[Source: EventScotland] The Scottish Government has today (15 December) announced new funding of £13 million to provide further support for the events sector in Scotland, much of which has been unable to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of this, £6 million has been committed for the establishment of a new fund which will open this week to support those event businesses which are critical to Scotland’s events sector, and without which the capacity to deliver major events would be significantly reduced.

The Pivotal Event Businesses Fund will provide grants from £25,000 up to a maximum of £150,000 to support approximately 50 to 100 event businesses whose primary role as organisers, suppliers, contractors and venues is critical to the survival of the events sector in Scotland, and upon whom the wider events industry and supply chain are most reliant for their own business and operations.

Organisations applying to the fund must meet the eligibility criteria including having an annual turnover in excess of £500k prior to the COVID-19 pandemic; be directly involved in the delivery and organisation of at least five major events, festival or business events each year; employ a minimum number of staff, and events must be the primary source of the organisation’s income. This Fund is intended to support those pivotal businesses who operate at a size and scale in their sector and/or location where the loss or insolvency of that business would have a significant and detrimental impact on Scotland’s ability to continue to host and stage major events. Additionally, the fund will be targeted to support businesses which are experiencing critical financial problems that threaten insolvency or significant job losses due to the impact of COVID-19.

The remaining funding will be used to set up a separate fund to provide broader support to businesses across the full range of the events sector, including the supply chain, and will be announced early in the new year.

The latest funding follows the £10 million announced by the Culture Secretary in July for the events industry, of which £6 million was allocated to the now closed Event Industry Support Fund while £2 million was allocated to Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund currently being run by EventScotland.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The events sector has faced severe challenges throughout 2020 as the restrictions necessary to contain the coronavirus pandemic have left most businesses unable to operate. While the arrival of a vaccine offers grounds for hope, the events sector and its wider supply chain will continue to experience difficulties for some time to come.

“We were able to provide financial support for the events sector in the autumn but we have continued to listen and we acknowledge that further funding is required. This additional £13 million will allow us to help hard-pressed businesses going forward and ensure that they are ready to support the recovery when it is safe to operate again.

“Scotland has a well-earned reputation for delivering successful events at local, national and international level. We are working collaboratively with the industry to ensure that the sector has a future to look forward to and that we maintain our position as the perfect stage for events.”

The Pivotal Event Businesses Fund will be administered by VisitScotland, with eligible organisations first asked to complete an Expression of Interest form to demonstrate they meet the eligibility criteria. This form will go live at 12pm on Wednesday 16 December and will be open for one week until 5pm on Tuesday 22 December with full details of the process and requirements available at: https://www.visitscotland.org/events/funding/pivotal-event-businesses-fund

From the expressions of interest, approximately 50 - 100 organisations which meet or exceed the eligibility criteria, and which are assessed to represent a sectoral and geographical spread of the most significant event organisers, suppliers and venues operating in Scotland, will then be asked to submit a full application.

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events, said: “Scotland’s events industry continues to be severely impacted by the ongoing effects of COVID-19. The £6 million Pivotal Event Businesses Fund will provide vital funding to businesses critical to our industry’s survival, and without whom our capacity to deliver major events would be significantly reduced.

“Events play a key role in our communities by sustaining livelihoods and bringing, social, cultural and economic change so ensuring the industry’s survival is key to Scotland’s recovery from this pandemic.”

The full application process has been designed to ensure that funding reaches the businesses where it is needed the most to ensure the recovery of the sector. Organisations who have been in receipt of other COVID-19 funding are not excluded from submitting an Expression of Interest as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.

For the purpose of this fund, events are defined as one off or annual occurrences including live sporting and cultural events and festivals that are open to the public to attend, and major business events, incentives and conferences.

[Source: SportAccord, 1/12/20] At a meeting in Ekaterinburg, Governor Evgeny Kuivashev and Managing Director of SportAccord, Nis Hatt, discussed the preparatory stages for the SportAccord World Sport and Business Summit, which will be held in Ekaterinburg in the spring of 2021.  

Mr. Hatt is currently on a working visit to the Sverdlovsk region. He heads the evaluation commission in charge of working out the details of holding the sports event in the Ural capital. During the meeting, the Governor and Managing Director of SportAccord discussed the stages of organising the summit, possible topics for dialogue within its scope, and the formation of a list of guests and participants. It is anticipated that about two thousand heads of international sports federations, organisational committees, cities and regions, as well as a delegation of the International Olympic Committee will gather in Ekaterinburg.

