Global technology giant and International Olympic Committee TOP Partner Samsung has renewed its regional partnership with Generations For Peace for the eighth year running.

Samsung’s partnership with the NGO is based on shared values. The decision to renew the partnership was influenced by the success of Generation’s for Peace’s programmes and its recent strong performance in a global ranking. 

 “Since 2008, our partnership with Generations For Peace has been driven by our shared interest in social development through sport and education, and our shared focus on innovation, quality, impact and sustainability,” said Mr. Bumsuk Hong, President of Samsung Electronics Levant.

“We have been especially impressed with Generations For Peace’s recent ranking at #32 in the ‘Top 500 NGOs in the World’, and the results being achieved by empowering youth leaders and teachers to reduce violence, promoting tolerance and responsible citizenship in their communities and schools.”

Samsung’s support is part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme “Hope For Children”.

Generations For Peace, the only peace-through-sport organisation officially recognised by the IOC, runs programmes in the Levant region that use sport to educate, develop and influence the behaviour of young people. 

The programmes in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine empower volunteers to address local issues of conflict and violence in their own communities. 

HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, IOC Member and the Founder and Chairman of Generations For Peace, said: “As our longest-serving partner, Samsung’s support is a wonderful example of an Olympic TOP Partner supporting our work at a regional level. In communities and schools, we are using sport to transform conflict and empower children, youth, and teachers.

“We are also using Samsung’s technology to benefit our programmes. Samsung and Generations For Peace are combining our passion and expertise together, to inspire the world and create a better future.”

The 2016 Olympic Games will not be affected by the economic slump or the scandal engulfing Brazil’s government and its national oil company, according to organising committee’s communications director Mario Andrada.

Construction projects for the Games, which takes place in Rio de Janeiro in August 2016, are back on track and will not be held up, despite the worrying prospect that some contractors may be linked to the scandal, Andrada said in an exclusive interview with HOST CITY.

He also said the state government needs to be mobilised to clean up the sailing venue in Guanabara Bay in time.

Brazil’s economy was booming when Rio de Janeiro was awarded the hosting rights in 2009 but the economy failed to grow in 2014 and remains depressed.

The country’s problems are compounded by the fact that several politicians and companies have been implicated in bribery issues relating to national oil producer, Petrobras.

“Brazil is going through a political and an economic crisis,” Andrada said. 

“Petrobras has very complicated issues to manage. Some of the top Brazilian companies have been affected by this because they have been involved in corruption scandal.

“That’s worrying on our side because of the construction work on the Olympic Games.”

While the organising committee is not itself implicated in the scandal – “We are not connected to these allegations in any way, shape or form” – any contractors found to be connected to the Petrobras scandal will be taken off Olympic projects. 

The organisers of the Games have prepared for this by ensuring that venue construction projects are contracted to more than one company.

“Each of the venues is being delivered by two or more construction companies. So if one of them is facing trouble through the Petrobras scandal due to lack of finance, the other companies are able to carry on.

“So far we have been able to be immune to this situation because the construction system guarantees that one of the companies hired for the job will do the job.”

Rio 2016 came under fire last year for a seriously delayed start to venue construction work but it is now on track. 

“It’s not easy to sail through stormy waters, but we have been able to keep the pace,” said Andrada. 

The International Olympic Committee’s coordination commission visited Rio de Janeiro in February and gave an overall positive assessment but identified areas of concern, such as the sailing venue. 

“It was a very favourable visit but we have an issue in Guanabara Bay where the sailing competitions will take place,” said Andrada.

“We need to be more effective in cleaning the bay and helping the government to clean the bay. 

“It’s a matter of mobilising the government. It’s a huge project that involves 12 counties around the bay, so it can only be carried out by the state government.

“The point is to help them to get technicians and experts to work together.”

The test event for sailing starts on 15th August 2015. 

“We still have time to clean it up and to make sure the field of play will be totally clean. Everybody needs to push in the right direction.” 

Construction work on the Olympic Park in Barra has made huge strides since the IOC voiced concerns a year ago, Andrada said, with the work clearly visible above ground. 

“There is a huge amount of things to do but everything is moving in the way we want it to. We are cautiously optimistic but confident.”

Despite the economic slowdown, the organising committee is managing to operate with completely private finance. 

“We are still running the organising committee with private money. This will probably be the first Olympic Games in history where the organising committee did all its work without public funding.

“I believe the Games are the good news for Brazil in the middle of the Petrobras scandal and all the political issues.” 

Mario Andrada was a VIP speaker at HOST CITY Bid to Win and is set to speak again at HOST CITY 2015: The Largest Meeting of Cities, Sports, Business and Cultural Events. Book your place now by contacting adam.soroka@cavendishgroup.co.uk

FIFA’s executive committee today approved a task force recommendation to host the 2022 World Cup in November and December.

