[Source: SportAccord Convention] SportAccord Convention is delighted to confirm that Michael Evans, President of the Alibaba Group will be the Keynote for this year’s Plenary Conference, Innovation in Action at the 15^th edition, to be held at the Aarhus Convention Center, Denmark from 2 – 7 April 2017.

The Keynote will begin on Wednesday, 5 April at 09:10 to 09:40 and take the format of a Fireside Chat with David Eades, Anchor and Journalist, BBC World. The session is entitled: Open Sesame: Unlocking the rich potential of new sporting horizons, and using innovation to drive sport to a new level of entertainment and fan engagement.

When Sydney hosted the Olympic Games in 2000, Alibaba was a Chinese start-up and not quite a year old. Fast forward 18 years and Alibaba has now grown into the world’s largest online and mobile commerce company. Alibaba is now expanding into media, entertainment and sport, recently forging an historic long-term partnership with the IOC through 2028, using technological innovation and know-how to contribute to the Olympic Movement.

As President, Michael Evans is responsible for leading and executing Alibaba Group’s international growth strategy. Commenting on Alibaba’s involvement in the SportAccord Convention, Evans said:

“We’re delighted to be taking part in the SportAccord Convention as this gives us an opportunity to   share some of the key insights and innovative approach Alibaba is taking when it comes to sport and entertainment, the growth of the digital and mobile market, as well as the exciting potential of the Chinese market for sport.”

Panel sessions and case studies following the Keynote will include:

• Plenary Panel Session entitled: Innovation – A permanent change revolution, or an opportunity to reset your sport?
• Innovation in the Business of Sport
• IF Innovation in Action – International Orienteering Federation
• Future Sports – Drone Racing

Nis Hatt, Managing Director of SportAccord Convention said, “We’re delighted Alibaba will open the Plenary Conference focused on Innovation in Action. With the increasing significance of sport in China in terms of fan engagement and business growth, there are significant opportunities to be had by everyone. Alibaba’s meteoric rise will most certainly have some bearing on what we hear during the Keynote.”

SportAccord Convention is the world’s premier and most exclusive annual event at the service of sport. It is focused on driving positive change internationally and dedicated to engaging and connecting; international sports federations, rights holders, organising committees, cities, press and media, businesses and other organisations involved in the development of sport.

The Convention is host to annual general meetings of governing bodies, and once again, will welcome a delegation from the International Olympic Committee. The 6-day Convention includes the Plenary Conference, City Forum, LawAccord, MediaAccord, the Exhibition, as well as the Opening Ceremony and Closing Event.

An impressive speaker line-up and record turnout will mark the third annual event of the Association of Global Event Suppliers (AGES) from March 19-21 in Basel, Switzerland.

AGES, based in Switzerland, was formed in 2014 to become the label for quality for temporary and demountable infrastructure works for major events. The interest in its annual event proves that AGES is paving the way to becoming the platform and global representative of event builders.

A number of recognised personalities of the industry will attend and speak at the event. Attendees includes Marco Balich, producer of many Olympic ceremonies, and David Grevemberg, CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation. Meanwhile representatives of large event organisers such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the World Expo 2020 in Dubai will speak to the executives of the member and associate member companies.

“I am encouraged by the development,” said Daniel Cordey, chairman of AGES. “Organisers of large events start using our services and our membership grows. In fact, it has tripled in just three years and become more global, representing all kinds of works categories and services.”

At the General Assembly Meeting the members will decide about the elaboration of a new Guide. This Guide shall provide comprehensive information for event organisers, building authorities and governmental bodies to assist throughout the delivery process of temporary infrastructure (overlays).

This advisory document will contain general (part one) and technical information (part two) and support the stakeholders in achieving a cost-effective and professional handling of overlays for any type of event.

The event also offers presentations from the AGES partners EY Group and SOS Global, who will report about the work done in the thematic working groups, presenting a logistic guide and new contract templates to be used by the members.

Gleneagles, the world-renowned luxury hotel, has been unveiled as an Official Supporter of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – an exciting new multi-sport event that will see Gleneagles make golfing history as host of the first ever European Golf Team Championships.

The news comes a week after the announcement of Atos as Glasgow 2018’s first Official Supporter.

To be staged every four years, the European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of Athletics, Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon. The first edition will be held in 2018 in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin.

The European Golf Team Championships is the only new event being staged as part of Glasgow 2018 and will take place at the famous Jack Nicklaus-designed Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course – the same venue that hosted Europe’s memorable victory over the USA in the 2014 Ryder Cup.