A special topic of discussion was the preparation of responses to the challenges faced by the world community during the epidemic. 

"The dialogue between representatives of the international sports community and the exchange of best practices for the recovery of sports following the pandemic should be continuous. Cooperation to meet modern challenges must continue even after the forum events", Evgeny Kuyvashev said. 

Nis Hatt noted that both he and the entire SportAccord delegation are happy to be back in Ekaterinburg.

"From what we have seen here over the past few days, I can say that everything is being carried out at a very, very high level. I am happy with what we have seen, you've advanced in many areas", he said.

The meeting was held at Dom Sevastyanova, a historic mansion, which is an object of the cultural heritage of federal importance and is rightly considered to be one of Ekaterinburg's most notable landmarks. Mr. Hatt suggested that the Governor consider holding one of the summit's events in one of the halls of Dom Sevastyanova, describing the mansion as "breathtaking". Evgeny Kuyvashev supported the initiative and gave the head of the Association a tour of the mansion.

SportAccord has announced that the inaugural ArtAccord will bring a new creative concept to the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg by showcasing the work of some of Russia’s best and brightest artists.

ArtAccord will take place during SportAccord 2021, which will run from 23-28 May, giving delegates the opportunity to experience pieces of art in an intimate, gallery-like setting after being introduced to some of the profiled artists.

The event will kick-off on Sunday, 23 May 2021 with Welcome Addresses from Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, President of SportAccord, and other prominent Russian figures from the Sverdlovsk Region and visual arts community followed by cocktails and canapés to allow attendees to take in the pieces and connect with other art enthusiasts. 

The launch of ArtAccord builds on SportAccord’s embrace of art and culture at previous editions of the World Sport & Business Summit in Russia. Notably, delegates at SportAccord 2013 in Saint Petersburg were granted a private visit to the famous State Hermitage Museum, and the work of the late Tuman Zhumabaev, one of Russia's most prominent contemporary artists, was featured in an Art Gallery exhibition at SportAccord 2015 in Sochi and SportAccord 2019 in Gold Coast.

Ekaterinburg, the host of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021, has forged an international reputation as a hub of art and culture, as well as sport. The city is home to numerous globally renowned institutions, such as the Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts and the Ekaterinburg State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.

“We have always been keen to showcase local artistic and cultural offerings at the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit, providing delegates with an insight into the fabric of our host cities, regions and countries,” SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt says.

“Ekaterinburg has a heritage that is steeped in arts and culture, and we have a wonderful opportunity to give attendees a unique experience through the inaugural ArtAccord. I would like to thank the Sverdlovsk Region, Ekaterinburg, and the Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts for supporting this exciting initiative, which I am sure will prove to be a memorable addition to SportAccord 2021.”

Regional Minister of International and Foreign Economic Relations of the Sverdlovsk Region, Mr. Vasily Kozlov says: “ArtAccord will provide a platform for some of Russia’s most engaging artists to reach a wider audience through the international sporting community. We believe delegates will be inspired by what they see and experience during this innovative new part of the SportAccord 2021 programme in Ekaterinburg.”

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.

Registration is open for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 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 2021 exhibition space.

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

Seductive, wise and visionary. Copenhagen shares her story as a spectacular host for events in the new branding film This is me, where the city, a woman inspired by the spoken word tradition, shares her tale as an old yet inspirational lady: With the legacy of ancient old wisdom, I’m the recipe for shaking your whole system.

Over the years, Copenhagen has proved to be a creative event host punching above her weight by taking events to the streets, the sky, and even to the top of the opera house, from where contestants have dived  into the clean harbour water: I have the purest water running in my veins. To the Danes it remains basic fuel for the brains.

While other cities boast enormous arenas, Copenhagen brings events to the historic city centre, invites you to swim in the clean harbour and to ski down a waste management plant. This combined with world class organisational skills makes Copenhagen an event host like no other.

2021 will be a big year for the Danish Capital that is set to welcome both the postponed EURO2020, the combined World Pride and Eurogames and the Canoe Kayak Sprint World Championships. This will be followed by Tour de France - Grand Départ in 2022.

These events all highlight Copenhagen’s strengths as an inclusive and visionary city that is a frontrunner within sustainable solutions. Thus, Copenhagen aims to be carbon neutral as the first capital by 2025 through green transformation, renewable energy, upcycling and recycling, green mobility and smart city solutions.

