[Source: ICSS] During a keynote speech on smart cities and the future of sport safety and security, Michael Hershman, Group CEO of the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) highlighted the vital role that predictive technology will play in securing future major sport events and encouraged more host cities and nations to integrate smart data systems within their safety and security planning.

Speaking during the INTERPOL World 2017 conference – which brought together some of the world’s top law enforcement, government bodies, academia and international security professionals from across the public and private security sector – the ICSS Group CEO acknowledged the growing and significant security challenges facing many major sport event hosts and gave several insights into emerging trends and technologies currently being developed that could help predict potential threats and safeguard host cities and nations in the future.

Michael Hershman, ICSS Group CEO, said: “The challenge of securing high-profile international sporting events has never been greater and the security threats now facing host cities and nations around the world are now hugely complex, sophisticated and organised.

“In order to combat and prevent growing threats like cybersecurity, terrorism and hooliganism, it is important that there is a step-change in future public and private security efforts and it is vital that we urgently look at how emerging smart technology can be proactively used to support and safeguard major sport events in the future.”

During his keynote speech, Hershman highlighted examples of how emerging artificial intelligence and predictive technology can help automate, accelerate and enhance the ability to predict potential security threats, as well as emphasising how smart data and analytics can be used to identify and forecast emerging trends and risks.

He said: “As part of the ICSS’s ongoing mission, we are committed to sharing our expertise to benefit sport and, alongside key partners and organisations around the world, are working to identify new and pioneering ways to help protect and safeguard sport.

“This is why, alongside several key partners, we are in the process of developing the ICSS ARMED™ Data-Fusion System (DFS) – a comprehensive security resilience and predictive analysis platform designed to collect, integrate and analyse data to help event organizers, emergency services and law enforcement agencies predict potential threats and deliver safe and secure major events.

“As we have seen recently, technology that is used in the right way can play a pivotal role in protecting and securing large-scale major sporting events. At the ICSS, we believe strongly that there is now a clear need to help strengthen the smart data and security capabilities of major events and law enforcement agencies, as well as proactively enhance their situational awareness in the high-demanding security situations.”

Hershman concluded: “At a time where technology is playing an increasingly significant role in the lives of many people around the world, it is vital that we use it as a force for good and to enhance technical capabilities of those who secure and safeguard major international sport events.”

For more information on the ICSS and if you are interested in exploring how the ICSS ARMED™ Data-Fusion System (DFS) can help secure your major event, please visit http://www.theicss.org or contact info@theicss.org

“In my role as President of the Ligue Européenne de Natation, it has been a pleasure to enjoy two excellent major aquatics events so far this summer – the European Diving Championships in Kiev, Ukraine, and the European Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel. And still to come is the FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

“It was fantastic to see Kiev host an elite European Championships in Aquatics for the first time. The event was a great success, with sold-out sessions and a great atmosphere.

“Of course, our diving continental showcase will be staged next year within the European Aquatics Championships – part of the Glasgow 2018 multisport European Championships. While co-chairing the most recent Glasgow-Berlin 2018 European Championships Board meeting in June, it was reassuring to hear from the Glasgow organisers that ticket sales are going very well for all sports – not least for our aquatics events.

“Indeed, one of the key objectives for LEN is to develop our disciplines such as swimming, synchronised swimming, open water swimming and diving by reaching out to as wide an audience as possible. Thus it was great to learn that there is such an appetite to watch these disciplines when they take place at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Scotstoun Sports Campus, Loch Lomond and Royal Commonwealth Pool.

“Of course, each stakeholder has some of their own individual objectives, but there is an overriding common vision that we all share: the European Championships as a new generation multisport event for European sports that will be an 11-day celebration staged every four years with a super-charging effect on our participating sports and our athletes.

“Together we are creating a must-watch and must-attend experience that elevates the Champions of Europe. We aspire to unite our sports, the public, athletes, nations; to be diverse in showcasing our sports and demonstrate that being a European Champion is a fantastic achievement; to inspire the next generation of champions and encourage the public to get involved in sport; and to continue the rich tradition of our sports so they have a long-lasting, positive impact on the sporting world-stage.

“In short, it is the ultimate multi-sport event to promote our sports on the continent.

