[Source: IOC] An IOC member since 2020, Mrs Grabar-Kitarović is a former President of the Republic of Croatia. She will lead the Commission with immediate effect. The previous Chair, Kristin Kloster Aasen, stood down following her election to the Executive Board (EB), because no EB member can serve on the Future Host Commissions (for the Games of the Olympiad and the Olympic Winter Games), to ensure the broader participation of the IOC Session in the selection procedure. 

The new approach to electing Olympic hosts is more flexible and collaborative, with the IOC working with potential hosts to optimise their Olympic projects and align them with long-term social and economic development plans for the benefit of their communities. As a result, there is unprecedented interest from numerous parties on different continents in hosting future Olympic and Paralympic Games.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The Future Host Commissions have an important role in shaping the future of the Olympic Movement.

“Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović will bring rich and diverse skills and experience, including at the very highest levels of government and international relations. As a member of the same Commission, she has already contributed to the successful delivery of the first election under the new approach to choosing Olympic and Paralympic hosts, with the selection of Brisbane 2032,” he added.

Mrs Grabar-Kitarović said: “I am grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with potential hosts on Olympic projects, which will help them to achieve their long-term goals for development, public health, sports participation and inclusion.

“I would like to continue to build on the great work begun under Kristin’s leadership. It is an exciting chance to develop innovative ways to steer the Olympic Games into the future and explore the challenges facing upcoming hosts, such as climate change.”

The vacant position on the Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad has been filled by the IOC member and President of World Triathlon, Marisol Casado.

[Source: Interkultur] This year, the biggest singing event in the world is coming to Flanders. Starting on October 30, more than 300 choirs from all corners of the world will take part in the 11th edition of the World Choir Games for a week. On September 15, the President of INTERKULTUR Günter Titsch and the Director of the World Choir Games 2021 Flanders Koenraad De Meulder officially kicked off both the campaign and ticket sale for the singing festival at the Handelsbeurs in Antwerp. Flemish Minister of Culture Jan Jambon, Flemish Minister of Tourism Zuhal Demir and the Mayor of Antwerp Bart De Wever were also present.

Every two years since 2000, INTERKULTUR has organized the World Choir Games, the so-called "Olympic Games for choirs". This 11th edition, Antwerp and Ghent are the host cities. From 30 October to 7 November they will be the scene of the world's largest singing festival. In doing so, they are following in the footsteps of cities such as Bremen, Cincinnati and Sochi. The organization expects more than 300 choirs to participate both live and digitally.

During this musical week there will be many events in and around the two Flemish host cities. Not only competitions, but also ceremonies, gala concerts and workshops. Ticket sales start today. The Friendship Concerts are free of charge. Given the current pandemic, which has already postponed the Choir Games by a year, unfortunately not all choirs can physically attend. The organization of the singing festival therefore developed a unique digital platform. This gives choirs the opportunity to contribute to the unique, cohesive atmosphere of the World Choir Games from their home countries.

Digital, social and fun

For the first time, the World Choir Games will be a hybrid event. "We are proud to present our innovative digital platform 'The Virtual Village' today. The unique concept offers the choirs, who in the current context cannot travel to Flanders, the chance to compete for eternal glory in the Virtual Games," says Sophie Detremmerie, COO of the World Choir Games 2021 Flanders. "But also the visitors will be able to enjoy the unique atmosphere of this event via the daily live streams in the digital Music Hall at home." The versatility of the Virtual Village is enormous.

"There is something for everyone," Sophie Detremmerie continues. "The host cities have worked out tourist content in 2D and 3D for the international singers in the digital Tourist Office, unique blogs and vlogs will appear, choirs can meet colleagues from all over the world in a virtual café, ..." Moreover, through a unique collaboration, the choirs will also be seen in more than 30 Flemish residential care centers. This way, the residents can attend the concerts in a safe way.

The Choral Flame brings light through Flanders

By analogy with the Olympic flame, the World Choir Games have a Choral Flame. It was handed over to Flanders in Tshwane (South Africa), the previous host city. On September 15, it was re-lit and began a five-week relay trip to numerous Flemish cities. The Choral Flame is a symbol of the warmth that singing together spreads in society. You can also follow the Koorvlam in the Virtual Village. The effect of the flame reaches further. Special efforts were made to involve disadvantaged groups in the Studio Koorvlam event. For example, a caravan travels through Flanders stopping at people with dementia, with physical disabilities, people in poverty and at an interfaith singing group. 