The city’s approach to sustainability is reflected in events taking place in Copenhagen. Hosts make it a priority to limit their carbon footprint and make use of the city’s state of the art public transportation, environmentally certified hotels and restaurants and amazing cycling facilities, which represent an important part of the city’s DNA: My wheels are spinning with eagerness. For real cyclic living is a treat for less.

Have Some Copenhagen – the city is your arena.

See film here

Contact: Jonas Løvschall-Wedel, jlw@woco.dk

The Global Esports Federation has signed an exploratory agreement with the Invictus Games Foundation to develop a global strategy to harness the power of esports as a catalyst for social benefit and change.

“We are proud to embark on this strategic collaboration with the Invictus Games Foundation, leveraging the power of esports to elevate the GEF’s values of equality, fair play, diversity, inclusion and innovation,” said Chris Chan, President, Global Esports Federation.

“This agreement offers a world of opportunity for the services community, particularly those suffering from injuries or illness to join the #worldconnected movement, promoting physical, psychological and social inclusion and a stronger global community.”

“The Invictus Games Foundation uses the power of sport and adventurous challenge to inspire, improve and influence the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women. Our Invictus Games is at the heart of that as the epitome of international sports recovery, offering a platform for the armed forces community worldwide to rally together and demonstrate the power of the human spirit in overcoming adversity and achieving extraordinary feats beyond injury,” said Dominic Reid, CEO, Invictus Games Foundation.

“Sports recovery is a proven method to accelerate and reinforce rehabilitation, and we know that participation in an Invictus Games is transformative for competitors and their friends and family. We see a great potential in esports and are excited to collaborate with the Global Esports Federation to further explore the power of technology and innovation for good.”

The agreement aims at establishing a blueprint to inspire recovery and support rehabilitation for wounded servicemen and women through esports; and to further the understanding and inclusive reach of esports to the world’s population.

“Esports, as in traditional sport, showcases human competition and has tremendous cognitive, physical and social benefits. We have seen firsthand the benefits of esports in promoting communications between people, building stronger global communities, and encouraging the connection between people from around the world, wherever they are,” added Chester King, Vice President & Chair, Education, Culture and Wellness Commission, Global Esports Federation.

Event organisers today emphasised that the health and safety of athletes, spectators and staff is their number one priority in reopening for business in the wake of the COVID pandemic.

On the second day of Host City 2020, speakers from across the events and venues industry, including rights holders, organising committees, facility managers and suppliers, exchanged views about tackling the COVID challenges. They also discussed how they’ve used the unprecedented pause in event staging to rethink business models and strategies.

More than 1,000 delegates tuned in to listen to the 100-plus speakers at the largest annual meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events. The theme was “The Big Restart”, with panels over two days assessing how event stakeholders can bring about “Recovery with a Purpose for the Digital Age”.

The opening panel focused on the road to recovery, asking the question ‘What strengths have carried our sector through the storm?’.

Joe Ryan, Head of Health and Safety at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, talked about how they had dealt with COVID challenges and were well-positioned to react quickly to new public health messaging from government, the rollout of the coronavirus vaccination programme and changes in policy to bring people back to work in the office and accelerate preparations: “We need to monitor those and implement change where we need to and be very reactive.”

Michelle Hooper, Tournament Director of Rugby World Cup New Zealand 2021, said the event organisation had benefited from the government going “hard and early to stop COVID coming in at the border”. For the rugby showcase in autumn next year, the managed isolation and quarantine requirements for 12 teams was a critical collaborative effort with the government and World Rugby.

John Langford, Chief Operating Officer of AEG Europe, which operates multipurpose venues such as The O2 Arena in London and Staples Center in Los Angeles, said the sports and entertainment giant had worked hard on health and safety plans to prepare for a full re-opening of COVID-secure venues. But there were uncertainties over “what the future will look like” in terms of ticket demand, the economy and how existing business models might have to change.

He said government help was needed because commercial insurance was not available. “Without a government-backed insurance scheme we don’t believe we can open effectively. There’s so much risk about events being rescheduled or cancelled again.”

In the week when the first COVID vaccine jabs were administered, speakers were optimistic that 2021 would see a much-needed revival in the events business.

Jon Ridgeon, CEO of World Athletics, presented a fascinating case study on how track and field’s governing body had successfully staged the World Half Marathon championships in Gdynia, Poland, in October. It had been postponed from March.

He said it was “far from easy and only possible due to strict COVID protocols”. World Athletics had to “to take back control of the competition environment”. More than 100 men and a similar number of women, drawn from 53 member athletic federations, participated.

