toronto 2015 Games will utilise more than 40 venues and include eight venue clusters.”

According to Troop, one of the key benefits of Toronto’s venues plan is the

clustering of the facilities – an increasingly common approach from host cities that wish to prioritise the performances of the competing athletes and the enjoyment of the watching public.

“We’ve vigorously reviewed the venue plan and made strategic decisions that focus on venue clustering,” he said.

“Clustering has several benefits. It brings operational efficiencies in areas such as transportation and security, a richer athlete and spectator experience and more ticketing options where spectators can potentially see multiple sports and cultural activities in one location in one day.”

Thomas Lund, Chief Operating Officer, Badminton World Federation, said: “Engaging the fans is one of the biggest challenges. It’s not easy, but it’s something we all need to be aware of to have a good event.” For the full interview, scan the barcode or visit http://bit.ly/ KJlqYq . For more information, visit Stand 60.

YOUR SPORT OUR PASSION In Denmark we are passionate about hosting international sports events. We have the experience and the partners to stage a successful event. We recognize the importance of adding value to an event and its owner, and we always strive to do our utmost to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders.

Visit sporteventdenmark.com

8

talking point

the gaming industry: is it now a safe bet?

sponsor Real Madrid wear the Bwin logo

THE FIVB HEROES CAMPAIGN “LIFE IS SHORT, SPIKE HARD!” The Heroes Campaign is FIVB´s new marketing and promotional initiative designed to feature the FIVB top players more prominently. It is a longterm global platform for volleyball and beach volleyball stars and contains eye-catching imagery of the Heroes athletes to represent FIVB´s events. It is intended to create role models for the younger generation and to benefit the development and promotion of the sport.

“IT’S NOT HOW BIG YOU ARE, IT’S HOW BIG YOU PLAY” The selected FIVB Heroes are – the sport‘s most experienced top stars and emerging high-potential talents – highly successful based on their competition statistics – leaders of their national teams and popular in their home countries – players with appeal and charisma Altogether more than 60 volleyball and beach volleyball players from nearly 20 countries have been selected and featured as FIVB Heroes so far.

“YOU HAVEN‘T SEEN GOOD UNTIL YOU‘VE SEEN US” Explore the FIVB Heroes campaign on FIVBheroes.com Get insider information about your favourite FIVB Heroes on the official campaign website with exclusive features and TV clips or interact with them on the FIVB Heroes channels on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Orkut, Weibo and Vkontakte.

Thomas Lund: “In many ways yes. Betting is an integrated part of a competition culture.

You have people on court playing the game and people outside watching. People do bet whether you like it or not. The betting industry’s integration with sport itself does generate income and has over many years helped to finance sports at grassroots level.”

Chau Kuok Wai: “I think that betting on sport is a part of the sports industry. It is important that it is developed in a moderate and appropriate manner and is strictly supervised to avoid bettors getting addicted and becoming harmful to their families. As a sector it does have its positive side. The revenue generated can contribute towards much-needed social development.”

Stephen Townley: “Betting is part of the sports industry. It’s too late even to ask the question about whether it’s good or bad. It’s here to stay, and the real issue is how sport handles it.”

Haroon Lorgat: “Firstly, we should understand that lawful betting is not an issue. It is the

‘Without integrity systems in place, sport is vulnerable. However, the costs of putting in place such structures are immense, and the betting industry will obviously fight against having to pay’ – Stephen Townley

sports industry to work closely with the betting industry?

TL: “I think there is real merit in that approach because we all want to avoid the challenge of sport becoming corrupt, and it is an efficient way of addressing the issue. [Illegal] betting is potentially as dangerous as doping, but we don’t stop doing sports because of doping. We have to control it and set up frameworks to ensure threats are dealt with in a serious way. That’s something we are working towards. We are setting up frameworks to monitor, instruct and educate our players.”

The Daily: The Badminton World Federation has been quite proactive in educating stakeholders about betting in sport. What initiatives have you set up?

TL: “We are working very actively on several projects. At our most recent meeting we decided that a free-to-access educational program on this subject would be introduced at the next edition of the World Junior Championships. Each national association will be able to customise the program and we will see how it works, but it will act as a good starting point.

“The program will involve providing information before the event in an ‘e-learning’ format. The players will sit down and go through it, so let’s see how it works. We’re testing it and it will be interesting to receive feedback. But it’s a way of making players aware of this issue at very early age.