The final is due to take place on 18th December 2022, which is Qatar’s National Day. The length of the tournament will be finalised by a working group, but FIFA stated there is “the objective, in principle, of staging the tournament in 28 days”.

The decision was welcomed by the organisers of the tournament, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. 

“We welcome the decision of FIFA's Executive Committee in relation to the timing of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. We are satisfied the process has reached its conclusion,” it said in a statement. 

“Regardless of the change in dates, we will continue to develop the cooling technology promised during the bid, ensuring our commitment to deliver a true legacy as a result of the first World Cup in the Middle East remains."

The daily average maximum temperature in November is around 30 degrees Celsius.

The timings of the event mean that British teams will be able to play their traditional boxing day fixtures. 

The prospect of a winter world cup has been fiercely challenged by the European football clubs and administrators. 

However, Luis Figo of Portugal, who is running for the presidency of FIFA, stated his support for the decision. 

“A decision on the hosts and dates of the World Cup has to be as consensual as possible, after consulting all the interested persons and organizations and having in mind above all the health of the players, officials and, of course, the supporters,” he said.

“I also think that people of Qatar deserve respect and now that there is a decision I hope they will have the time to concentrate in delivering a good World Cup.”

England 2015 is on track to be the most widely watched, attended and engaged Rugby World Cup ever, according to Bernard Lapasset, chairman of World Rugby and Rugby World Cup Ltd. 

"With six months to go, Rugby World Cup 2015 is in record-breaking shape and we are confident of a very special event that will capture the imagination on and off the field,” he said. 

"Even before England and Fiji meet in the opening match on 18 September, England 2015 will have raised the bar on several fronts, reflecting a sport that continues to grow at record pace around the world and the exceptional standard of organisation and delivery across all partners.

"The event has captured the imagination like no other and demand for tickets has been unprecedented. From public sales to the official travel and hospitality programmes, we are anticipating record numbers as fans from around the world join those across the UK in celebrating rugby and friendship.”

In addition to tickets sold directly via the rugby world cup website, more than 170,000 tickets have been sold in 60 nations through official travel agents. This is 50 per cent more than the total sold for New Zealand 2011 and already close to France 2007’s tally of 184,000.

50,000 hospitality packages have been sold, as compared to 35,000 for the 2011 tournament.

In total, 500,000 of the 3 million tickets available are expected to be sold to overseas fans.

"Across 44 days and 48 matches the Rugby World Cup 2015 story will be told in more nations than ever before: audiences in 207 territories will be inspired by new broadcast, social and digital innovations, while a record family of commercial partners will also project rugby to new audiences,” said Lapasset.

The sponsorship programme has already broken records, with six worldwide partners signed faster and at a higher value than ever before.

The revenues will be welcomed by World Rugby, which is in the process of investing heavily in the growth of the sport worldwide. 

"All of this is great news for rugby worldwide as Rugby World Cup is the financial driving force behind the growth of the sport, underwriting £330 million of investment in rugby by 2016." 

The host nation also stands to benefit to the tune of GB£1bn, according to an economic impact study by EY, which is supplying financial services to the tournament. 

Lapasset praised the organising committee and the national governing body, the RFU for their achievements.

"A tournament of this scale and stature cannot be delivered without a shared vision and strong partnership and I would like to thank England Rugby 2015 and the RFU for their continued focus on ensuring a superb event on and off the field.”

The RFU is investing GB£10m community clubs and GB£1m into coaching and refereeing courses. The RFU is also aiming to attract 5,000 volunteers in England.

Tournament Director Alan Gilpin said: "Players are at the heart of Rugby World Cup 2015 and the facilities in stadia, at the training venues or team bases will be of an exceptional standard. They will have everything they need to perform to their potential on the world’s greatest rugby stage. 

"It will be the same for fans from the in-stadia experience to fan-zones, broadcast and social media and we look forward to welcoming everyone in joining us to celebrate what promises to be an unforgettable and very special Rugby World Cup."

Twelve world governments have pledged US$6.45m towards an anti-doping fund set up by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is matching funds with the aim of creating a joint fund of US$20m.

The fund was set in motion by the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020 and will be administered by the World Anti-Doping Agency. 

The world governments that responded to a call to match the IOC funding are China, France, Ivory Coast, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the US and Sweden.

The donations mean that the fund will have a starting budget of almost US$13 million. 

“WADA is very pleased with the financial commitments that this partnership has generated for the fight against doping in sport”, said WADA president and IOC vice president Sir Craig Reedie.

“The fund allocated by the IOC has received the commitment of governments of the world to contribute a total of US$ 6,452,296. The funds will provide a tremendous boost to WADA in their efforts to carry out innovative, anti-doping research focussed on protecting the clean athletes.”

The 12 governments have committed to pay WADA in full by 31 March 2016.  