Ridgeon praised the “strong cooperation and can-do attitude” of the Polish government, local organising committee and city of Gdynia.

Athletes and officials were tested for coronavirus and accommodated in a COVID-secure bubble across two hotels. Managing the testing regime, including administering about 90 tests per hour for a peak inflow of athletes and their entourage, keeping the hotel bubble secure and understaffing of the medical team were among the challenges.

Although there were increased costs in holding the World Half Marathon amid the pandemic, coupled with significantly reduced income streams, it was deemed a major success. Ridgeon said athletics’ governing body was now better placed to upscale its COVID protocols and improve them for bigger events to come in 2021.

“We’ve got our head around the fact that the first half of 2021 is going to be compromised,” he added, saying he hoped more athletics events would be staged from summer onwards.

Tatsuo Ogura, Director of International Communications for the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, gave an update on the pandemic’s impacts and how organisers were working on a pathway to stage COVID-safe Games next summer. With 226 days to go, he said athletes were front and centre of plans and the Olympics “provides a symbol of hope, resilience and the power of humanity working as one”.

In a fascinating interview session, Sir Russell Coutts, CEO of SailGP, spoke about his transition from an Olympic gold medallist with five Americas Cup titles under his belt, to sports administrator. He has transformed sailing with the launch of what is billed as “the world's most cutting-edge sail racing league”.

“People looked at sailing as being far away and quite slow moving. SailGP couldn’t be further from that,” he said, adding that it was both financially viable and in a format that could be neatly packaged for broadcasters and consumed by a global audience. Coutts said there was a big effort on sustainability and youth engagement programmes and ensuring a low carbon footprint.

Another topic of discussion was the convergence of digital and real-world events. It brought examples from Super League Triathlon and golf’s European Tour about how they have innovated to stage virtual sports for elite athletes as they look to learn lessons from the Esports community and integrate VR and AR into event strategies.

Michael Dhulst, Co-Founder & CEO of Super League Triathlon, spoke about the SLT Arena Games held in Rotterdam in August. Developed in partnership with Zwift, the new concept blended real life and virtual racing and offered “a new level of immersive viewing experience” for fans.

He said it was a huge hit across triathlon’s digital channels and an opportunity for the sport to extend the concept beyond the pandemic to become part of its events portfolio.

Later on the conference programme, in a session led by Katie Traxton, Chief Communications Officer of Formula E, four young ‘Gen Zers’ explained the importance of social media channels in their lives and how they engage and share content with friends. It offered some eye-opening comments for the events industry about how young people connect with each other in 2020. They highlighted the importance of being authentic and when posting on their social platforms, and of only identifying with brands that reflect their values.

In the final panel session, sports officials from Florida spoke about how they are readying to welcome the world again once the pandemic has passed.

Angela Adams Suggs, President & CEO of the Florida Sports Foundation, said the not-for-profit corporation’s goal was to continue to grow partnerships and promote professional and amateur sport to maintain its thriving sports industry and attract international visitors in 2021.

Wrapping up Host City 2020 with final remarks, Paul Bush, director of events at VisitScotland, one of the conference’s supporting partners, described the level of discussions and debate across the two days as “phenomenal”. Among the highlights, was hearing speakers say that “events will return… we just don’t know when, how and what shape they will be”.

ENDS

Speakers at Host City 2020 are shedding new light on how rights holders and organising committees are adapting to the impacts of the COVID-2019 pandemic.

The largest annual meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, is being held virtually to debate the theme of “The Big Restart” and evaluate how event stakeholders can bring about “Recovery with a Purpose for the Digital Age”.

The two-day conference opened on Tuesday with welcome addresses from its supporting partners, Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland, and Dr. Bridget McConnell CBE, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life.

Bush sounded an optimistic note despite the difficulties being experienced by many in the events industry due to coronavirus. He said the next few years may be challenging for everyone: “We have not lost our drive, ambition and determination for Scotland to continue to be the perfect stage for events.

“We as an industry will have to be even more focused, brave and ambitious along with seeking logical pragmatic solutions that are evidence based.”

McConnell outlined Glasgow’s rich heritage and expertise in staging international events. She noted the roster of upcoming events including holding UEFA Euro 2020 matches and the UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023, the year Glasgow is European Capital of Sport.

She spoke about the need for event organisers to remain ambitious, bolster strategic partnerships and focus on innovation and citizen engagement to deliver their visions.