“During our recent aquatics events, I have been speaking with our Member Federations about what a special event the European Championships will be for the athletes, and I have been reassured by the positive response of the aquatics family.

“It is our job to work with the athletes who will be competing in Glasgow to ensure they are aware of the enormity of the event. Now that the Championships are starting to be recognised, I am sure many of our European participants in Budapest will be endorsing the European Championships and giving it their full support.

“Indeed, there are so many special qualities connected to the European Championships. We must remind our sports men and women (important to say we have an almost equal gender split!) that between the participating sports – aquatics, athletics, cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon – there are 450 years of history surrounding our respective European Championships. We need to remind them also that to be the best at something out of a continental population of 750 million people is a pretty special achievement!

“Their achievements will be celebrated not only by the fans attending the events in Glasgow and Berlin but also by those watching on television. Our seven major sports have joined forces based on their existing power to attract broadcast viewers which will be further enhanced by packaging them together.

“One of the most important benefits for our sports is that we will benefit from an enhanced offer from our Broadcast Partner, the European Broadcasting Union – up to 1.3 billion television viewers, with many more viewers across multiple digital platforms.

“With one year to go approaching, we are all working hard to promote the inaugural event in Glasgow and Berlin – two of the most iconic sporting and cultural cities in Europe. The European Federations, the Host Cities, and the EBU are fully focused on achieving collective success, pushing the ground-breaking concept and educating everyone within our own communities and beyond.

“We aim to create an awareness and engagement amongst sports and main eventers across Europe – and we see the enormous power of social media as presenting the biggest opportunity to engage these audiences. We want everyone to share in 'The Moment' – our tagline that celebrates an event that will be the defining moment for European Champions for 2018 and beyond."

Paolo Barelli, LEN (Ligue Européenne de Natation) President and co-chair of the 2018 European Championships Board

[Source: 2018 European Championships]

The International Triathlon Union has extended its partnership with SEL Sport & Events Logistics (SEL) to serve not only as the global logistics partner for ITU but also the travel solutions partner, offering “360 degrees” services.

“We are delighted to further develop our relationship with SEL, which has proven itself to be delivering and adding value to ITU to the highest standards”, said Marisol Casado, ITU President and IOC Member.

“We are thrilled that a company such as SEL Logistics, which has more than 25 years of experience in major events, will be delivering not only the logistic services they’ve been providing for more than a year, but will also take care of all ITU travel solutions as an international sporting federation with multiple events across the world.

“The delivery of our branding elements from race to race all over the world, and the travels of all ITU staff, Technical Officials, and Executive Board are now centralised and organised to the best quality standards.”

SEL Sport & Events Logistics will now provide logistics and freight forwarding for the ITU to all World Triathlon Series (WTS) events in 2017 and extend this service to all 15 World Cups, Paratriathlon World Series and Paratriathlon World Cups.

And as part of its “360 degrees” services, SEL will implement its travel solutions to centralise workloads and increase productivity around the available resources.

“Triathlon is a sport for all – for all ages, for all levels of competition – truly global. So for us to have the opportunity to support ITU in its quest to broaden its reach, we are excited said Pier Bottero, Chief Executive at SEL.

“We shall always endeavour to optimise solutions and services for ITU, and all stakeholders.”

ITU and SEL said they will continue to develop the partnership towards 2020 and beyond as they seek to improve efficiency for LOCs, athletes and fan experiences at ITU events worldwide.

[Source: SIGA] The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) today announced a stellar line-up of global sport experts for the upcoming SIGA Sport Integrity Forum in Lisbon, Portugal on 26 July.

The second edition of the Forum will bring together more than 100 leaders from the world of sport, government, finance, business and civil society to address the most pressing governance and integrity issues facing the sports industry.