Flemish cultural heritage

Flanders was not randomly chosen as host region. Singing is an important element of our culture. Today Flanders has more than 1,000 choirs and 35,000 singers. No less than 1 in 3 Flemings are directly or indirectly involved in an amateur arts organization such as a choir. This puts us at the top of the lists worldwide in terms of cultural participation. Flemish Minister-President and Minister of Culture, Jan Jambon: "Flanders has a rich tradition in the field of vocal culture. We are therefore very proud to be able to organize the World Choir Games this year. The Games allow the many participating Flemish choirs to meet their international colleagues in a creative and inspiring way. Moreover, in this way Flanders gets the chance to show itself from its best side with our heritage and our gastronomy."

Meeting point for the international World Choir Council

In addition to the numerous concerts and virtual meetings, the General Conference of the World Choir Council marks also an important part of the World Choir Games. "It is a fantastic sign that we can also hold the General Conference of our most important advisory body in Flanders – live and virtually! More than 120 representatives from over 90 countries and regions are invited to come together to discuss current developments in the international choral scene and to exchange practical experience. Thus, as ambassadors, they will bring confidence to the choirs in their home countries, motivate them and make the stages of the world resound again soon", says Günter Titsch, President of INTERKULTUR, the World Choir Games & World Choir Council.

Tickets for the competitions, workshops, ceremonies Main Ceremonies and Celebration Concerts will be on sale starting September 15 through the World Choir Games website, www.wcg2021.be. The Virtual Village is accessible free of charge beginning September 15, at www.virtualvillage.be.

The World Choir Games are an international choir event of INTERKULTUR. The WCG 2021 are organized in Flanders on the initiative of EventFlanders - a partnership of Tourism Flanders, the Department of Culture, Youth and Media and the Department of Foreign Affairs - the cities of Antwerp and Ghent and Koor&Stem vzw. www.wcg2021.be.

[Source: Interkultur] Three regional meetings of the World Choir Council took place on August 25 and 26, 2021, where its members came together online to discuss current topics from the international choral scene.

The Regional Meetings were organized as a hybrid event for the first time. More than 100 participants from all over the world in total attended the meetings, including members of the World Choir Council and invited guests. The three conferences happened online with several additional events taking place at the same time in the City of Chengdu, China.

Hoping that this pilot project will lead to many other editions in the future, Mr. Günter Titsch, President of INTERKULTUR & World Choir Council said:

“The ’International Music Capital’ Chengdu played an elementary role, as a large part of the World Choir Council events took place live there. Participants from all over the world were digitally connected to the choral music workshops, master classes and a special symposium. The conference brought us a big step closer to our common goal of seeing choirs live on the stages of the world again. Special thanks to the City of Chengdu and the Chengdu Musical Fun Management Committee for the opportunity and to the China Chorus Association as well as "Chorus China" of Chinese Musicians Association for the opportunity”,

The focus of the regional meetings in August 2021 was mainly on mutual exchange and discussion rounds to hear the manifold voices and opinions of all World Choir Council Members. New ideas were born together and the participants learned from the broad expertise represented in the World Choir Council.

The topics of the three regional meetings varied for the different regions with the meeting for Asia-Pacific, Middle East and China focusing mainly on the role of choral music in boys’ education and on problems and challenges especially composers and arrangers are facing during the pandemic.

In the regional meetings with council members from North, Central and South America questions of Environmental Sustainability were discussed and the participants tried to find solutions on how to use their voices for a positive change. Also, they tried to find answers to the question on how children and youth choirs can be encouraged to sing again.

The last of the three regional meetings took place on August 26 with members from Europe and Africa. They addressed one of the biggest challenges of our times, namely to affect positive change in communities or countries where different ideologies are at odds within the population, and exchanged ideas around the use of choirs and choral singing as a vehicle to reach this goal. Further they discussed the different learnings from the Covid pandemic: What lessons can be learnt from the past 1.5 years and which rehearsal methods will live on?

All members of the World Choir Council who participated in the meeting were happy about the possibility of exchange with other choir experts, especially with regard to cultural differences, different measures and approaches in relation to the pandemic and the work with choir singers.