Keynote addresses were given by Sir Craig Reedie GBE, a member of the International Olympic Committee, Etienne Thobois, CEO of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai.

Thobois said COVID-19 had forced Paris 2024 to “review our priorities and adapt our planning… but our vision has not changed”. There was a renewed focus on promoting sports participation, using sport as a tool to change society and showing through a major public engagement program that “everyone can play a role”. He cited the Le Club Paris 2024 digital platform as one area where the organising committee was increasing engagement to maximize the social impact of the Games.

Expo 2020 Dubai was scheduled to be one of this year’s biggest international events before it fell victim to COVID-19. Al Hashimy told said that when it runs from 1 October 2021 it may be the first mega-event to take place in the wake of the global pandemic.

Commenting on the resilience of Dubai, she said the Expo was a product of extensive international cooperation and even at the height of the pandemic “work continued apace with its partners”. The bulk of construction for the Expo will be completed in the next few weeks.

In the first panel ‘Hosting with a purpose in the digital, post-Covid era’, Paul Foster, COO of the Global Esports Federation, talked about the importance of connecting with Esports audiences, athletes and the communities in a sustainable and dynamic way. The huge growth of Esports, which has triggered plans to stage the first Global Esports Games in December 2021, was an opportunity for host cities “to think about how we consume entertainment”.

Despite the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics to next summer, Reedie said the IOC was confident in Japan delivering and getting crowds back to sport, encouraged by the fact that Japan was now bringing spectators into baseball and soccer matches.

The theme of adaptability surfaced again and again in conference panels related to the repercussions of COVID-2019.

In one titled ‘Preparing to deliver the greatest shows on earth’, Paris 2024’s Thobois said the biggest shift for Olympic organisers was integrating new hires into the team while adopting a working from home philosophy during the pandemic. But he said Games preparations were “very much on time and on target into terms of planning” with construction on a limited number of projects due to start in early 2021.

Ian Reid, CEO of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, said the shake-up of the 2022 events calendar to incorporate the rescheduled world and European athletics championships in Oregon and Munich respectively, together with the 2022 UEFA Women's Championship, was one challenge.

Reid said the athletes’ village for Birmingham 2022 had “fallen foul to COVID” but led to a multiple village model welcomed by the Games family: “It has de-risked the project”. The impact of coronavirus lockdowns on office working was also being felt. Hiring through the pandemic has seen staff grow from 80 to 250; procurement had also become more difficult as Birmingham accelerates its preparations.

A panel discussion on the Black Lives Matter movement evaluated whether it was causing sports, business and cultural events industries to change for the better.

Densign White, Chair of Sporting Equals and CEO of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, said BLM had made people more aware about institutional racism and forced organizations “to rethink and re-evaluate how they do things to be more diverse and more inclusive”.

But he raised concerns about the ongoing lack of diversity in ethnic minority representation in the leadership of sport at board level and in coaching: “There’s a lot of talk but the needle has hardly moved into terms of those numbers”

“Unless there are targets and consequences for governing bodies for not making sure targets are met I don’t think we are going to see any change,” he said.

In a session on inclusion and diversity in the boardroom and playing field, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, winner of 16 Paralympic medals in a glittering career, said sports bodies needed to listen to the lived experience of disabled people and include more of them in coaching and administrator roles

On a future event delivery panels, Bruno Marie-Rose, Director of Technology at Paris 2024, said the organising committee was harnessing digital platforms to connect with the French population. Technology was also being used to contribute to the Games’ neutral carbon goal, he added.

Elsewhere on Day One, Saoud Al Ansari, Precinct Director of Al Thumama Stadium, Competition Venues, Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, gave an update about progress across the project. He spoke about the organiser’s responsibilities to deliver an outstanding World Cup while aligning with the long-term legacy vision of Qatar.

Three of the eight host stadiums are finished. All venues in the compact host city plan are within 75km distance, a “strong advantage for players and the fans,” Al Ansari said.

‘How major events are contributing to environmental goals’ was an interesting panel. Georgina Grenon, Director of Environmental Excellence for Paris 2024, said the environment was a focus in early concepts of Games preparations. It had guided decisions including a sustainable procurement strategy and throughout the supply chain.

Wrapping up the day was a session looking at ‘Aligning event strategies with green city plans.’

Tim Briercliffe, Secretary General, AIPH – International Association of Horticultural Producers, said global horticultural expos “provide a great opportunity to showcase green innovation and to set the scene for the development of a city into the future”. They also provided huge economic benefits and stimulate environmental and sustainable best practices.

