Atos, the Worldwide IT Partner for the Olympic Games, announced on Wednesday that it has delivered the cloud IT infrastructure that will be used for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

The system represents a significant step forward in the digitisation of the Olympic Games as it extends the use of cloud to most applications. 

“The delivery of the secure cloud, IT infrastructure to support all Olympic Games from 2018 is a major milestone in our digital transformation,” said Jean-Benoît Gauthier, Technology Director at the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“Cloud is a perfect fit for the Olympic Games and we are delighted to be working with our long-term Worldwide IT Partner on this important project that will benefit all those who participate in the Games – media, athletes and spectators.”

The new secure cloud IT infrastructure, powered by Atos’ strategic partner EMC, will be used to test and run IT applications used to distribute results to the media worldwide.

The solution will also support the core planning systems used to recruit volunteers, support workforce management, manage the competition schedule and process accreditations for athletes, media and the wider Olympic Family.

The converged infrastructure solution, which uses Atos’ Canopy Enterprise Private Cloud and VCE’s Vblock System, can support other businesses on their journey to cloud. 

The system will be first to test the competition schedule and the workforce management systems that will be used by the Pyeongchang 2018 Organising Committee from the end of 2015. 

The capacity of the cloud solution can be increased and decreased according to the demands of the different stages of event delivery. 

In September 2015, cloud capacity will increase to perform technical testing proving the solution can support the expected demand through the project, and then decrease to support the limited production needs at the early stages of the project. 

Around two years before the Games, capacity and bandwidth will be increased again to cover the high level of demand for thousands of volunteer requests as the volunteer portal goes operational.

“The move to the cloud brings many benefits for the Olympic Games. It takes away the need to rebuild an entire infrastructure for each of the Games, which is both timely and costly,” said Patrick Adiba, group chief commercial officer, CEO of major events at Atos.

“It also helps the IT team to react faster and to anticipate new needs and perhaps most importantly, it provides flexibility. As the Olympics does not need to operate at full capacity all the time, a cloud infrastructure will enable computing power to be scaled up and down to meet demand and ensure the best experience for users.”

HOST CITY 2015, which aims to become the biggest EU-based conference and exhibition for cities, cross sector event owners and event suppliers, is to take place in Glasgow on the 9th and 10th of November.

The first HOST CITY, held in London in 2014, brought world class speakers and delegates from IOC, FIFA, World Expo, MOBO, ITU (Triathlon), FIS (Skiing) and numerous cities. It was acclaimed as the optimal environment for cities and events owners to network with and learn from peers in the business of bidding for and hosting cross sector events.

HOST CITY 2015 will build on this unique dialogue between cities and rights holders of sporting, cultural and business events by creating a much larger platform.

A new platform for Cities, Event Owners and Suppliers to work together

Calls have been intensifying for a one-stop event where city representatives, destination marketers, event owners and suppliers can all meet.

HOST CITY 2015 addresses this need and Glasgow is the perfect destination for enabling the event to fulfil its ambition of becoming the largest conference and exhibition of cities and cross-sector events.

Matthew Astill, CEO of Cavendish Group, which owns HOST CITY, said: “In an increasingly competitive global market, a growing number of cities are hosting a wider range of events to attract a greater share of global trade, talent, tourism, and investment.

“HOST CITY 2015 provides the platform for cities, event owners and suppliers to work together to bid for and host the greatest range of events at any single gathering in the EU. We are especially delighted to commit to HOST CITY growing up in Glasgow over the next three to five years.”

Sir Craig Reedie, Vice President of the International Olympic Committee and keynote speaker at HOST CITY in 2014 said: “I am pleased to see that the HOST CITY 2015 will be coming to Glasgow, building a platform for the growing marketplace of cities staging many different types of events. I enjoyed speaking at the inaugural 2014 conference and I look forward to doing so again in Glasgow.” 

A top events destination

HOST CITY 2015 will take place at the University of Strathclyde’s new state-of-the-art Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC) in the heart of Glasgow. 

Scott Taylor, chief executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau said: “We are delighted that HOST CITY 2015 will be held in Glasgow. 