First Vice President of INTERKULTUR & World Choir Council, Ms Qin Wang was pleased about the wonderful opportunity to come together with the World Choir Council live and virtually through this pilot project:

“In the pandemic, our goal is to unite together, support each other and to help and motivate our choirs to return to the stage as soon as possible. Our hybrid event was a great start to reach this goal and I'm sure we will continue on this path in our future global and regional projects."

INTERKULTUR & World Choir Council hopes to continue the exchange in the future and to use the results to tailor future projects even better to the needs of the choral scene. For this purpose there will be an additional survey.

The next General Conference of the World Choir Council which traditionally gathers all council members at one place, is already being planned to take place on November 3, 2021 in Flanders, Belgium during the 11th World Choir Games.

For more information on Interkultur visit www.interkultur.com – and to find out how and why to host the European Choir Games visit https://worldofchoirs.com/ecg/

[Source: Birmingham 2022] Aggreko, the global leader in mobile and modular energy solutions, has been named the Official Modular Energy Solutions Supporter for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The Games will see athletes compete in 19 sports at 14 locations, including the brand-new Aquatics Centre in Sandwell, all powered by Aggreko’s innovative temporary power solutions.

Aggreko will be applying relevant experience from previous international sporting events, including 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Recognised for its values-led approach to business operations, Aggreko’s appointment demonstrates its commitment to meeting the Birmingham 2022 Social Values Charter, which puts community at the heart of the Games.

Aggreko will be providing a modular energy solution that has sustainability and legacy at its core, with the launch of a number of community projects aimed to educate and leave a long-lasting legacy of the Games, improving opportunities and skills for those living and working in the area.

This support includes running educational events on sustainability, enhancing understanding of sustainable technology and the energy transition, as well as nurturing STEM skills in local schools and not for profit organisations. These events will run before, during and after the Games, with the first set offering local school children the chance of winning Birmingham 2022 tickets to attend the biggest sporting and culture event to happen in the UK for a decade.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see around 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete from 28 July until 8 August 2022. As the biggest event ever to be held in the West Midlands, it is expected to attract more than one million spectators to the city and have a global TV audience of 1.5 billion.

Robert Wells, Managing Director of Event Solutions at Aggreko said: “On behalf of everyone at Aggreko, we are delighted to be partnering with Birmingham 2022, and look forward to helping to deliver a truly outstanding Games, embracing the key objectives, within the Games-Social Values Charter, as well as delivering world class energy solutions.

“Not only will we deliver reliable, efficient and renewable temporary power solutions, but we will also help educate the wider community on the energy transition and the skills and technology needed for this to succeed, helping us all to understand and become excited about the new horizons for sustainability.”

James Eade, Head of Energy at Birmingham 2022, said: “We are delighted to have Aggreko on board as they join us as our Official Modular Energy Solutions Supporter for Birmingham 2022. Aggreko are well-known for their experience in temporary power solutions and they have an enviable pedigree when it comes to multi-games events; they are the ideal partner to help deliver a safe and sustainable Games.

In selecting a delivery partner, we saw that Aggreko’s low-carbon corporate roadmap dovetails neatly with our pioneering zero-carbon games initiative. We are looking forward to using some of Aggreko’s new power generation and storage technologies as well as developing innovative approaches to powering the Games, whilst still maintaining the highest levels of reliability.

“In addition to their work on competition venues, Aggreko are committed to working with us on our community engagement activities, in particular focusing on nurturing Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills within the local community. It is really important that we use exciting and engaging opportunities such as the Games to foster new talent in STEM subjects for the future benefit of our environment and well-being.”

Commonwealth Games Federation Executive Director Martin Reynolds said: “Having supported the previous two Commonwealth Games at Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018, we are delighted that Aggreko’s commitment and expertise will once again power world-class competition at Birmingham 2022. We are proud that the Commonwealth Sport brand continues to attract world leading organisations like Aggreko who share our vision.”

[Source: Commonwealth Games Federation] The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) are delighted to announce that Katie Sadleir has been appointed as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

The New Zealander will take up the position from her current role at World Rugby, where she is the General Manager of Women’s Rugby. 

A Commonwealth Games medallist and an Olympian, Katie has a wealth of experience as both an athlete and sports administrator.