As a separate fund for research in the fight against doping, the IOC will also administer the balance of US$3.55m remaining from the full US$10m it approved as part of Olympic Agenda 2020.

These funds will be allocated to researchers involved in athlete-centred projects in science and society. Four applications from researchers in Spain and Australia have already been selected. 

“With Olympic Agenda 2020, we are changing the philosophy with regard to the credibility of sports competitions and of athletes,” said IOC president Thomas Bach. 

“We must consider every cent in the fight against doping as an investment in the future of Olympic sport, not as an expense. This fund clearly shows that we support innovative anti-doping research that will lead to better protection of the clean athletes.”

Sir Craig Reedie was a keynote speaker at HOST CITY Bid to Win in October 2014, where Agenda 2020 was discussed before its unanimous adoption by the IOC. 

Integrity in events will be a key theme of HOST CITY 2015. 

German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) has selected Hamburg instead of Berlin as the city it will take forward to bid for the 2024 Olympic Games, citing public support as the decisive factor. 

Subject to ratification by the DOSB board on 21 March, the northern port city of Hamburg will join Rome and Boston in the race to host the 2024 Olympic Games.

The vote was cast by the executive board of the DOSB. 

"We agreed by majority for the city of Hamburg and that is why we are standing here today, united, with this recommendation," said Alfons Hörmann, the DOSB president, who chose not take part in the vote himself for “reasons of neutrality”.

Recent opinion polls have demonstrated that public support for a Games bid is significantly higher in Hamburg than in Berlin. 64 per cent of Hamburgers support the bid, compared to just 55 per cent of Berliners.

"There were various points that helped us make our decision," Hörmann said. 

"We had to consider the prevailing support in the cities, and the result of the survey was one of the things that played a role here."

Hamburg’s compact venue plan was also cited as an influencing factor. Unlike Berlin, Hamburg has no existing Olympic Stadium and plans to build a new one in an island in the city. 

Despite this, the DOSB determined Hamburg’s venue plan to be sustainable. 

"The city fits exactly to the Agenda 2020 reform of the IOC," said Hörmann.

The city of Hamburg will hold a referendum on whether to bid for the Games before 15 September, by which time all interested cities must apply to the IOC.

The German city of Munich pulled out of bidding for the 2022 Winter Games after a residents voted against bidding in a referendum. 

Munich hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1972. Berlin hosted the Olympic Games in 1936, while Hamburg has never hosted an Olympic Games.

The host city of the 2024 Games will be announced in Lima in mid-2017.

The Dubai Convention & Events Bureau has signed a deal to sponsor the Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO).

Dubai Convention & Events Bureau joins the Glasgow Convention Bureau, Barbican and Hiscox Insurance as sponsors of ABPCO. 

ABPCO is the UK’s leading organisation for professional conference and event organisers, industry associates and those studying for, or seeking a career in the conference and meetings industry.

“Having the official convention bureau for Dubai as a sponsor of ABPCO is of course fantastic news for us,” said Caroline Windsor, joint-chair of ABPCO. 

“Their support will enable us to continue growing as an association and it will benefit our members as we seek to promote best practice for individuals and organisations within the industry. 

“Dubai is one of the leading business event destinations in the world so we look forward to working with them to benefit the industry as a whole.”

The Dubai Convention & Events Bureau’s main aim is to establish Dubai as a premier business event destination to help grow economic development, jobs and knowledge in the region. It offers free, impartial advice, guidance and support to international meeting planners.

“As sponsors of ABPCO we hope to further benefit the industry we work in as well as promote Dubai as a dynamic host city for international meetings and events,” said Maris Kuklis, senior manager of Business Events UK & Europe at Dubai Convention & Events Bureau. 

“We have been members of ABPCO for some time and now we are looking forward to taking our relationship with ABPCO one step further whilst further strengthening our position within the industry.”

At its first meeting of the year, the Expo 2022 Dubai Higher Committee heard on Wednesday that preparations are well underway for hosting one of the world’s biggest events. 

The meeting was chaired by Sheikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the chairman of Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, president of Dubai of civil aviation and chairman and chief executive of Emirates airline and group. 

The committee discussed the development and final preparation of the Expo 2020 Dubai Registration Dossier, which it is due to present to the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), the governing body of World Expos, later this year. 

The committee also heard a progress report on the Expo site and marketing and communications strategies.

 “There has been substantive progress on many fronts this year, both in the UAE and across the world,” said Reem Al Hashemi, UAE Minister of State, board representative of the Dubai Expo 2020 Higher Committee and director general, Bureau Dubai Expo 2020.

“We also plan to continue to build strong momentum throughout 2015 with a number of robust awareness engagements and collaborative initiatives that will collectively ensure we deliver an event worthy of the history of World Expos and that does justice to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the UAE.”

Expo 2020 Dubai launched a nationwide community engagement campaign earlier this month under the banner of ‘For Everyone’. 