“Cities need a forum where they can meet the owners of all kinds of events and plan their future hosting strategies. The market for sports, cultural and business events is growing at a rapid rate and we anticipate that HOST CITY will develop into a major conference and exhibition for cities and cross-platform events.

“Glasgow is one of the world’s top 10 sporting cities with a phenomenally diverse, annual cultural calendar and we’ve been named the UK’s Best Convention Bureau for the past nine years – a reputation that we’ve built through a strategy of attracting the best international events and conferences, continued investment in state-of-the-art facilities, the launch of a dedicated Major Events Charter and a powerful city brand.”

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland, said: “We are delighted HOST CITY 2015 is set to take place in Glasgow, this November. Scotland, and indeed Glasgow has a strong track record and international reputation as the perfect stage for major events and I have no doubt this prestigious event will once again place Scotland on the map as a pre-eminent destination for major cultural, business and sporting events.”

What's it about?

The conference and exhibition will focus on how cities and rights holders can work together to bid for and host sporting, cultural and business events. These range from mega events such as the Olympic Games and World Expos to major business, scientific and cultural events. 

HOST CITY 2015 is set to include VIP speakers from event owners: IOC, CGF, FIFA, sports federations, BIE, MTV, EU Capital of Culture, Rock in Rio, major scientific congresses; city event leaders from Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Japan, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, USA and many more.

Speakers who have confirmed their intention to speak include: Dimitri Kerkentzes, Chief of Staff, Bureau International des Expositions (World Expos); Tessa Jowell, Former Secretary of State, Olympics, UK; Antonio Arimany Fernandez, Director General, International Triathlon Union; Louise Martin, Honorary Secretary, Commonwealth Games Federation; Alexander Koch, Corporate Communications Manager, FIFA.

Rights holders will announce plans for their events and share insights on bidding for and hosting their properties. Cities will share their experiences of building a portfolio of sports, business and cultural events that attract investment and benefit society. 

With a mix of panel discussions, keynote addresses and case studies focussed on mega events, transport, security, business and cultural events, HOST CITY 2015 highlights the issues and opportunities facing everyone in the business of city events.

Press coverage of HOST CITY Bid to Win 2014 included: The Telegraph, Daily Mail, O Globo, Bloomberg, Associated Press, ESPN, Fox Sports, USA Today, Huffington Post, Star Africa, Yahoo, China Sports, Indian Express, Yomiuri Shimbun, Sports Illustrated, Washington Times, Kyiv Post, La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Omnisports, MSN, beIN Sports, Eurosport, Fox Sports.

Media Partners for HOST CITY 2015 include Sportcal; SportsPro; Fcbusiness.co.uk; iSportConnect; Around The Rings and TheFootballStadiums.com.

Who Should Attend?

•City representatives, destination marketing organisations, national sports and event bureaus;

•Owners of all large-scale events and exhibitions (sports, business, science and culture);

•Suppliers of infrastructure, technology and services for events.

Cavendish Group looks forward to welcoming you to HOST CITY 2015 in Glasgow on the 9th and 10th of November, 2015.

For more information visit www.bidtowin-hostcity.net 

Book your place and discuss speaking, sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities with Ben Avison at +44 (0) 7876 682072 or ben.avison@hostcity.net

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has created a two million dollar fund that will be made available to National Olympic Committees (NOCs) for programmes focused on refugees.

“We have all been touched by the terrible news and the heartbreaking stories in the past few days. With this terrible crisis unfolding across the Middle East, Africa and Europe, sport and the Olympic Movement wanted to play its part in bringing humanitarian help to the refugees. We made a quick decision that we needed to take action and to make this fund available immediately,” IOC president Thomas Bach said on Friday. 

“We have a long term relationship with the United Nations and with the UNHCR and we draw on their help and expertise.  We know through experience that sport can ease the plight of refugees, many of them young people and children, be they in the Middle East, Africa, Europe or in other parts of the world. Our thoughts are with the many refugees risking their lives and the lives of their families to escape danger.”

The fund is made up of one million dollars directly from the IOC and a further one million from Olympic Solidarity, which is an IOC commission that organises assistance for NOCs, particularly those with the greatest needs, by redistributing broadcast rights through programmes offered to all NOCs.