Following the huge success of the first ever Sport Integrity Forum in London earlier this year, this edition will feature lively, interactive and highly-informed panel discussions from the following influencers and experts:

Cindy McCain - Founder, the McCain Institute

Michael Robichaud - Senior Vice President, Global Sponsorships, MasterCard

David Luna - Senior Director, US State Department / Chairman, OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade

Hans Erik Tuijt - Director, Global Sponsorships, Heineken

Michael Hershman - Group CEO, ICSS

AG Burnett - Chairman, Nevada Gaming Authority

Brian Lewis - President, Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC)

Pedro Machado - Partner, PwC

Joao Paulo Almeida - Director General, National Olympic Committee of Portugal

Densign White - CEO, International Mix Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF)

Ian Smith - Commissioner, eSports Integrity Coalition (ESIC)

The SIGA Council said:

“Following our first ever Forum earlier this year, it is clear that urgent reform and collaboration is needed more than ever to tackle the serious governance and integrity issues facing sport. There is a huge amount of work to be done. And it is for this very reason that we are again bringing together high-profile, leading experts to collaborate and share intelligence, new innovations and solutions to benefit the entire global sports movement.”

Additional panellists and keynote speakers will be added to the highly influential line-up that will highlight the issues and challenges ahead, sparking lively cutting-edge discussions on the following five big themes:

Good Governance in Sport: From Rhetoric to Effective Reforms;

Following the Money! The Pathway into Financial Integrity in Sport;

Sports Betting Integrity: Global Solutions to Global Threats;

Youth Development and Protection of Minors in Sport; and

Sports Business, Brand Value and Reputation.

The SIGA General Assembly will take place the day after the Forum at Palácio Foz, Lisbon, Portugal on 27 July.

The owners, organisers and hosts of major events need to keep talking and Host City conferences are playing a crucial role in this process, according to Sir Craig Reedie CBE, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and former Vice President of the International Olympic Committee.

The fourth Host City conference and exhibition – Host City 2017 – takes place in Glasgow on 28 and 29 November. The first Host City Asia conference takes place in Beijing on 18 October.

Sir Craig Reedie said: “Host City is a really good conference involving cities that want to host events. Anything that can be done to put sport and cities together at an early stage is a good idea and I look forward to this happening in Glasgow and Beijing.

“The Glasgow event is getting bigger and bigger each year – that shows that there is a need for it.

“I expect Host City Asia in Beijing will show what a different market is like. China is full of large cities and there are lots of options within the country. For sports that are big in China – badminton for example – there is always a bidder for a major event.

“So, it will be interesting to see what lessons are learned from the Host City event in Beijing; because in the rest of the world it’s a question of encouraging cities to bid.

“Communication is vital in both the bidding phases and the delivery phase. The IOC appear to be looking at changing the Winter Games bidding process going forward, to make that process more comprehensive and start even earlier.

“On occasions costs ended up to be too high and that was the really limiting factor in terms of new bids. The IOC has to understand this and do something about it, to sit down with the cities who are interested well in advance and find out if we can work together.”

Event rights holders including international federations, national Olympic committees, bidding and organising committees comprise a substantial and growing part of the Host City audience.

Sir Craig Reedie has immense experience leading all these types of organisations, from bringing badminton into the Olympic Programme and presiding over the sport’s international federation to chairing the British Olympic Association and the London 2012 bidding and organising committees. Until 2016 he was Vice President of the International Olympic Committee and is currently President of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

A full transcript of the interview with Sir Craig Reedie will be published in the Autumn issue of Host City magazine.

For more information about Host City visit www.hostcity.com

On 28 to 30 June the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission met with the organising committee of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) to visit venues and discuss hosting plans.

The IOC gave a very positive appraisal of Tokyo’s budget, Games infrastructure and ability to reach new audiences.

Budget efficiencies

Earlier this year, Tokyo responded to pressure to minimise the cost of hosting the Games by reducing the budget from US$18.1bn to $12.9bn, comprising US$5.6bn for the organising committee and further expenditure by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Japanese National Government.

During meetings with the Coordination Commission, these organisations affirmed their commitment to work with the IOC to find further opportunities to reduce cost. The Coordination Commission also noted Tokyo’s 2020’s ability to generate revenue.

“Planning is going extremely well; it is exceptionally detailed and precise; and Tokyo’s commercial programme is remarkable,” said IOC Coordination Commission Chair John Coates. “We do not have any concerns about this.

“We continue to work with the Organising Committee, led by President Mori, and all of the local stakeholders to ensure that the Games are a force for good. We encourage our Japanese friends to engage with young people and inspire their citizens, while also identifying additional efficiencies to reduce the overall Games budget.”