[Source: SIGA.] SIGA has taken another significant step to promote good governance in Sport by today establishing a Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion.

This new Standing Committee is set up against a background of increasing incidents relating to racism, gender inequity and other forms of negative discrimination across the global sports industry.

The new SIGA Standing Committee will build upon the important work of a multi-stakeholder Task Force that SIGA established earlier this year on this same topic, leading to a series of cutting-edge recommendations that were publicly announced just two months ago during the first-ever Sport Integrity Week. Such recommendations included a review of the SIGA Universal Standards on Good Governance in Sport to include new evolving good practices in this area, such as unconscious bias training for employees of sports organisations, by way of example of a new gold standard.

This newly formed Standing Committee is Chaired by Brian Lewis, President of the Trinidad and Tobago National Olympic Committee (TTOC) and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) and member of the SIGA Council, while Ju’Riese Colon, CEO of United States Center for SafeSport, will be the Vice-Chaired.

Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Global CEO of SIGA and Chairman & CEO of SIGA AMERICA, stated:

“Look around us. Can any of us be insensitive to what’s happening around us and pretend it’s not our business? Of course, not! Sport can do more. Politicians and business leaders can do more. Each one of us can do a lot more to eradicate racism and inequality, in all its forms, from Sport and, through Sport, from our society. And, if we can, we must!

As we enter into a slow and painful recovery from the global pandemic, there is no better time to remember that, in Sport as in life, regardless of race, gender, place of birth, zip code, religious beliefs or sexual orientation, everyone must be entitled to the same rights and opportunities as others. This is a fundamental human right, and it is our moral imperative to do everything in our power to make sure that respect, tolerance and equality are more than just words. With the SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion we will muster the leadership and foster the necessary culture change.”

Commenting on his appointment as Chair of the SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in Sport, Brain Lewis, who also holds the office of President of the Trinidad and Tobago National Olympic Committee (TTOC) and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committee (CANOC) and is a member of the SIGA Council, stated:

“The SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Inclusion and Diversity is historic and significant with an incredible opportunity to be a force and catalyst for positive change within global sport. To be asked to chair the Standing Committee is an awesome honour and responsibility. Coming from a small Caribbean Island it’s a significant statement of inclusion and diversity by SIGA.” Leading the Way for Sport Integrity Worldwide

Ju’Riese Colon, CEO of United States Center for SafeSport and newly appointed Vice-Chair of the SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in Sport, concluded:

“I am proud to help lead SIGA’s initiatives around race, gender, diversity, and inclusion, as we work toward sport environments inclusive of all athletes. Leveling the playing field and creating systemic culture change begins with promoting athlete safety and well-being. I welcome the opportunity to apply what we have learned here in the U.S. and to work with experts from around the world with the goal of influencing change on a global scale.

The full composition of the SIGA Standing Committee on Race, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in Sport is a s follows:

Chair Brian Lewis President, TTOC & CANOC | Member, SIGA Council

Deputy Chair Ju’Reese Colón CEO, US Centre for SafeSport

Members Affy Sheikh Head of Starlizard Integrity Services, SIGA Member

Angela Smith Chair, Stoke City Supporters Council, Member of GB World Champion Squash Team & SIGA Mentor

Arun Kang OBE CEO, Sporting Equals

Densign White MBE CEO, IMMAF, SIGA Member

Karin Korb Wheelchair Tennis 2-Time Paralympian & 10 -time member of USA World Team & SIGA Champion

Michelle Chai COO, Olympic Council of Malaysia & SIGA Mentor

Stacey Copeland First British Woman to win the Commonwealth Title for Boxing & SIGA Champion

Taylor Green Member, SIGA Youth Council & SIGA Mentee

Hear Brian Lewis and Densign White speak about “The Impact of the Black Lives Matter Movement” at Host City 2020. Register for free here: https://www.hostcity.com/host-city-2020-free-registration

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships has appointed Phil Heselwood, Jonathan Rigby and Kate Steven to its senior management team in the roles of Director of Sport, Director of Commercial, Marketing & Communications, and Director of Operations respectively.

Reporting directly to the Championships CEO, Trudy Lindblade, each brings a wealth of cycling and international major events experience and will work alongside Trudy, the UCI and the Event Partners to design and deliver the inaugural event in Glasgow and Scotland in August 2023.