NOCs and other interested parties will be asked to submit projects to the IOC for funding. 

“Because of the nature of the crisis the assessment of projects and the distribution of funds will be carried out extremely quickly,” said Bach. 

“We are able to work on the ground with our partners in the National Olympic Committees and the expert agencies to get help to where it is needed most urgently.”

The IOC already works with a number of United Nations agencies to help refugees around the world. In April 2014 the two organisations signed a historic agreement aimed at strengthening collaboration.

The IOC has been working with the UNHCR for two decades and has already seen thousands of refugees benefit from sports programmes and equipment donated by the IOC.  

Last year IOC Honorary President Jacques Rogge completed his first mission as Special Envoy of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General for Youth Refugees and Sport.

With the goal of raising awareness on the conditions of youth refugees and the impact of sport for their well-being, Rogge visited Syrian refugees currently living in the UN camp of Azraq, located in the desert 100 kilometres east of the Jordanian capital, Amman. The camp currently hosts more than 5,000 shelters housing some 18,000 refugees.

Since 2004, the IOC and UNHCR have organised a “Giving is Winning” programme.  This global solidarity campaign allows athletes, officials and sponsors of the Olympic Games, National Olympic Committees , International and National Federations, and other Olympic Movement stakeholders to donate tens of thousands of clothing items to help refugees . The campaign has already collected over 170,000 items of clothing, which have reached refugees in 23 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe.

In 2013 and 2014, the IOC, Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung and the UNHCR joined forces to distribute IOC Sports Kits to more than 180,000 internally displaced young people living in refugee camps in 20 countries throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America. 

At a conference hosted by ICSS Europe and the European Commission, international experts and leading policy-makers gathered in Brussels on Tuesday to call for sports bodies and governments to act against the trafficking of young people through sport. 

The international movement of young athletes has risen dramatically in recent years. 

“According to the United Nations, human trafficking is the third largest criminal enterprise in the world. However, trafficking of young athletes through sport, particularly football, is still a taboo in the industry,” said Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, CEO of ICSS EUROPE.

“As an international organisation working to protect sport, the ICSS is committed to protecting young athletes and raising awareness about the growing issue of child trafficking in sport. Young athletes are not commodities. They are human beings and must be treated as such.

“As a week-long initiative of the European Commission that celebrates sport and physical activity and the positive role it can play in society, the EU Week of Sport was an important platform to raise awareness of the issue and place the topic in the minds of influential decision-makers.”

 “Today also reinforces the ICSS’s commitment to safeguarding young people and I would like to encourage governments, law enforcement agencies and other experts in child protection to ensure that clear, practical and effective standards on recruitment, training, education and protection of children and young people are applied across all sports.”

The conference, which took place during the EU Week of Sport, brought together leading figures from sport, child protection and youth development and education.

“There is definitely a link between mobility of young athletes and trafficking. It is important that we put the issue of the child trafficking through sport, particularly from Africa to sports clubs in Europe, on the agenda of leading organisations in government and sport,” said Pascal Reyntjens, Chief of Mission, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) – Belgium & Luxembourg.

“Despite the clear progress made in the protection of minors and young athletes recently, further discussion between sports organisations and other bodies working in this area must take place.”

The conference also highlighted several themes underling the role of sport in education and how it can enhance economic and social development.

“Sport has the aim to bring people together. It is has the power to change the world and to unite people beyond regions, beyond colours. Sport has no borders and is universal,” said football superstar and UEFA Global Ambassador, Christian Karembeu.

“Through sport, we speak the same language. In sport, we have the same rules, the same life and have the same opportunities. Sport is also a powerful tool for integration and inclusion in wider society.

“I am very proud to be here today and have a strong interest in the topics discussed. Education through sport is very important and through it, we can have balance.”

International organisations attending the conference included: the European Commission, the Council of Europe, UNESCO, United Nations, International Labour Organisation, government organisations, UEFA and other representatives from the sport and Olympic movement, as well leading NGOs.

The investigation into corruption and misconduct in and around FIFA is expanding, with further arrests on the cards, the US and Swiss Attorney Generals handling the case indicated today. 