Born in Scotland and raised in Canada, Katie made New Zealand her home and represented her adopted country at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games in synchronised swimming, before competing at the Edinburgh 1986 Commonwealth Games two years later where she won the bronze medal in the women's solo. She also served as the Assistant Chef de Mission New Zealand at the Victoria 1994 Commonwealth Games and has attended six editions of the multi-sport competition in various capacities. 

Katie led the establishment of the New Zealand Academy of Sport network in the late 1990s before becoming General Manager of Sport and Recreation New Zealand (now Sport New Zealand) from 2000-2006.

She has held directorships with both Sport New Zealand and High-Performance Sport New Zealand while she has been a director with the International Association of Elite Sport Training Centres, a board member of the New Zealand Swimming Federation and a member of the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) Athletes’ Commission.

Katie has been General Manager of Women’s Rugby at World Rugby since 2016, where she has been responsible for spearheading the global development of the women's game.

Amongst a number of key achievements at World Rugby, Katie successfully developed and implemented the transformational 2017-25 women’s strategic plan to promote, grow and commercialise the women’s game.

She will formally take up the CGF CEO position in November 2021.

CGF President Dame Louise Martin said: “Following an extensive global search, the CGF are excited to be welcoming Katie Sadleir as our new Chief Executive Officer.

“As a former athlete and experienced administrator across multiple sports, Katie was the outstanding candidate for the position in what was a high-quality field. 

“She will play a leading role in driving the future strategic direction of our organisation through Birmingham 2022 and beyond. 

“We look forward to Katie joining us later in the year.”

New CGF CEO Katie Sadleir said: “I am delighted to be taking up the CGF Chief Executive Officer role at what is very exciting time for the Commonwealth Sport Movement.

“With Birmingham 2022 fast approaching and the Games nearing its centenary in 2030, there is a fantastic opportunity to enhance our global sporting movement as one that is fully focused on community legacy, benefit and impact through sport. 

“I look forward to working with my new colleagues at the CGF, CGF Partnerships and Commonwealth Sport Foundation.

“I am also excited to closely collaborate with our Commonwealth Games Associations, International Federations, Games Organising Committees, Host City Partners and Commonwealth institutions to help achieve our collective goals.” 

World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin said: “World Rugby would like to wish Katie every success in her exciting appointment as Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, a close partner of rugby. Katie leaves an impressive lasting legacy having successfully devised a transformational strategy to normalise, promote, grow and commercialise the women’s game. 

“As we approach the halfway mark of the women’s strategic plan, a solid platform is in place for the sport to continue to press on and make impactful change that will continue to accelerate the development of women’s rugby and women in rugby globally, cementing its place as a leader in this priority area.

“Katie, supported by all our unions and regions, has created an unstoppable movement and momentum that the rugby family will continue to harness and push forward to ensure the phenomenal advancement of women’s rugby and women in rugby continues to flourish.”

The recruitment process for the CGF CEO process was supported by leading global executive search and talent consulting firm SRI.

[Source: SportAccord] The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 is set to benefit from outstanding media coverage, with a series of Russia’s top media organisations having committed to Partnerships for the event in Ekaterinburg.

More than 50 members of the Russian media have already been accredited to attend next year’s edition of sport’s most important global gathering, from 15-20 May 2022 at the IEC Ekaterinburg-Expo.

Russia Today will serve as one of SportAccord 2022’s Principal Media Partners, while RIA Novosti Sport, Sports Business Consulting (S-BC) and TASS Russian News Agency will be Media Partners in Ekaterinburg. The leading Russian media organisations will provide in-depth coverage before, during and after the event.

“Russia’s most recognised media groups will help to shine a spotlight on SportAccord 2022,” said John Hewitt, Event Operations Manager, Communications, SportAccord. “Their coverage will play a vital role in taking the essential insights, news and messages from the gathering in Ekaterinburg to an audience across Russia and beyond. There has been significant interest in next year’s edition from media organisations based in Russia and internationally.”

Alexey Galanov, Media Manager of the SportAccord 2022 Organising Committee said: “The involvement of Russia’s leading media groups illustrates the importance of this event for the host city, region and country. The standing and reach of these organisations in Russia and beyond are unparalleled and will enable us to further engage with key decision-makers on a global basis.”

The role of the media, and how International Sport Federations (IFs) can work positively in partnership with media organisations, will be explored in detail during MediaAccord, which will take place during SportAccord on Thursday, 19 May 2022. In addition, MediaAccord will also feature an inside look into the Russian media landscape.