The ‘For Everyone’ campaign, an awareness building and engaging series of public activities, will support the UAE and Expo 2020’s participation in the Expo Milano 2015, which takes place from 1 May to the end of October. 

The UAE’s country pavilion at Expo 2015 will focussing on the UAE’s efforts to address food and hunger issues while also promoting the theme of Expo 2020 Dubai, which is “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”.

The International Olympic Committee has confirmed that Toyota has joined The Olympic Partner (TOP) programme in a new “mobility” category. 

The deal will see the Japanese company supply sustainable transport solutions through to the 2024 Games. 

Toyota's global rights begin in 2017 but the company’s sponsorship rights in Japan are effective immediately. 

Toyota joins Bridgestone Group as the second Japanese headquartered multinational to sponsor the IOC since Tokyo was awarded the hosting rights to the 2020 Olympic Games in 2013.

“Long-term partnerships are the backbone of our commercial programmes and they enable the financial security of the entire Olympic Movement,” said Tsunekazu Takeda, the IOC’s Marketing Commission Chairman, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee and Vice-President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee. 

The IOC’s twelve worldwide TOP partners also include McDonalds, Coca Cola and Visa.

The value of the deal has not been disclosed but domestic Japanese media have cited a figure of US$835m (GB£565m).

The mobility partnership will focus on sustainability, the central principle of the IOC’s Agenda 2020 programme of reform. 

“It is the first time in the successful history of the TOP programme that we have had a mobility category, said IOC President Thomas Bach. 

“It is in the spirit of the Olympic Agenda 2020 not just in terms of innovation but also in terms of sustainability in mobility.

“Toyota is the world leader in its field and this partnership signifies a strong commitment to the future of the IOC and the Olympic Movement. Toyota and the IOC share the same values and we welcome Toyota Motor Corporation to the Olympic family.”

Toyota will work with the Organising Committees through to 2024 to provide sustainable mobility solutions for hosting the Olympic Games and the legacy of the host cities.

These solutions include intelligent transport systems, urban traffic systems and vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems.

Toyota will also support the Olympic movement through its global promotional reach.

South Africa is certain to bid for the Olympic Games but will not rush into it now Durban is the only bidder for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. 

Instead, the government and sports authorities are about to start a process of deciding whether it is feasible to bid for the 2024 Olympic Games so soon after Durban 2022.

“The Olympic Games will be the next thing. When? 2024? I don’t know,” said Fikile Mbalula, South Africa’s minister of sport and recreation.

“We now have the Commonwealth Games, but the fact that we will host [the Olympics] in the future and we will have an appetite is not off the radar,” he told HOST CITY at the launch of Durban’s Commonwealth Games bid in London last week.

With Edmonton pulling out of the race to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Durban is in pole position to be awarded the hosting rights on 2 September, subject to the Commonwealth Games Federation’s rigorous evaluation process. 

The deadline for submitting a bid for the 2024 Olympic Games is less than four weeks later.

Asked if there is a timeframe for announcing whether South Africa will put in a bid for the 2024 Olympic Games, Mbalula said “Not at all. Look, the question is not like thinking on our toes. 

“We know for a fact that we are here now for the Commonwealth Games and we are not like playing lotto, trying to catch everything at any time and going for the bigger prize.”

An important part of South Africa’s decision-making will be evaluating whether it would be able to provide the financial guarantees necessary to bid for the Olympic Games two years after the Commonwealth Games. 

“It might not be the case,” Mbalula said, “like we were not in the position to back Olympics three years ago and we backed off because of the challenges we faced and the fact that we hosted the World Cup. We needed a breather.”

“We don’t want to do things that we will not be in a position to handle. We can handle the Commonwealth Games now – and if we look in the next two, three, six years to come, if we can handle the Olympics then we will look at that and make a proper evaluation about it.

“But it’s not like just a knee jerk reaction, because the world wants us to host and therefore we can – it’s not about that.

“We will do it – it might not be me, there will be somebody in this government that will have that challenge of hosting the Olympics in the future. 

“And that will be most welcome. It’s a very important mega event that all nations aspire to host, globally.

“Our bigger prize now is the Commonwealth Games and we are embracing that with both hands.

“It’s now or never, and this is what we must embrace as a nation and move forward, and give opportunities to young people and those who grew up when South Africa was in total isolation.”

Any Olympic bid would be launched by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). 

“We as SASCOC and the government have not had any discussions in relation to a possible bid to host the Olympic Games. We would have to first sit down with government and look at what is feasible for the country. As yet these initial discussions have not taken place,” Mark Alexander, CEO of Durban 2022 and SASCOC board member told HOST CITY.

“Our objective at the moment is to focus on the Commonwealth Games and we totally committed to ensuring that we meet our obligations that we presented to the Commonwealth Games Federation in London.”