“We are also setting up a whistle-blowing system which allows people to provide information in confidence by email or the telephone. We are also looking at ways of working in a more structured manner with betting companies, in terms of monitoring the market [for irregular betting patterns]. Sport cannot deal with it on its own, as it is too big an issue. Governments and other institutions need to be involved. Hopefully, all of

The Daily asked International Cricket Council Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat, LawAccord Chair Stephen Townley, Badminton World Federation Chief Operating Officer Thomas Lund and Chau Kuok Wai, Division Head at the Macau Sport Development Board, for their thoughts on this crucial sports industry issue...

The Daily: Broadly speaking, do you believe the betting industry is good for sport?

9

Le débat

this effort will prevent people from going over to the dark side.”

The Daily: Doesn’t the betting industry provide a crucial source of income for the sports industry, though?

HL: “I don’t believe it’s a crucial source of income.

Sport is generally quite blessed that it has got huge amounts of revenue sources. Legalised betting can contribute funding for sport, but I do not believe it is a critical source of revenue for sports.”

CKW: “The gambling sector is a big part of the Macau economy. A few years ago, sport was trying to distance itself from gambling, but now sport has realised that regulated gambling can play an important role in identifying corrupt behaviour in sport and also raising revenues.”

The Daily: Can the sports industry control betting?

ST: “People are naive to think they can control it, and it is also naive to think, ‘there’s a bit of money, let’s try to grab some of it’. Sport is facing an

immense challenge with illegal betting when you see young sports stars sucked into a system where millions of dollars is being circulated.”

The Daily: So do you believe the betting industry should be made to contribute towards the cost of integrity services in sport?

ST: “Yes, I believe they should contribute. It already happens with horseracing here in the UK and in the United States. Without integrity systems in place, sport is vulnerable. However, the costs of putting in place such structures are immense, and the betting industry will obviously fight against having to pay.”

The Daily: How can different organisations within the sports industry work together to eradicate illegal betting?

TL: “There was a betting seminar organised by the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne a year ago, and we could all relate to the issues that came up. It is a big and scary issue, and it

is something we need other institutions to be involved in [eradicating].

“We don’t have detectives in our organisations – we have administrators. A lot is being done in sport, though, and the IOC and IFs are well aware of the challenges.”

HL: “We all need to police this issue in the same manner, so we can learn from each other and pool our resources. We can share intelligence to eradicate the challenges and the problems. Our priority at the ICC is to protect the integrity of the game and that is why we invest so heavily in a robust anti-corruption capability.

“We strongly support the move in countries such as Australia where the Federal Government is seeking to make cheating in sport for financial gain an illegal activity. We also support the sort of relationship which [national cricket association] Cricket Australia has entered into with betting agencies, as these partnerships give the organisation the power to veto certain types of bets.”

‘Betting is illegal in a number of the major cricket-playing countries but in those countries where it is regulated, it contributes to the popularity of the sport’ – Haroon Lorgat attempts by wrongdoers to profit illegally through corrupt means, especially in the unregulated markets, that is the problem and when players or officials become involved; that is a major issue.”

“We must also appreciate that betting is part of the global landscape and cannot be wished away. It is illegal in a number of the major cricket-playing countries, but in those countries where it is regulated, it contributes to the popularity and finances of the sport.”

The Daily: How important is it for the

You say

The Daily asked: Is the betting industry good for sport?

You say: Yes – 43% No – 57%

2012 SPORTACCORD APPLICANT . PRESENTING FRIDAY 25 MAY Catch the Spirit at Stand 76!

World Governing Body for the Sport of Cheer 103 National Federations on All Continents . World Championship with 70 Nations 3.5 Million Athletes The World Championship

event for National Teams of

10

interview

R

transition.

However, for former National Basketball Association (NBA) star John Amaechi, retirement has provided the opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives, as a role model to young athletes and as a voice for those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

Amaechi has had what his peers call a “portfolio career” and now wears a variety of hats in his life after sport. He is not only a psychologist, but also a New York Times best-selling author, broadcaster,

social entrepreneur, international ambassador and motivational speaker. Despite playing professional basketball for more than a decade, the sport was not his first career choice, though.

“I started playing basketball when I was 17, but I knew I would be a psychologist when I was seven,” Amaechi said. “It was always the plan.