Speaking to press in Zurich, US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said “individuals and entities” could be set to be charged simultaneously in a new phase of investigation. 

“We tend to proceed against individuals brought under one indictment together,” she said. 

The investigation, which has so far been conducted as a coordinated effort between US and Swiss authorities, is likely to expand into other nations. 

“If some ExCo members are not living in Switzerland this could make other jurisdictions think about how they could help,” said Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber.

“We feel that we have received cooperation and collaboration from many parties... There is always the possibility that people have more information to provide,” said Lynch. 

Lauber and Lynch did not reveal the subject of new enquiries.

“I’m not going to comment on which individuals or entities will be the subject of the next round of charges… and I am not able to give you information about Mr Blatter’s travel plans,” said Lynch.  

She added that FIFA and its members face a choice between corruption and integrity as it seeks to reform. 

“FIFA are considering issues of reform and improving the sport,” she said. 

“They have a lot to consider... Individuals have a choice between the old way of corruption or moving towards integrity of the sport.” 

Eurosport has secured the broadcasting rights to Formula E in Germany, adding to its deals with seven other EU countries, while the UK rights have been awarded to ITV for the second season.

Eurosport now holds the exclusive TV and digital rights to the FIA Formula E Championship for the next two seasons in Germany, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, as well as Iceland on a non-exclusive basis.

“Following the success of the inaugural season we want to ensure audiences can continue to watch and engage with the series,” said Ali Russell, Director of Media and Strategic Partnerships. 

“This latest agreement reinforces our outreach across key target markets in Europe alongside other existing deals.”

Under the deal, all 11 rounds of the 2015-2016 FIA Formula E Championship will be televised live and free-to-air on Eurosport in Germany.

The win adds a fast-growing event property to Eurosport’s growing portfolio. 

“Motorsport is one of Eurosport’s pillars, with the channel broadcasting major events including MotoGP, FIA WTCC, Le Mans 24 Hours and the World Superbike Championship,” said Peter Hutton, Chief Executive Officer, Eurosport. 

“Securing the rights to Formula E further bolsters the channel’s portfolio with a unique brand of racing. It supports our strategy to bring must-have content to local viewers whilst reaching a wider audience.”

In the UK, Formula E has extended its live and free-to-air broadcast deal with ITV.

"We are delighted to renew our Formula E deal for next year,” said Niall Sloane, Director of Sport at ITV. 

“The sport is building significantly on a thrilling first year and we look forward to bringing this fresh, innovative and futuristic series to our viewers on ITV and ITV4."

The second Formula E season kicks off in Beijing on 24 October.

As IOC’s Coordination Commission for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games concluded on Thursday, the International Ski Federation (FIS) secretary general Sarah Lewis told HOST CITY that progress is impressive, expressing confidence that venues will be ready in time for test events in 2016. 

"The Alpine Skiing downhill course at Jeongsong and Freestyle and Snowboard cross and slopestyle courses are really starting to taking shape now and the progress with their construction over the past three months is impressive,” Sarah Lewis, FIS Secretary General told HOST CITY, speaking from PyeongChang.

“We're confident that the FIS World Cup competitions in February 2016 will prove to be an important milestone in the preparations for the Games and generate true excitement in PyeongChang and Korea when the world's best athletes are competing."

Sarah Lewis, who is also Secretary General of the Association of Winter Olympic International Federations, is to speak at HOST CITY 2015 on “The Changing Face of Sports Organisations”.

The IOC’s Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg also hailed the good progress.

“The preparations for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 are developing well. Support from all the local partners continues to be strong, with the national and regional governments both present during our meetings. We were also delighted to have with us representatives of the seven International Federations on the 2018 programme, who brought their sport-specific expertise to the discussions. 

“This was helpful for PyeongChang 2018, as it has now entered the delivery phase of preparations and is working on the detailed services for the athletes and technicians. This will be particularly important for the first sports events early next year, which include important dates on the international calendar, namely an FIS Alpine World Cup, an FIS Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard World Cup, and an IBSF/FIL pre-homologation event.”

She also stressed that PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG) must maintain its good progress as these test events loom.