As the only global sports industry event attended by all IFs and their stakeholders, SportAccord brings together organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, as well as top-level experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

Registration is open for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg, the 19th edition of SportAccord’s flagship annual event. Organisations interested in becoming an official partner or exhibitor can contact SportAccord to discuss these investment opportunities by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport, with SportAccord also offering an interactive exhibition floorplan and 3-D flyover of the SportAccord 2022 exhibition space.

You can follow SportAccord’s portfolio of events via Twitter @sportaccord or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, VK, and Instagram.

SportAccord in full coordination and agreement with the Russian Federation has announced that the World Sport & Business Summit in Ekaterinburg has been rescheduled to 15-20 May 2022.

The next edition of sport’s most important global gathering has been rescheduled to its traditional spot in the sport event calendar to maximise participation from the international sporting community, with expectations that travel restrictions worldwide will have eased significantly by then.

“The Russian Federation will host a momentous edition of SportAccord in Ekaterinburg, so it is important that as many friends and colleagues as possible can gather in person from across the sporting world,” SportAccord President Dr. Raffaele Chiulli said.

“The safety and wellbeing of our delegates has always been our top priority, and the measures developed by the Organising Committee in Ekaterinburg will still be as relevant and applicable when SportAccord takes place next year.

“However, with further vaccination roll-outs over the coming months, we are confident that global travel restrictions will have been relaxed by then to enable as many delegates as possible to travel to Ekaterinburg, ensuring the ultimate success of the event for the Russian Federation and SportAccord.”

The event has already attracted significant interest from the global sports movement, with the host destination providing a bridge between Europe in the West and Asia in the East. The IEC Ekaterinburg-Expo is an outstanding venue, providing numerous meeting and conference rooms within easy reach of the main hub of SportAccord, the exhibition floor.

Individuals and organisations who have delegate passes for SportAccord in Ekaterinburg will be contacted in due course about their options.

The annual World Sport & Business Summit is a six-day event attended by leaders of the global sports community. As the only global sports industry event attended by all International Sport Federations and their stakeholders, SportAccord also brings together organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, as well as top-level experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

[Source: IOC] Tokyo 2020 will be broadcast globally to a potential audience of over 5 billion people, with more coverage by broadcast partners than any previous Olympic Games across both linear TV and digital:

• In Japan, TV coverage of Tokyo 2020 is expected to be around double that of Rio 2016.
• In the USA, NBCUniversal will air more than 7,000 hours of coverage across TV and digital platforms – a US Olympic record.
• Across Europe, Discovery Eurosport will air up to 4,000 hours of coverage on its TV and digital platform. This unprecedented level of content will be available in 48 territories.

The IOC and Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), working with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and Olympic broadcast partners (RHBs), have also created a suite of digital tools as part of the “Share the Passion” project. It will allow athletes to engage with friends and family in the venues and allow fans all over the world to be actively involved in supporting their sporting heroes.

• Fan Video Matrix: Allows fans to be a genuine part of the Games experience by sharing their reactions to the sporting action in five-second video selfies, which will be displayed as a video matrix inside the venue.
• Cheer Map: A virtual “cheer” button will be embedded on several broadcasters’ digital platforms. Fans can watch the broadcast feed of an Olympic event and virtually clap or cheer by clicking the button. The system collects all the cheers and renders a global map of “cheer activity”. The map is sent as a video stream to broadcasters and showcased on venue video boards. 
• Athlete Moment – Family & Friends: At selected venues, Olympians will be able to interact live, straight after their competition with their family and friends back home through dedicated “Athlete Moment” stations.

“Our ambition is to bring the magic of the athletes’ achievements to the world on an unprecedented scale. Technology is going to play a critical role and allow us to bring fans ‘inside the venue’ virtually. This is an important ambition, not just for the fans, but also for the athletes as they compete on the world’s biggest stage. The IOC and OBS have been able to benefit from the great partnerships we have with the world’s leading media companies and sponsors and with Tokyo 2020. We also believe these new digital innovations will leave a legacy which we will build on at future editions of the Olympic Games,” says OBS CEO Yiannis Exarchos.