New audiences

The IOC said in a statement the Coordination Commission was “impressed with the Japanese host city’s plans to bring the Games to new audiences.”

These efforts include projects to engage the whole country in the build up to the Games and a renewed focus on gender balance, youth and urban events in the sports programme.

“The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will not only inspire the world during 16 days of competition but will bring new audiences to the Games and their values in the lead-up”, said Coates.

“With the support of Tokyo 2020, we recently added 15 events to the Olympic programme, delivering greater gender equality and more of an urban and youth focus, while reducing the overall number of participants. Our discussions this week have highlighted several ways in which this significant step forward will benefit the athletes and allow Tokyo to involve people who might not necessarily have been interested in the Games before.

“The ongoing work on an urban feel in the waterfront zone, pre-Games engagement activities, and Tokyo 2020’s athletes first focus means that we leave Tokyo excited about what the future holds for these Olympic Games.”

Ways of involving Japanese citizens in preparing for the Games include donating old electronic devices to be used to create medals, and participating in a nationwide flag tour.

Games infrastructure

At the Olympic Village, the Coordination Commission members were briefed on the “uniquely Japanese experience” that the athletes will receive in 2020.

The IOC noted that planning and construction for the National Stadium are proceeding on budget and on track for completion in November 2019. At 72,400 sq m, this is Tokyo 2020’s largest competition venue construction project, set to have 3,000 workers on site at the height of construction.

The IOC said “Tokyo 2020 has been able to benefit significantly from the recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020. This is reflected not only in the modernisation of the Olympic programme, but also in the ability to help it to invest as efficiently as possible in the organisation of the Games, such as the approximately USD 2.2 billion of savings from the revised construction budget.”

The itinerary included a stop at the downtown Aomi Sports Cluster, where by sport climbing, skateboarding, and Paralympic Football 5-a-side athletes hoping to compete in Tokyo 2020 expressed their excitement at being a part of the Games.

“It was my first visit to the venue site for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020,” said IFSC Climbing World Championship bronze medallist Akiyo Noguchi. “Today’s visit made me feel that this is becoming a reality, and I am now totally determined. I would love to climb the wall right here three years from now.”

“I have never taken part in a skateboarding contest in a venue this size – the audiences are going to be huge,” said 15 year-old skateboarder Nishimura. “I think it will be a good opportunity to show everyone what kind of sport skateboarding is. I am looking forward to it.”

Responsibility to athletes

Other areas of Games preparations discussed included services to athletes, National Olympic Committees, International Federations, the media and spectators; marketing; and the Paralympic Games.

“We had very productive discussions at the Coordination Commission meetings this week,” said Yoshiro Mori, President of the Tokyo Organising Committee. “I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to the members of the Commission for their valuable advice.

“The young rising athletes who came to meet us on Wednesday at the Aomi Sports Cluster, where their sports events will take place in three years, told us with such excitement about their dreams and expectations for Tokyo 2020. It reminded me of all the other young athletes around the world who are working very hard towards their dreams. I felt once again the importance of my responsibility to them. We will continue to strive to deliver successful Olympic Games, and display the value of sports to the world.”

[Source: Glasgow 2018] Scottish businesses account for 70 per cent of registrations for future procurement opportunities through the Glasgow 2018 European Championships with more than 538 registrations to date.

During the next few months, a further 17 tendering contracts each with a value of over £50,000 will be available to businesses who have registered with www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk, covering a range of services including ground transport, media operations, audio visual systems and sports equipment.

The number of businesses already registered on www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk for future opportunities include 386 Scottish companies classed as micro or small buwsinesses and 127 Glasgow-based businesses.

The multi-sport event has already awarded nine procurement opportunities covering a total value of £16,500,000.

To be staged every four years, the Glasgow 2018 European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of Athletics, Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon along with a new Golf team championships. The first edition will be held in August 2018, between 2 and 12 August, in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin. Tickets are now on sale at www.glasgow2018.com

Glasgow 2018 European Championships have been working the Supplier Development Programme (SDP) to maximise opportunities for businesses in the city and Scotland. SDP works closely with suppliers to get them tender ready so they have the best possible chance of winning contracts by offering free information, support and information events.