“The venues continue to progress rapidly. We visited Jeongseon and the Alpensia Sliding Centre, and got a really good impression of what the athletes will experience come Games time. I am confident that they will be very pleased. 

“The competition sites remain on schedule for the Games, but the organisers need to maintain their focus, as some delivery dates are very close to the start of the test events. It is important that PyeongChang 2018 delivers these events successfully and, in particular, the first events next February, in order to create a solid basis for its planning and preparations for the Games. 

“This will also be a great opportunity for Koreans to experience elite winter sport and get engaged in the Games, as some of the world’s best athletes in those sports will be present in order to get a feeling for the 2018 Olympic venues.”

The next IOC Coordination Commission visit will be in March 2016.

PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee President Yang-ho Cho said, “It has been a very productive three days. I feel that we are moving in the right direction to stage great Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

“With the feedback and support of the Coordination Commission, we have made a number of important and critical decisions. As we move further ahead into the operational phase of the Games, I would like to thank the national and International Federations for their guidance and support. Their expertise and Games experience have been instrumental to guiding POCOG.”

As an Olympic medallist, recent developments in some sports are particularly upsetting. What saddens me most as a former athlete is that they erode the trust in the clean athlete. Clean athletes who push themselves day in day out pursuing their dreams see the finger of suspicion pointing at them. This is the very worst ‘side-effect’ of doping. 

We must do everything we can to protect these millions of clean athletes around the world. For their sake and for the credibility of sports competition, they have to be protected from doping and corrupting influences. We also have to protect the credibility of sports competition from match-fixing and manipulation. The IOC has created a specific 20-million US dollar fund for the protection of clean athletes. This comes on top of overall international investments of an estimated 500-million US dollars for around 250,000 anti-doping tests a year, among other initiatives. The IOC has a zero-tolerance policy against doping and any kind of manipulation and corruption. 

Doped athletes already face a four-year ban from any kind of sports competition for their first infringement. This means an effective ban from the next edition of the Olympic Games. As a young man, I called for life bans even for the first infringement. Unfortunately, such a sanction would not be upheld by any judicial court. But what we can do is making the anti-doping system more independent from sports organisations. In this respect, the IOC took the initiative to ask the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the international authority in the fight against drugs in sport, to consider taking over testing programmes from the international sports federations. The IOC also proposed that the Court of Arbitration of Sports (CAS), the highest judicial body for the sports world, take over all sanctioning of doped athletes. 

Zero-tolerance also means all nations and all sports have to be compliant with WADA’s rules. On this front, sport requires the support of governments. Let us not forget that governments have a 50% stake in WADA. Governments need to make sure that their national anti-doping authorities are WADA-compliant. Governments also have to ensure dealers, corrupt doctors and coaches are punished with the full force of the law. 

Protecting the clean athlete goes hand in hand with ensuring that the environment in which the athletes operate is safe from corrupting influences. To fight manipulation in sport and specifically match-fixing and illegal betting, the IOC and the International Sport Federations are already working closely with police, betting operators and regulators around the world. Recognizing the international nature of organized crime, the IOC is also engaged with Interpol to safeguard the integrity of sport. 

Fighting corruption also means that good governance for sporting organisations is essential. The IOC has put the necessary measures in place since a long time. More recently, the reforms passed in Olympic Agenda 2020 exactly one year ago, ensure internationally recognized standards of governance. As a result, all our accounts are audited at a higher international financial reporting standard (IFRS) and we are publishing everything in our annual report, as is common practise in the corporate world; we have term and age limits for all IOC Members; we have a chief ethics and compliance officer, an audit committee and an independent ethics commission. We have called on and we expect all sports organisations to follow this route. All these measures and others, which are publically available, allow the IOC to distribute over 90% of our revenue – that is $3.25 million each and every day – back to athletes and world sport. 

The recent discussions on these issues show the huge significance sport has in our society. Sport has the power to make the world a better place. If these good governance measures are adopted and the zero-tolerance policies are followed by all sport organisations, there is a very bright future for sport. As Nelson Mandela said: “Sport has the power to change the world.” Yes, these are difficult times for sport. But yes, it is also an opportunity to renew the trust in this power of sport to change the world for the better.