Prior to joining the Championships team, Phil was part of British Cycling’s Major Events Team for 11 years, including two years as Major Events Development Manager, where he was responsible for the strategic development, governance, financial sustainability, growth and innovation for all the governing body’s major events. This depth of experience has meant he has been involved in major cycling events across most of the 13 major championships, including the Glasgow 2018 European Championships, 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships and the 2012 UCI BMX World Championships, that make up the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

Jonathan brings a wealth of international commercial, marketing and communications experience to his new role having been Commercial Director at British Cycling, where he led the organisation’s commercial partnerships. He was also Commercial & Marketing Director at BBC Children in Need, helping to lift the annual total raised from £49m to £60m in just two years; and was International Head of Marketing at Manchester United for five years where he lead a team that worked alongside over 45 international commercial partners.

Kate joins having played a key role in the successful delivery of the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire where she was Head of Operations. In the role she was responsible for the operational strategy, structure and the event-time team of more than 2,000 people delivering the championships’ operations. She was part of the organising committee for the London Olympics and subsequently Head of Events at Glasgow Life during the preparation and delivery of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. In Glasgow, she was responsible for the programme management of more than 30 major public events including the first use of the city’s race circuit for the British Road Race Championships in 2013.

Trudy Lindblade, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships CEO, said: “I’m delighted to have Phil, Jonathan and Kate joining the Cycling Worlds senior management team. They each bring a wealth of experience to their respective roles, which will be invaluable as we develop our plans for delivering this historic event in 2023 and build a blueprint for future editions.  

“The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships is more than just an event. It is a chance to make significant change by celebrating the unique power of the bike and all it brings to our everyday lives, whether it’s for our health and well-being, our environment, tourism or the economy. Through their individual roles, Phil, Jonathan and Kate will each play a leading role in championing this vision to ensure our ambition of delivering a truly innovative and unique event is met.”

Phil said: “I am very excited to be part of such an innovative and ambitious event. Glasgow and Scotland have a well-deserved global reputation for delivering world class events, and there is no doubt they will again provide the perfect stage for the world’s best cyclists across all 13 disciplines to perform and inspire.

“The potential of this event for cycling and the positive impact it aims to have on people’s behaviours is hugely inspiring. I’m looking forward to working with all the great partners across the country to showcase both theirs, and Scotland’s, ambition to the world.”

Jonathan said: The vision for 2023 is to deliver a unique international event that also showcases and inspires people to make cycling part of their everyday lives. This presents a fantastic opportunity to not only engage communities but also for domestic and international sponsors to partner with a truly purpose-led event at a time when cycling is booming.  I’m delighted to be part of this bold ambition and I look forward to working with Trudy, the Event Partners and wider stakeholders to deliver this vision.”

Kate said: “I’m delighted to be joining the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships team. I have worked on a variety of sport operations around the world and am looking forward to working in collaboration with our national partners to build an exceptional team and operation here in my home nation. It is a privilege to help deliver the world’s largest ever cycle event and promote the power of the bike.

Phil will take up his position on the 1 December 2020, with Jonathan and Kate starting on the 1 January 2021.

Taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland in August 2023, the UCI Cycling World Championships will be the biggest single cycling event in history, bringing together 13 existing individual World Championship cycling disciplines into one mega event, for the first time.

The Championships is more than just an event. It will celebrate the unique power of the bike and all it can bring to our everyday lives, whether it’s physical and mental health benefits, easing congestion on the road to help the environment, or simply making it easier for people to get around.

Underpinned by four key policy drivers - participation, transport, tourism and economy - the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be a catalyst for behavioural change across Scotland moving forward.

The Championships will be delivered in collaboration between the UCI, Scottish Government, Glasgow Life, UK Sport, British Cycling and VisitScotland with its EventScotland team, with the partnership creating a blueprint for future editions by ensuring the inaugural event is authentic, innovative and distinctive.

Host City 2020, taking place online on 8-9 December, is pleased to announce six Strategic Partners, underpinning the two principal Supporting Partners previously announced: EventScotland and Glasgow Life.

The Global Esports Federation (GEF) and the Association of International Convention Centres (AIPC) join as Strategic Partners for the first time. Returning Strategic Partners include the International Association of Event Hosts (IAEH), the Association of Global Event Suppliers (AGES), AEG Europe and Glasgow Convention Bureau.

Host City is a “one-stop shop” for the owners, organisers, hosts and other stakeholders of sports, business and cultural events. Now in its 7th year, the 2020 event takes online, hosted from Glasgow, Scotland on 8-9 December under the conference theme of The Big Restart: Recovery with a Purpose for the Digital Age.