Minister for Public Health and Sport Aileen Campbell said: “This new multi-sport event is the next big thing on the events calendar for Glasgow and Scotland following the best ever Commonwealth Games in 2014.

“Scotland’s visitor economy is worth £11 billion. Staging the 2018 European Championships aligns perfectly with and builds upon Scotland’s national events strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage.

“We are committed to ensuring this major event provides opportunities for businesses in Glasgow and across Scotland by opening up new audiences and markets.”

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The Glasgow 2018 European Championships is already providing big opportunities for businesses in the city and across Scotland – and that will continue over the next year and right up until the start of the event.

“Staging Glasgow 2018 will also undoubtedly boost the city’s global profile as a visitor destination, at a time when almost 30,000 people are employed in tourism and related industries. In 2014, the Commonwealth Games helped attract 2.7 million visitors to Glasgow, generating £687 million for the local economy.”

Sponsorship opportunities that will give businesses the right to associate with the event and receive a rights and benefits package are available. Businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities can find out more by visiting www.glasgow2018.com or contacting the sponsorship team at info@europeanchampionships.com

For more information about Supplier Development Programme (SDP), please visit https://www.sdpscotland.co.uk

[Source: Glasgow 2018]

[Source: SportAccord Convention] SportAccord Convention confirms registration is open for the sixteenth edition of the Convention set to take place in Bangkok, Thailand from 15-20 April 2018. A city destination brimming with opportunities, #SAC2018 will be held at the five-star Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld, a world-class conference complex in the heart of the capital.

The Official Signing Ceremony for #SAC2018 took place in the Host City Bangkok on 31 May 2017 and was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, and the Minister of Tourism and Sports for Thailand, with well over 100 people in attendance from government, media and other organisations. Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord Convention said:

“SportAccord Convention is the biggest annual global gathering of the sporting community and is the only Convention worldwide with every International Federation present. Without doubt, the SportAccord Convention in Bangkok is going to present a myriad of opportunities for every organisation and delegate who attends. Hatt went on to say:

“The business of sport has grown enormously since the last Convention took place in the region and I would strongly recommend anyone who has a stake in sport, to take advantage of the unique networking opportunities SportAccord Convention offers and register for Bangkok.”

The multiplex venue provides a complete experience for delegates attending the Convention. Both the hotel and the convention centre connect seamlessly with CentralWorld, one of the largest lifestyle and shopping complexes in Southeast Asia. Organisations are encouraged to book their place early and take advantage of the early-bird rate of CHF1,500 (a discount of CHF1, 000 from the list price), available for a short period only.

The conference rooms and state-of-the-art exhibition hall offer outstanding facilities with natural day-lit rooms in a pillar-less environment. Exhibitor visibility will be second-to-none, and dedicated networking zones will help to showcase what organisations have to offer and how delegates connect.

The world’s premier annual event at the service of sport, SportAccord Convention is the place where sport meets whether it’s for International Federations, organising committees, cities and regions, marketing and sponsorship enterprises, legal teams, insurance companies, healthcare organisations, and many more. The Convention creates the occasion to build relationships, seed ideas and gain visibility on a world-stage, and many of these, play out as new business opportunities, or projects to further develop and support the sports movement.

As Deborah Jevans (CBE), former Tennis Player and the first woman to be appointed Director of Sport for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games (London 2012) told SportsPro during a podcast (08:05) at this year’s Convention in Aarhus, Denmark:

“SportAccord Convention is the place to be seen and is a really important event in the sporting calendar. The growth of sport has advanced as a business and is not just about the field of play. You don’t necessarily do a deal here but there is a lot of networking, a lot of conversations take place and relationships are created. Jevans went on to say, “Talking to companies during the Convention in Aarhus confirms this. SportAccord Convention provides the opportunity to meet any number of people from throughout the whole world.”

The Convention will include a 3-day exhibition as well as a full conference programme focused on sponsorship and marketing. Programme streams will include the Plenary, City Forum, LawAccord, MediaAccord and HealthAccord.  The Convention also offers numerous social events giving delegates the opportunity to network outside more formal settings, including the daily Exhibition Cocktails, Opening Ceremony and After Hours Bar, and its cultural programme will also take advantage of all that Bangkok has to offer.