This opinion piece by IOC President Thomas Bach is also published on www.olympic.org

Leading figures from the world of sport governance and major event ownership convened in Glasgow on Monday and Tuesday for the HOST CITY 2015 Exhibition and Conference.

Under this year’s theme of “Creative Innovation Connecting Sports, Business and Cultural Events”, Host City is the foremost EU-based meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events.

Heading up a list of world-class speakers, Sir Craig Reedie CBE, Vice President, International Olympic Committee (IOC), called for host cities of major sporting events to take their lead from the IOC’s Agenda 2020 reform, which has recently seen the Olympic organisation implement a process of positive change.

In his opening keynote address on creative innovation, Sir Craig Reedie CBE said: “The real innovation [of the Agenda 2020 bid process] is what we choose to call the invitation phase. The aim of this phase is to provide an ongoing dialogue with targeted information tailored to meet the city’s specific needs and their own long-term development plans. 

“Cities are assisted to better shape their value propositions, discussing proposals and potential solutions that deliver excellent gains without compromising the field of play for the athletes but also meeting the needs of the city and the region to ensure the Games leave a positive, long-term and sustainable legacy.

David Grevemberg CBE, Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation and head of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, continued this theme on a panel that explored how events and cities can innovate to thrive, by explaining how fresh approaches can enable cities to activate their brands, economy and society.

“What we tried to do [with the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games] was to make sure that every milestone we achieved resonated with accessibility and inclusivity for all,” said Grevemberg.

“That was a narrative that the entire partnership subscribed to and held each other accountable to. That approach was innovative in terms of its responsibility.

“The model we created, certainly for the city of Glasgow, will endure for some time - the innovation of creating a legacy conscious model and approach to delivering major events for a greater cause. How do we promote a more peaceful environment, how do we drive a more sustainable approach within cities and how do we help them prosper. If we can drive these things then we can stay relevant as a Federation and as an event.”

The conference also heard from the European Commission’s Head of Culture Karel Bartak, who provided cities bidding for the European Capital of Culture programme with an invaluable briefing, the organisers of some of Europe’s biggest business conventions including EuroScience and Jaarbeurs, and several city representatives.

Also speaking on day one on the topic of the changing face of sports organisations were influential heads of International Federations including  Brian Cookson, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI),   Sarah Lewis, Secretary General of the International Skiing Federation (FIS) and the Association of International Winter Sports Federations and Louise Martin CBE, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation and Chair of sportscotland

Brian Cookson, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), said “The practicalities of Agenda 2020 have hit us quite hard, as a sport we’ve been asked to accept some pretty radical changes for Tokyo 2020 for instance, perhaps more radical than any other sport, and that includes looking at moving our venues quite some distance from Tokyo. That’s a work in progress; we’re quite close to a solution on that.

“But I think if anything Agenda 2020 didn’t go far enough – I think we have to keep adapting to change. Change isn’t something that you do once and forget about it, you have to keep adapting, keep evolving and if you don’t, like the dinosaurs, you become extinct and we don’t want to do that.”

Delegates were also provided with an update on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games from Hidetoshi Fujisawa, Executive Director of Communication and Engagement, Tokyo 2020.

“It’s been a little more than two years since Tokyo was elected and the enthusiasm and passion for the games remains as clear as ever,” said Fujisawa. “The Tokyo 2020 organising committee has not wasted a second in preparing the delivery of the Games.

“Tokyo 2020’s vision is clear. We believe sport has the power to change the world and our future. The Tokyo 1964 Games completely transformed Japan and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, as the most innovative in history, will bring positive reform to the world by building on three core concepts: achieving personal best, unity in diversity and connecting to tomorrow.”

Additional Host City 2015 conference highlights included a panel session on how events, brands and media organisations use creative marketing to maximise consumer engagement – featuring notable speakers including Simon Clegg CBE, former COO, Baku 2015 European Games and Ali Russell, Director of Media and Strategic Partnerships, Formula E.

Day one of the conference concluded with a panel debate on how to build public support as cities bid for and host major international events. The discussion was led by key voices in international sport, including Alexander Koch, Corporate Communications Manager for FIFA and Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, Visit Scotland.