The Championships promise to be a game changing moment for golf, with Europe’s elite men and women set to compete together for the first time. It is backed by the European Tour and Ladies European Tour and will include a men’s and women’s event along with a ground-breaking mixed competition.  

Host Venue and Official Supporter Gleneagles is home to some of the best golf facilities in the world including three championship courses and the PGA National Golf Academy. Gleneagles is a former long-standing European Tour and Ladies European Tour venue and has unrivalled experience of hosting international events such as The Ryder Cup.

The European Golf Team Championships will also build on Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for major events such as The Open, Scottish Open and Women’s British Open as well as major one-off events like The Ryder Cup and The Solheim Cup.

Aileen Campbell MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Sport, said: “Gleneagles has staged many prestigious golf tournaments through its history and was the home to what many regard as the best Ryder Cup ever in 2014. In 2018 Gleneagles will be the magnificent setting for European Championships and will see elite men and women golfers compete together for the first time. 

“In 2014 the Ryder Cup players spoke about the top class facilities, an enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowd and left with good memories and we know it will be the same for those taking part in the inaugural European Championships in 2018.”

Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The European Championships will be a new highlight on the global sporting calendar, set to be played out in front of a potential television audience of up to one billion people.

“Gleneagles is a world leader when it comes to golf and we are delighted that they will play such a crucial role in the delivery of the new European Golf Team Championships, which will be a real first for world sport.

“Glasgow is the gateway to Scotland and partnerships such as this with Gleneagles will help us bring one million more people to the city as part of Glasgow’s Tourism and Visitor Plan to 2023.”

Bernard Murphy, Gleneagles’ Managing Director, said: “We’re proud to be associated with what will be a ground-breaking moment in sporting history. The event will build on Gleneagles’ long history of raising the bar in golf and breaking cultural boundaries in sport – including the first match between British and American professionals in 1921.

“We look forward to continuing that tradition at the European Golf Team Championships, when Europe’s leading men and women compete together for the first time, in what will be a real historic moment for the sport.

“We are therefore delighted to be announced as an Official Supporter of Glasgow 2018, and look forward to delivering an inspiring event that will strengthen Gleneagles’ reputation as one of the foremost golfing venues in the world.”

Attendances across Glasgow 2018 are expected to be in the region of 250,000 with registration for priority access to tickets currently available at www.glasgow2018.com for all sports including golf.

As part of the inaugural European Championships in 2018 around 3,000 athletes will visit Scotland for six events (Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon) while a further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin as part of the European Athletics Championships.

Eventbrite, the ticketing and event technology platform which powers more than two million events each year, has acquired Ticketscript, one of Europe’s largest self-service ticketing providers.

The acquisition positions Eventbrite as Europe’s third largest ticketing platform, and expands the company’s global prominence as a leading live music event technology partner.

In 2016, Ticketscript and Eventbrite’s combined European operations processed more than 35 million tickets worth more than €500 million for nearly one million events. Following the acquisition, around a quarter (23 per cent) of Eventbrite’s global employees will work in Europe.

Founded in 2006, Ticketscript is headquartered in Amsterdam and is active in five European countries: the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Belgium.

Frans Jonker, CEO of Ticketscript, who will join Eventbrite as GM for continental Europe, said: “We have been building significant market presence in Europe for 10 years, with a focus on self-service ticketing for music events. We share Eventbrite’s passion for allowing event organisers to control their event marketing and ticketing, whilst retaining their end customer data.

“Joining forces with Eventbrite will no doubt help further accelerate the digital transformation of the European live experience industry.”

Eventbrite processed 150 million tickets for more than 600,000 event organisers in 180 countries last year. Founded in San Francisco in 2006, Eventbrite opened its first international presence in London in 2011, and maintains offices in eight countries on four continents. The company’s other European operations are in Ireland, Germany, and most recently the Netherlands.

Julia Hartz, CEO and Co-Founder of Eventbrite, said: “This acquisition supercharges Eventbrite’s footprint in Europe and brings 10 additional years of traction in the music space and experience in European markets to our business. It perfectly aligns with our strategic vision to become the world’s leading marketplace for live experiences, and adds significant assets and technical power to our platform.

“We are looking forward to this new partnership combining the best solutions from both companies, and bringing them to our customers around the world.”

Atos, a leader in digital transformation, has been confirmed as the first Official Supporter of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships as a Timing, Scoring and Results (TSR) provider.