For Tokyo 2020, OBS will again push the boundaries of Olympic broadcasting by producing more than 9,000 hours content, 30 per cent more content than for Rio in 2016, in more formats, to assist the world’s broadcasters in bringing the Games to the world. The full live coverage will, for the first time in Olympic history, be in Ultra High Definition (4K) HDR with Immersive Audio (5.1.4). Audiences around the world will be introduced to never-seen-before camera angles, 360-degree replays, multi-camera live Virtual Reality (VR) coverage and more analytical data processed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) than at any previous Olympic Games, including:

• Intel’s True View cameras, which offer, for the first time, immersive replays for all basketball matches. True View builds three-dimensional, 360° video through an array of cameras installed high in a stadium or arena.
• 3D athlete-tracking technology developed in collaboration with Worldwide TOP Partners Intel and Alibaba. This first-of-its-kind broadcast enhancement technology uses AI and computer vision to enhance the viewing experience with near real-time insights and overlay visualisations during the athletics sprint events (100m, 200m, 400m and 4x100m relay, as well as decathlon/heptathlon). Viewers will be able to understand at what exact moment each sprinter reaches their peak speed and analyse the different phases of the race in detail through a full set of race statistics.
• In another breakthrough, the coverage of the archery competition will provide biometric data from miniature sensors worn by the archers. The monitor’s receptors will detect the heart rate and transmit the data wirelessly to generate the on-screen television graphics. Audiences will be able to witness the heartbeat variations and adrenaline rush experienced by the archers as they shoot their arrow.

In addition, the IOC has developed additional ways to enhance the way worldwide audiences will experience the Olympic Games, including:

• olympics.com – launched by the IOC in May 2021, the new platform provides a single, people-centric digital presence that utilises Olympic digital and social media channels to drive engagement and deliver content and communications. Offering a comprehensive source for Olympic information, news and original content, olympics.com creates one destination for all Olympic online properties – including the Olympic Channel, Tokyo 2020 and all future Games – allowing for improved, streamlined digital engagement during and between each Games.
• The Tokyo 2020 FanZone – an interactive gamification experience on olympics.com and the official Tokyo 2020 website and mobile app that will engage and unite fans around the world leading up to and throughout the Olympic Games:
  • Pre-Games: Fan can take part in regular trivia competitions to win prizes or enjoy thrilling sporting action from past Olympic Games via Magic Moments and vote on their favourite highlights.
  • During the Games, the Fantasy Challenge will allow fans to create a team by selecting their 10 favourite athletes from individual sports. Fans can start a league with friends or join an existing one to compete against other teams.
  • And in the Bracket Challenge, fans can attempt to select the winning bracket in each team sport while competing with friends and other fans around the world. 
• To celebrate the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the IOC, in partnership with Worldwide Olympic Partner Airbnb and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), will give people the chance to experience the Games like they’ve never done before, with a new collection of Olympian and Paralympian Online Experiences on Airbnb. Under the banner of “Tokyo Together”, the Olympian and Paralympian Online Experiences will bring the magic of the Games to the homes of fans around the world, from watching and commenting on the Games live with Olympians, to experiencing behind-the-scenes action live from Tokyo.
• In addition, Coca-Cola’s PLAYNATION hub provides group experiences and games that can be played anywhere, whether through the Virtual Torch Relay, or gamification experiences. Coca-Cola will offer exclusive video content through unlockable rewards based on user engagement across the platform released throughout the Games. 
• Samsung will continue its legacy of supporting athletes by providing them with exclusive Galaxy S21 5G Tokyo 2020 Athlete Phones to help maintain real-time connections, keep up with information, and capture and share memories of the Games with their friends and family back home.

Worldwide Olympic Partner Intel will stage the Intel World Open esports tournament, ahead of the Olympic Games, engaging fans around the world.

Yiannis Exarchos spoke about the changing media landscape at Host City Americas on 29-30 June. Register to watch for free here. 

Host City 2021, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, takes place at the Technology & Innovation Centre in Glasgow, Scotland and Online on 7-8 December under the theme of “Refresh, Regenerate, Reconnect”.

The conference tackles a wide range of pressing issues facing the industry: the return of live audiences; diversity and integrity in leadership; transformational models of event hosting; public versus private governance; digital transformation; esports and localisation.