[Source: SportAccord Convention] Francesco Ricci Bitti, President of ASOIF, announced today that he will stand down as President of SportAccord Convention, but will remain on the Executive Committee of the organisation representing the major stakeholder, ASOIF.

Following the situation in May 2015 when the previous President of SportAccord resigned, Ricci Bitti, together with Gian-Franco Kasper, the FIS President, ensured the continuity of both the Association and the Convention. Kasper became interim President of SportAccord Association and Ricci Bitti was elected President of SportAccord Convention in June 2015.

“Gian-Franco was able to accomplish the approval of new statutes for SportAccord Association that clarified the mission and governance rules and culminated in the election of Patrick Baumann as a new president for a four year term,” said Ricci Bitti. “My mission was to take care of the continuity of the Convention; mission that we believe has been accomplished with the very successful organisation of Lausanne 2016 and Aarhus 2017, in spite of very challenging conditions. The announcement of Bangkok 2018 and the interest received from many other potential candidates give us great confidence for the future years. SportAccord Association (newly renamed GAISF) and Convention are two different legal entities, but maximum integration is recommended – being the Convention the most relevant activity of the Association. It is just time to return to a common leadership for the two entities. For this reason I want to thank the board for accepting my proposal to be replaced by Patrick Baumann assuring him the support of ASOIF.”

On this occasion, Patrick Baumann expressed: “I would like to thank Francesco Ricci Bitti for his confidence and his great commitment in this transition time and I look forward to the continuing success of GAISF and SportAccord Convention to the benefit of all member IFs and Associations.”

At this year’s Annual Event of the Association of Global Events Suppliers (AGES) in March 2017 in Basel, Daniel Cordey, Chairman of AGES moderated a panel discussion featuring: Gilbert Felli, IOC’s Senior Olympic Games Advisor; Masamitsu Isaka, Senior Director, Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (TOCOG); Paul Jouanneau, Director of Installation Centralised Services, Rio Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Rio2016); Jeff Keas, Senior Event Architect / Senior Principal at Populous; and Hans Verhoeven, CEO of MTD and deputy chairman of the Association of Global Event Suppliers (AGES).

AGES shared with Host City some of the panellists’ comments.

Daniel Cordey: What were your personal ups and downs as the Director of Centralised Services, including the overlay for the Rio 2016 Games?

Paul Jouanneau: To summarise my feelings, I would say I felt:

Despair to have so much do to do and so little time and few people when joining the organiser. This resulted in a huge learning curve.

Fear of failure due to the quantity of crucial decisions to be done in a such a short time, while staying optimistic.

Proud of the achievements, even though there is still a way to go to finalise all deals because of the finance gap.

Daniel Cordey: How can you describe your experiences as the senior IOC advisor for the Rio 2016 Games, or in other terms, what were your major challenges?

Gilbert Felli: The experience from Rio was that altogether there was a low understanding about the requirements for temporary infrastructure for an event such as the Olympic Games. However, the bigger challenge was the fact that we never had a finalised responsibility matrix between the different partners for the delivery of this temporary infrastructure. Not only was this matrix not clear on every subject but, many times, agreements that had been reached between parties were completely reversed a few weeks later. This gave an uncertainty for the Organising Committee and the delivery partners on what they had to deliver and who would finance it. This delayed decisions and put both the organisers (OCOG) budget and the operation plans at risk.

Daniel Cordey: You mentioned that the constant transfer of responsibilities between the stakeholders affected the delivery of the infrastructure. Can you specify?

Paul Jouanneau: Sure, as example: by the end of 2014, City Hall required Rio2016 to assume the execution of International Broadcast Centre’s HVAC and Energy and Electrical power and outlets. This scope was never forecast and no team available. The tender process restarted from scratch to comply with Rio2016 Governance.

At a certain point Maracana and Copacabana Clusters overlays were to be supplied trough City Hall and federal government respectively. The decision took close to six months, was negative and implied in a huge delay in project and construction.

Daniel Cordey: The use of temporary infrastructures is promoted through the IOC Agenda 2020 to reduce costs and to avoid so-called “white elephants”. Do host cities know how to deal with temporary infrastructures?

Gilbert Felli: Let me reassess that the IOC had always clearly stated, during the bid process or as soon as the Games were awarded, that venues with no legacies should be constructed in a temporary manner. However, this message was never clearly understood by all partners, both from the Olympic Family and the local organisers.