Host City 2020’s Strategic Partner programme encompasses world-leading organisations representing stakeholders in major sports, business and cultural events. The Strategic Partners provide vital input into the world-leading conference agenda, contributing expertise and speakers to panels and workshops. The Strategic Partnerships greatly increase access to the event for all stakeholders in major events, while helping to consolidate the major event hosting community around this unique focal point.

To register to attend Host City for free, visit www.hostcity.com.

For speaking opportunities contact ben.avison@hostcity.com and for sponsorship/exhibiting contact adam.soroka@cavendishgroup.co.uk

About Host City

Host City brings together cities and sports, business and cultural events for two full days of unrivalled insight, networking, workshops and business on 8-9 December online, hosted from Glasgow, Scotland.

This is where representatives of host destinations, federations and other rights holders, organisers, event suppliers and services from all over the world meet to discover opportunities and discuss the challenges of major event hosting. Participants are encouraged to use Host City as a platform to develop, workshop and announce new events, partnerships and formats.

www.hostcity.com

About The Global Esports Federation

The Global Esports Federation promotes the credibility, legitimacy and prestige of esports. We convene athletes, players, the world’s publishers, developers, industry partners and sporting organizations on one inclusive platform. We encourage and support the connection between sport, esports and technology. We develop visible initiatives that are in service to the esports community, powered by active, strategic partnerships that celebrate and inspire youth.

Founding Global Partner: Tencent

Global Partner: Refract

Global Supporter: Sports Innovation Lab; International Sports Broadcasting

Global Supplier: Nielsen

Strategic Partners: The Commonwealth Games Federation; Olympic Council of Asia; Organización Deportiva Suramericana (ODESUR); International Telecommunication Union (ITU); Dentsu Incl Global Sports Innovation Center Powered by Microsoft (GSIC)

#worldconnected. www.globalesports.org

About AIPC

AIPC – the International Association of Convention Centres – is the industry association for professional convention and exhibition centre managers worldwide. AIPC is committed to encouraging and recognizing excellence in convention centre management, while at the same time providing the tools to achieve such high standards through its research, educational and networking programs.

AIPC occupies a unique position amongst the various organizations that represent the meetings industry. It is a true international organization, with representation from over 60 countries around the world. It focuses specifically on the issues, opportunities and challenges facing convention and exhibition centres. It celebrates and promotes the multicultural dimension of the international meetings industry and the role facilities play in enhancing this. And it maintains close working relations with related industry organizations to ensure members are well connected to overall industry issues.

www.aipc.org

About IAEH

The International Association of Event Hosts (IAEH) exists for representatives of international destinations to collaborate to generate the best possible value from hosting major sporting and cultural events and provide a voice for ‘not for profit’ hosts of events.

IAEH provides a platform for members to learn from the successes and challenges of major events, share knowledge and generate greater long term social and economic benefits from hosting events.

www.eventhosts.org

About AGES

The Association of Global Event Suppliers (AGES) is a professional and business-oriented association which offers to share and manage valuable information related to the temporary event infrastructure industry in order to streamline business for buyers and sellers.

The purpose is to build up awareness for industry-specific aspects and to promote and defend the interests of its members in the international event marketplace. AGES develops roadmaps together with event organizers, governmental bodies and key stakeholders to create procedures, standards and other tools to facilitate interaction with international event suppliers.

The members and associate members are market leaders of the international event supplier’s industry and front-runners in the development of new products and services.

www.ages.international

About Glasgow Convention Bureau

Voted Best UK Convention Bureau for the last 14 years, Glasgow’s experienced conventions team continuously develops its city-wide strategic partnerships, world leading Conference Ambassador Programme and bespoke public engagement activities to support UK, European and international clients with hosting a successful and memorable meeting in Glasgow.

www.glasgowconventionbureau.com

About AEG Europe

Headquartered in London, AEG Europe is a subsidiary of AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company.  In Europe, AEG owns or operates sports and music facilities and entertainment districts across the continent including The O2 in London; Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg; Mercedes Platz in Berlin; and Accor Arena in Paris.  Through its Global Partnerships division, AEG delivers corporate brands the largest sports and live music marketing network in the world. AEG’s music division, AEG Presents is a global leader in concert promotion and venue management, running European music festivals; American Express presents BST Hyde Park, All Points East and Rock en Seine.

https://www.aegworldwide.com/