Paul Bush, OBE, who was involved in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, called into question the decision to rely on referendums to gauge public support:

“I’m not a great fan of public votes around major events, I often think they can get hijacked politically so you have to be quite cautionary about how you engage with the public.

“I do think you have to engage, we did some interesting awareness polls around the 2014 [Commonwealth] Games but in terms of actually having referendums, I’m talking about the Boston [2024] situation or the Hamburg [2024] situation, I think you’ve got to be really careful because you won’t always get the result that you’re looking for.” 

Host City 2015 is the leading EU-based meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events. Under the theme of “Creative Innovation Connecting Cities with Sports, Business and Culture Events” the conference attracted more than 200 of the world’s leading cities, rights holders and suppliers.

For further information on the panel sessions and other top class speakers for Host City 2015, please visit: http://www.bidtowin-hostcity.net

All the Host City 2015 conference keynote addresses and plenary session content be streamed at http://www.bidtowin-hostcity.net/conference-content/audio - provided by sound-sharing platform audioBoom.

The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday adopted a declaration on good governance in sport in response to growing concerns of sports organisations. 

In the declaration, the IOC singled out criminal investigations into FIFA as an area of particular concern that “could affect all sport organisations” for up to five years. 

In a statement, the IOC said the Executive Board welcomed the FIFA Executive Committee’s proposals for major reforms, which include term limits. 

However, the IOC said its Executive Board “remains concerned with regard to the ongoing criminal procedures in the United States and Switzerland, which according to these authorities could last for another five years. 

“Since this could continue to overshadow the credibility of FIFA and affect all sport organisations for such a long time, the IOC EB encourages FIFA to take all necessary measures to clarify and resolve all the pending issues as soon as possible by further engaging with the relevant authorities.”

At a meeting in Lausanne, the IOC Executive Board addressed requests from “a number of sports organisations which feel affected by incidents in some sports organisations and are concerned their reputation is being tarnished by generalisation."

The IOC declaration proposes a number of measures to develop good governance in sport. “Recent incidents have shown that, in the interest of the credibility of all sports organisations immediate action to reinforce good governance is necessary,” the IOC statetment said. 

According to the declaration, the basic principles of good governance, including transparent and democratic decision making processes, financial reporting and auditing according to international standards, publication of financial reports and ethics and compliance rules, etc. will be applied during 2016.

The IOC will initiate an independent audit system of its major subventions to IFs, NOCs and Organising Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs) with regard to the financial as well as the good governance aspects. With regard to all other activities of IFs, NOCs and OCOGs, Recommendation 27 of Olympic Agenda 2020 should be applied as from 2016. The IOC, recognising the independence and autonomy of the IFs, appreciates their support for this initiative as expressed in the IOC EB meeting and by setting up a working group on sports governance by the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF).

The IOC has also has asked the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne and its Global Board Centre to undertake research into good governance at the IOC itself. A first assessment by IMD was presented to the Executive Board.

The IOC Executive Board also confirmed its zero tolerance policy toward doping, expressing support for the authority and autonomy of WADA while putting forward a number of proposals to the WADA working group. 

These include establishing an independent testing and results management entity, under the leadership of WADA. “Sports organisations should transfer their doping control operations to this new organisation and make the funding available initially at the level of the present investment in the fight against doping. This organisation should also co-ordinate the work of the national anti-doping agencies to ensure a streamlined, efficient and worldwide harmonised anti-doping system. Governments, which are 50 per cent partners of WADA, should support this reform alongside the sports movement, both logistically and financially,” the IOC said.

This entity should include a “professional intelligence gathering unit” to “address issues that may affect the compliance of anti-doping organisations and anti-doping laboratories accredited by WADA, at the earliest possible stage. This would help to make all such institutions compliant at all times and in such a way as to protect the clean athletes worldwide to the same level.”

The IOC declaration also determined that sanctions should be pronounced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a centralised way, which would make the system cost-efficient and lead to harmonisation among all sports and all countries. The current right to appeal such sanctions to a different chamber of the CAS would be fully upheld and guaranteed, the IOC said.

The IOC is aiming to have an independent anti-doping system in place from the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.