On the organisers’ side, there was always an optimistic view on possible future legacies of the venues. Agenda 2020 finally clarified the IOC position both within the Olympic Family and with the organisers. Following this clarification, the IOC will have to be more proactive in the future with assisting organisers in managing all the temporary infrastructure delivery process.

Daniel Cordey: You deplored the lack of inventory of certain overlay items and too little cooperation between the national and the international supply chain. What went wrong?

Paul Jouanneau: The cooperation between local and international supplier occurred but not on long-term perspective as it would be expected. Cooperation seemed to happened just by necessity. Somehow, the difficult economic and political situation contributed to that approach.

Daniel Cordey: From a global supplier’s point of view, how could the cooperation between local and global suppliers be triggered?

Hans Verhoeven: Local involvement is important to close international deals. The format for this can change per commodity supplier and per country. It can go from joint ventures with local companies or just supplying equipment to a local supplier or hiring a local representative and offer to set up a local company with local purchasing of equipment and hiring local employees. My experience is that the event supplier must always have a local component in their offer. The more local content in your offer, the more chance to close the deal.

Daniel Cordey: What would you wish the organiser to change or improve in the procurement process?

Hans Verhoeven: Procurement should start earlier (about two years ahead of the Games), the procurement process itself talking with the international event suppliers even earlier. Experienced overlay suppliers can provide valuable inputs to the Overlay team with workshops and other means. This helps them with the design and budget processes. Also, specialised suppliers can help the organiser with feasibility studies and value engineering. With clear and practice orientated information the procurement process and quality of tender documents can be improved. Another point would be to have contracts with a rate card to enable the process in closing early contracts at least one year in advance.

Daniel Cordey: You are often involved in the Venue Development and Planning process for Olympic Games. What do you focus on when consulting, or supervising local design companies, in particular when it comes to temporary infrastructure?

Jeff Keas: We get involved at different timelines in the life of a major event including the bid phase and after a city has won the rights to host a major event.  After a city has won, we work on both permanent facility design (masterplans, stadia, arenas, etc.) as well as temporary or overlay design. When working with an organising committee on the overlay design Populous looks at major events from what I would describe as a holistic approach – meaning strategy and program management, design, procurement, delivery/site management and operations. 

The overlay design is a reflection on the operations.  The design should reflect the procurement and delivery strategy.  And the overall program management strategy will impact the overlay process.

Many of our clients are new to major event planning and overlay so we inform them about overlay and the overall overlay process.  We advise on cost efficient methods but also look for opportunities to raise the level of design.  We focus on the experiential side while also looking for opportunities to generate revenue for our clients.

Daniel Cordey: You visited Rio as the responsible of procurement of the next Olympic Games. What were your key learnings with respect to the procurement of overlays when visiting the Rio 2016 Games?

Masamitsu Isaka: I learned a lot from Rio2016. I have visited Rio and by visiting the actual place of the Games, I have gained a lot of information such as the scale for the Games and had the opportunities to contact global companies.

Firstly, I learned the importance of speed and timing. Specifically, it is important to evaluate and make decisions at an appropriate timing in order to prevent costs rising. For that purpose, I also learned that it is important to exchange information with enterprises who have experiences and knowledge, like AGES members.

The second one is the balance of price and quality. The third one is the difficulty of handling after Games.

It is difficult to procure a large scale of commodities, but I learned that dealing with them after the Games is also difficult. Thus, we need to think about after the Games at the time of procurement. For that purpose, we would like to rent and lease as much as possible.

Finally, I learned about the importance of the proper use of turnkey and commodity base, with regard to the procurement method.

In Japan there are few transactions with international suppliers in terms of overlay, thus we need to deepen mutual understanding.

Daniel Cordey: How do you expect the global event suppliers to prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Games?

Masamitsu Isaka: I believe that cooperation and input from global event suppliers with abundant experiences and knowledge is necessary for the success of the Games. Not only introducing past achievements, but to make suggestions on what AGES and its members can do for Tokyo 2020. Therefore, we invite you to deepen the understanding of our culture and customs and to offer competitive services, which we will truly need.