The agenda has been developed with the input of the new Host City Advisory Board, namely: Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, VisitScotland; Sir Craig Reedie GBE, Member, International Olympic Committee; Billy Garrett, Director of Sport and Events, Glasgow Life; Sarah Lewis OBE OLY; Brian Lewis, President, Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee; Aileen Crawford, Head of Conventions, Glasgow Convention Bureau; Dave Gordon OBE, Head of Host Broadcast, Birmingham 2022; David Grevemberg CBE, Chief Innovation and Partnerships Officer, Centre for Sport & Human Rights; John Langford, Chief Operating Officer, AEG Europe; Paul J. Foster, CEO, Global Esports Federation and David de Behr, Head of Sales Aggreko Event Services, many of whom are speaking.

Other speakers set to join include: Etienne Thobois, CEO, Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games; Kristin Kloster Aasen, Chair of the Future Hosts Commission (Summer) and Member, International Olympic Committee; Dr. Bridget McConnell CBE, Chief Executive, Glasgow Life; Trudy Lindblade, Chief Executive Officer, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships; Clare Briegal, Chief Executive Officer, International Netball Federation; Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark; Jason Ferguson, Chairman, World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association; Tim Briercliffe, Secretary General, AIPH - International Association of Horticultural Producers and many more to be announced.

Host City 2021 takes place with the support of: EventScotland, Glasgow Life and Glasgow Convention Bureau; Headline Sponsor Aggreko; Gold Sponsor Sport Event Denmark; Silver Sponsors AIPH – International Association of Horticultural Producers and DB Schenker; and Strategic Partner Global Esports Federation.

Sponsorship: adam.soroka@cavendishgroup.co.uk

Enquiries: ben.avison@hostcity.com

For more information visit www.hostcity.com

The hosts and organisers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have banned audiences from venues.

The decision followed an announcement of a state of emergency in Tokyo by the Government of Japan until 22 August, amid a surge in cases of the highly contagious Delta variant of Covid-19.

The Olympic Games take place from July 23 to August 8.

In a joint statement, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) and the Government of Japan (GoJ) said: “The state of emergency in Tokyo is being implemented as a measure aimed at suppressing the flow of people in order to prevent the spread of infection now, because the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases remains high and the number of people infected with variant COVID-19 strains in Tokyo is increasing.

“In response to the state of emergency, stricter measures with regard to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 have also been decided by the three Japanese parties. No spectators will be allowed into any venues in Tokyo during the Olympic Games. Under this policy, in areas where emergency measures are not in force, local government authorities will meet and decide specific measures in consultation with the local governors based on the situation in each area.”

The dramatic move follows a meeting of these five parties on 21 June 2021, the conclusions of which included: “In the event that a state of emergency or other priority measures aimed at preventing infection are implemented at any time after 12 July 2021, restrictions on spectator numbers at the Games, including non-spectator competitions, will be based on the content of the state of emergency or other relevant measures in force at that time.”

The hosts’ and organisers’ decision to exclude fans from venues is backed by the rights holders, the IOC and IPC. “The IOC and the IPC were informed by the Japanese side about the impact of this announcement on the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 and supported the policies that were presented by the Japanese parties,” the joint statement said.

“The IOC and IPC, respecting this decision, support it in the interest of safe and secure Games for everybody.

“At the same time, all five parties deeply regret for the athletes and for the spectators that this measure had to be put in place for the reasons outlined above.”

The Tokyo 2020 organising committee had originally been planning on generating US$800 million from ticketing revenues.

Although people won't be watching in the venues, Tokyo 2020 is set to reach a bigger audience than ever through a greatly enhanced digital reach. 

Anxiety and opposition

Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto said: "It is regrettable that we are delivering the Games in a very limited format, facing the spread of coronavirus infections.

"I am sorry for those who purchased tickets.

"Many of the Japanese public were worried about the Covid-19 situation, even with the solid countermeasures, because of the flow of people and because of various concerns.

"The anxiety is being expressed and a lot of people are opposed. Every person is entitled to have every different thought but overriding these differences, athletes will do their best.”

The decision to keep fans out of venues is not irrevocable: “In the event of a significant change in the state of infection, a Five-Party Meeting will be convened immediately to review the spectator capacity,” the statement said.

However, with the state of emergency set to continue until 22 August, it is unlikely that any audiences will be able to attend the Olympic Games.

The policy for the Paralympic Games was due to be decided on 16 July, one week before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. But now, “the decision regarding the admission of Paralympic event spectators will now be taken when the Olympic Games end,” based on the infection situation at the time.