The announcement follows the highly successful participation of both Atos and Glasgow 2018 in Host City 2016 Conference and Exhibition in November. Glasgow 2018 exhibited at Host City 2016, while Kulveer Ranger, ‎Vice President Strategy & Communications at Atos UK & I spoke on a panel discussion alongside Julian Ternisien, Head of Sports Rights, European Broadcasting Union - the broadcast partner of the European Championships.

Atos Group is also Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games.

Glasgow 2018 is an exciting new multi-sport event that brings together some of Europe’s leading sporting competitions.

Excitement continues to build ahead of Glasgow 2018, which promises to be a new highlight on the global sporting calendar and will build on Scotland’s reputation for delivering world-class sporting and cultural events.

Starting in 2018, the European Championships will be staged every four years and will combine the existing European Championships of Athletics, Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon with a new Golf team event. The first edition will be held in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin.

Atos will provide the Timing, Scoring, Results and TV graphics service for Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics and Triathlon, as well as the TV graphics highlights package for all sports, providing a seamless viewing experience for a potential TV audience of over one billion across Europe.

Aileen Campbell MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Sport, said: “The 2018 European Championships provides Scotland with an exceptional opportunity to build on the success of hosting major events such as the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup over recent years. It will help us to further enhance our reputation as a world class venue for international sporting events.”

Councillor Archie Graham OBE, Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Glasgow’s sporting reputation has never been higher thanks to our international sporting events programme. The European Championships will see us embark on the next stage of this proud sporting journey in partnership with Europe’s leading sports.

“Atos is a world leader when it comes to providing digital services for major sporting events and has shown time and time again that they can deliver on the global stage.

Their proven experience will put Glasgow 2018 in the best possible position to deliver a truly world-class event for athletes and spectators alike.”

Gavin Thomson, Senior Vice President, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and Big Data and Security UK&I at Atos said: “We are confident that the Glasgow 2018 European Championships will be a great success. Atos was delighted to play a leading role in Glasgow 2014 - an event seen as one of the best Commonwealth Games ever staged.”

Marta Sanfeliu Ribot, Chief Operating Officer, Major Events, Atos said: “We have delivered innovative IT solutions for the Olympic and Paralympic Games for more than 20 years and once again the digital transformation involved in bringing events like Glasgow 2018 to an increasingly sophisticated worldwide audience is a challenge we relish. Glasgow has an internationally acclaimed reputation for hosting major sporting events and this is another key opportunity to showcase the city, the athletes and the support sponsors involved.”

Scottish Triathlete Marc Austin, who staged a memorable performance at Strathclyde Country Park, during the 2014 Commonwealth Games said: “It is fantastic to see a world-renowned brand like Atos lend their name to the Glasgow 2018 European Championships and it confirms how highly regarded this event will be.

“The feeling of competing in front of a home crowd at the Commonwealth Games is something that will live with me forever and I’ll be working hard to gain that experience again at 2018. The addition of the Triathlon Age Group Championships will create a real carnival atmosphere at Strathclyde Country Park and everyone in the Triathlon community is looking forward to it.”

As part of the inaugural European Championships in 2018 around 3,000 athletes will visit Scotland for six events (Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon) while a further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin as part of the European Athletics Championships.

The event will build on Glasgow and Scotland’s track record of hosting major international events including the 2014 Commonwealth Games, 2014 Ryder Cup and 2015 World Gymnastics Championships.

About the 2018 European Championships

1. The 2018 European Championships will be staged by the European Federations and the Host Cities of Glasgow and Berlin.

2. The Glasgow 2018 event will be held between 2nd and 12th August and the European Athletics Championships will be between 7th and 12th August in Berlin.

3. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the umbrella body for Europe free-to-air channels, will be the broadcast partner for the Championships. There is a potential television audience of around 1.03 billion for the event with many more viewers across multiple digital platforms.

4. Around 3,000 athletes will travel to Scotland as part of a total delegation of around 8,500 including officials, media and others. A further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin.

5. The European Aquatic Championships will take place at Glasgow's Tollcross International Swimming Centre, with diving taking place at Edinburgh's Royal Commonwealth Pool, synchronised swimming at Scotstoun Sports Campus and open water swimming being staged at Loch Lomond.

6. Four European Cycling Championships will be staged in Glasgow and its metropolitan area. Track, Road, Mountain Bike and BMX will attract 650 of Europe’s top names to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, the Cathkin Braes Mountain Bike Trails, the streets of Glasgow and a new world championship and Olympic standard BMX track to be built in the Knightswood area of the city.