“People think it’s the other way around. They imagine that someone like me would grow up dreaming of being a basketball player, an athlete. As I loved reading books, I was the geek,” he chuckles, “so psychology was my first love.”

Amaechi, who grew up in England, made headlines in 2007 when in his autobiography – ‘Man in the Middle’ – he became the first professional basketball player to ‘come out’ as gay.

Holland Moves

salutes the Applicant Cities for the

2020 Games

He had already come out to his family and his closest friends many years earlier, but he waited until after he had retired from competitive sport before taking the step publicly.

“America is a country where you can be fired in 30 states for being gay,” he said. “So that’s the kind of thing to be gotten rid of before you start demanding people to come out.

“I understand that there’s a romance to the idea of somebody coming out during their career. However, changing the problem of homophobia, especially within sport, is so much bigger than one more person stepping up. That’s going to help, but people coming out in sport will be a problem to change not a precursor.”

While Amaechi applauds the NBA in establishing a non-discrimination policy, such a move remains rare in the sporting world, and he would like to see organisations adopt a more proactive approach.

“What I see is a great deal of ‘wishy-washyness’ from major brands and major sports organisations,” Amaechi said. “In general, they are silent on these issues. Sports are always telling people how they are a microcosm of society, but the truth is that sport is a powerful vehicle for change in society.

“If these brands, organisations and National Governing Bodies really wanted to change the world, they could do it with concerted action by saying: ‘This is who we are and this is what we stand for.’

“If we want the very best for our elite teams at the top, we must have something to say about how 11-year-old boys and girls are treated in schools, because you’re never going to get a gay NBA superstar or a Jewish NBA superstar. They have to be, not nurtured especially, but they have to be recognised and it has to be made explicit to them that they are welcome and protected just like everybody else.”

Being a black, gay man, Amaechi has experienced discrimination in various forms.

However, he identifies silence as being the biggest hurdle in toppling bigotry and advancing universal acceptance.

“I think one of the things that people underestimate is the power of the silent majority,” Amaechi said. “When good people fail to act, that is when the 16-year-old from Mississippi feels like he can’t go on anymore; when an 11-year-old kid from New York feels like they can’t handle it and have to run away.”

After covering the 2008 Olympics in Beijing in a dual role of BBC analyst and Amnesty International Ambassador, Amaechi has adopted another influential position in the build-up to the 2012 Games in his home country. He was

11

London wins SportBusiness city award London, the host of this year’s Olympic Games, has won SportBusiness’ 1 London 491pts Ultimate Sports City award for the 2 Melbourne 481 first time. The English capital ended 3 Sydney 421 Melbourne’s six-year hold on the 4 New York 406 accolade, edging out the Australian city 5 Manchester 398 by just 10 points in the final rankings, 6 Singapore 393 which were compiled by SportBusiness 7 Berlin 370 Consultant Rachael Church-Sanders 8 Copenhagen 353 and a panel of industry judges. Sydney, 9 Glasgow 344 which came fifth in the previous 10 Paris 337 rankings in 2010, rose to third.

The judging panel went for London because of their ability to capture “the imagination of the world for years” in holding major annual sporting events such as the FA Cup Final, the London Marathon and the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.

“London is consistently heralded as the perfect inspirational and iconic stage to host major events – largely due to the city’s passion for sport, excellent transport links and ability to draw huge international global media audiences,” Church-Sanders said at the award announcement at SportAccord Convention yesterday.

The judges assessed a shortlist of 25 cities across a range of criteria, with London coming first in the hosting and public sports interest/ tourism categories, second in four other categories and third in another three. This, Church-Sanders added, “showed its capabilities as an all-rounder”. The lead judge pointed out that many smaller cities were starting to catch up with their larger rivals. “Learning from their city peers, they are establishing a major events strategy encompassing regular annual events in addition to the one-off crown jewel events, which are key to becoming a SportBusiness Ultimate Sports City in the future,” she said.

TOP 10

John Amaechi has gone from NBA star to renaissance man, and now wants to see the sporting world get more involved in social issues, writes Aman Dhanoa... etiring from sport is one of the toughest episodes in an athlete’s life.

Leaving the competitive atmosphere behind and filling the void by finding new challenges can be a difficult

Picture: Action Images

success John Amaechi has thrived since finishing his basketball career

Picture courtesy Amaechi Performance Systems

portfolio of change

a decade of sport/Une décennie de sport

named a director for the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) Diversity Board. Despite appreciating the excitement surrounding the upcoming Olympics in London, Amaechi, who runs his own community sporting centre in Manchester, fears that legacy targets for sports participation may not be reached.

“To be honest, I’m afraid,” says Amaechi.

“The fact is that when you look back at the other Games, not much legacy exists in terms of participation. As far I’m aware, looking into the research, there’s never been a Games that increased the level of participation in a country in any meaningful way.

“I’m really worried because I see my centre here in Manchester and we have about 3,000 kids going through our doors. We make no success Amaechi during his Orlando Magic days

money whatsoever, but we have managed to build a purposeful centre that can house young people, become a holistic centre of learning and education, and provide opportunities for young people and the community around us. But I just fear that there are not enough examples of that in Britain right now to take advantage of the excitement of the Olympics.”

From starting his basketball journey in England to playing in the NBA for the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz and New York Knicks, through to the present day, Amaechi has been a keen observer of the sporting world, and he believes it is still not delivering on its obligations to society.

“I do think sport can be used very effectively if we’re willing to take the time and put in the effort to really create smarter practices,” he said.

We’re not doing that right now.”  THE BIG PICTURE: How sport will change lives in the future – Wednesday, 14:00-15:00  DEBATE: Is socially responsible sport a corporate obligation? – Thursday, 11:00-11:45  Contact John Amaechi at info@ amaechiperformance.com and follow him on Twitter at @JohnAmaechi

>a gift from above (2004)

>Russian superstar Yelena Isinbayeva produces a world-record pole vault on her way to an Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

Four years later she added another Olympic gold in Beijing. >Yelena Isinbayeva, la sauteuse de la perche russe, enregistre un record du monde en gagnant la médaille d’or aux Jeux Olympiques d’été à Athènes en 2004. Quatre ans plus tard, elle a ajouté une autre médaille d’or à Beijing.

10 years sportac of conventcord io 2003-12 n

12

agenda/ ordre du jour Picture: Marc-Antoine Jean

Flying start SportAccord Convention delegates kick-start their day with a Tabata session in Battlefields Park - see ‘Today at a glance’ for details of the Active Network Morning Exercise Sessions today and tomorrow

Québec says bon appetit!

Y

ou may have heard of Québec City’s great cuisine – well Wednesday night is the chance to taste it for free!

Instead of staging a big dinner under one roof, SportAccord Convention is inviting delegates to explore the city’s wide variety of restaurants.

This innovation has been called ‘The Québec Dining Experience’.

The Convention has arranged for every delegate to receive a $50 certificate to dine at one of 36 restaurants in the area. This certificate can be

found in the back of the badge given out on registration.

The information desk at the front of the Centre des Congrès offers a list of every restaurant that will accept the certificate, as well as a description of what type of food they offer.

The desk will make reservations for delegates, as well as arranging the fastest way to reach the restaurant of their choice.

Wednesday is therefore the perfect night to discover the many culinary delights of Québec City!

today at a glance wednesday, may 23 ALL DAY SportAccord Convention Exhibition (Foyer 4 + 400A) 08:30-10:00 Press Breakfast – SportAccord Anti-Doping Unit Update 10:00-17:30 SportAccord Convention Conference (400C) 10:00-11:00 Keynote Address: Inspiring

the next generation

(Charlie Denson) 11:10-12:00 Panel Session: What will be

the top ‘game-changers’ in

sport?

12:10-13:00 Trend Watch: Quick hits and

mobile clips…

14:00-14:40 The Big Picture: Fulfilling

sport’s promise to society

(John Amaechi) 14:40-15:20 Case Study: Hosting the

world’s largest tailgate party

15:30-16:30 Panel Session: Show me the

money 18:30 IOC announcement of the

2020 Candidate Cities Meetings: 07:30-10:00 AIOWF General Assembly

(202) 08:00-10:00 IOC EB / ASOIF Joint Meeting

(200A) 10:15-11:45 IOC EB / AIOWF Joint Meeting

(301AB) 12:00-14:00 ASPOF/AIOWF Meeting (202) 15:00-18:00 IOC EB (301AB) Sports Demo Zone: 09:15-17:30 Table Tennis, Fencing, Softball, Baseball, Triathlon Morning Exercise Sessions (06:15): Today: Group Run, Muay Thai, Walk with a Purpose Tomorrow: Group Run, Tabata, Walk with a Purpose