7. The European Golf Team Championships will take place at the Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course in Perth & Kinross.

8. The European Artistic Gymnastics Men’s and Women’s Championships will be staged at The SSE Hydro, the venue for the 2015 FIG World Gymnastics Championships.

9. The European Championships for both Rowing and Triathlon will both be staged at Strathclyde Country Park in North Lanarkshire.

10.Berlin's Olympic Stadium will be the venue for the European Athletics Championships with the road races and race walking events held throughout the city.

About Atos

Atos SE (Societas Europaea) is a leader in digital transformation with circa 100,000 employees in 72 countries and pro forma annual revenue of circa EUR 12 billion. Serving a global client base, the Group is the European leader in Big Data, Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace and provides Cloud services, Infrastructure & Data Management, Business & Platform solutions, as well as transactional services through Worldline, the European leader in the payment industry.

With its cutting edge technologies, digital expertise and industry knowledge, the Group supports the digital transformation of its clients across different business sectors: Defence, Financial Services, Health, Manufacturing, Media, Utilities, Public sector, Retail, Telecommunications, and Transportation. The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games and is listed on the Euronext Paris market. Atos operates under the brands Atos, Atos Consulting, Atos Worldgrid, Bull, Canopy, Unify and Worldline.

Atos is the worldwide IT partner of the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee. The global company has provided IT solutions to the Olympic Games since 1992 and to the Paralympic Games since 2002. Atos was a crucial partner in the digital transformation of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and played a key role in the delivery of the Games Management and Information Systems to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

[Source: Formula E] Formula E Holdings has announced that CMC Capital Partners are to become a shareholder in the company, adding to the growing list of investors joining the electric street racing series.

The investment is led by CMC Capital Partners - China’s leading investor and operator in media and entertainment, sports, internet and mobile, and lifestyle sectors - whose consortium also includes SECA (a CMC portfolio company).

Alejandro Agag, Founder & CEO of Formula E, said: “We are excited to welcome CMC Capital Partners, led by Mr. Ruigang Li, to the increasing list of investors joining Formula E and the electric revolution. China is an important player in the potential of electric vehicle manufacturing and production, and this partnership reinforces our intentions to promote sustainable mobility across Asia and Mainland China. The opening round of each season has been hosted in this region - Beijing and Hong Kong - and we have teams and drivers such as TECHEETAH and Ma Qing Hua already competing in the series. We look forward to working closely with CMC Capital Partners, and continuing to grow the profile of Formula E in key territories across the globe."

Ruigang Li, Founding Chairman of CMC, said: “The global automotive industry is now undergoing profound changes with the power source shifting to renewable energy from traditional petrochemical. China is playing a central role in promoting these changes with its vast auto market. The evolution of the auto industry has also brought historic opportunities for motorsports. Since its inauguration three years ago, Formula E has quickly evolved into a premium global sports IP under a first-class leadership, with remarkable progress in promoting sustainability, innovation, and market penetration of electric vehicles, as well as in media partnership, sponsorship and tourism. CMC has been focusing on investing in premium global and local sports IPs, and we look forward to working together with Formula E both in China and globally.”

Glasgow has signed a formal agreement to stage the 2018 European Triathlon Union (ETU) European Triathlon Championships as part of the inaugural 2018 European Championships.

The ETU event gives the chance for athletes from across a wide range of ages to be part of the 2018 European Championships – a new multi-sport event that brings together some of Europe’s leading sporting competitions.

Approximately 160 triathletes will head to Strathclyde Country Park in North Lanarkshire for three elite events (men’s, women’s and mixed relay) and 1,200 age group participants will also get the opportunity to represent their nation on the same course.

ETU president Renato Bertrandi said: “I am delighted that triathlon has been invited to be part of this new development. Triathlon is no longer a new sport but it is one of the youngest and still growing. We see whole families now attending races and the message from our sport is clear, ‘triathlon is inclusive, triathlon is good, triathlon is a way of life’.

“I was unable to attend the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow but many of my technical officials were there and from their first-hand accounts and from watching the coverage on TV, it is clear that not only were the Games a huge success but also that the city was one of the most welcoming. The athletes enjoyed the atmosphere there and the public were fantastic.

“I am also very pleased that our sport, based upon inclusivity, has traditionally seen Age-Group athletes racing at the same venue for championships and 2018 will be no different with thousands of athletes, from 16 to over 80 years of age, racing the Sprint Distance, making the journey to Scotland and to Glasgow to be part of this great sporting celebration.”

Colin Hartley, Glasgow 2018 Championships director, added: “Glasgow’s sporting reputation has never been higher having delivered some of the world’s most prestigious events in recent years. We are determined to build on that position in 2018 and deliver an outstanding European Championships.

“Triathlon will be at the very heart of the European Championships and we will do all that we can to continue the proud traditions of the sport, elevating the status of European triathletes. At the same time we are looking forward to staging the Age Group Championships, giving people of all ages the chance to represent their country.

“The triathlon course at Strathclyde Country Park proved popular with athletes and spectators alike during the 2014 Commonwealth Games and by working closely with our partners at North Lanarkshire we will ensure it will be even better this time around.”

Scottish triathlete Marc Austin, who staged a memorable race at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Triathlon event, said: “It's fantastic that the European Triathlon Union have signed the Host City agreement with Glasgow 2018. It's certainly going to be one of the biggest triathlon events we've ever seen in Scotland. It's just great to have these big events coming to Scotland.”

To be staged every four years the European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of athletics, aquatics, cycling, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon and a new team golf event. The first edition will be held in the summer of 2018 in a unique sporting partnership between Europe’s leading sports federations, host cities Glasgow and Berlin, and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

As part of the inaugural European Championships in 2018 approximately 3,025 athletes will visit Scotland for six events (aquatics, cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon) while a further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin as part of the European Athletics Championships.

The event will build on Glasgow and Scotland’s track record of hosting major international events including the 2014 Commonwealth Games, 2014 Ryder Cup and 2015 World Gymnastics Championships.

The European Championships is being held for the first time in 2018 in a unique partnership between Europe’s leading sports federations, the Host Cities of Glasgow and Berlin and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). This sporting partnership will create a new event on the world stage elevating the status of European Champions and attracting a potential television audience of up to 1.03 billion across the continent, with a wider audience via digital platforms.

To be staged every four years the European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of Athletics, Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon with a new Golf team event. Glasgow is Host City for all events with the exception of Athletics, which takes place in Berlin.

Around 3,000 athletes will visit Scotland during the Championships while a further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin.

And organisers have today agreed on an 11-day sports programme (2-12 August 2018), with 10 days of television coverage starting on Friday 3 August. The news comes just two months after the EBU confirmed that over 35 of its members, including the BBC, have now signed up to show the first edition of the new multi-sport concept in 2018.

Other EBU members already signed up include VRT (Belgium), HRT (Croatia), DT (Denmark), YLE (Finland), RTE (Ireland), NOS (Netherlands), NRK (Norway), TVP (Poland), SRG SSR (Switzerland), and SVT and TV4 (Sweden). The level of coverage for the inaugural European Championships is also enhanced by a deal with Eurosport.

As part of the confirmed sports programme synchronised swimming will now take place at Scotstoun Sports Campus in Glasgow, allowing the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh to focus on delivering a world-class diving competition. The move means both diving and synchronised swimming will benefit from enhanced broadcast coverage.

The 11-day sports programme contains two action packed weekends that will see venues across Glasgow and Scotland come alive as Europe’s finest athletes do battle in a bid to be crowned European champion.

Aileen Campbell, Scottish Government Minister for Sport, said: “The Championships are an excellent platform to showcase to a global audience just how good Scotland is at hosting major events, and the fact we are going to have 11 action packed days of sport only adds to that spectacle.

“We have an outstanding track record of successfully hosting events watched across the world and I’m sure that people across Scotland will welcome athletes and give them an experience that they’ll never forget.”

Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Excitement is building ahead of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships, with the final sports programme ensuring that Glasgow will continue to shine on the global stage.

“The fact that the city will be hosting an event watched by a potential television audience of one billion people is a golden opportunity for us. We will use the magical moments that the athletes, our fantastic home crowd and our many visitors will create to showcase everything we have to offer as a visitor destination.”

European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen, co-chair of the European Championships Board, said: “The European Sports Federation members of the 2018 Board are fully supportive of having an overall programme that will deliver a schedule packed with exciting finals and gold-medal moments for television. We all believe in the power of aggregation and the benefits for our sports that come from bringing our championships together in this exciting new event.”

Fellow co-chair Paolo Barelli, President of the Ligue Européenne de Natation (European Aquatics), said: “The sports programme in Glasgow will start with a number of qualifying rounds on Thursday 2 August before a packed weekend of sport on television starting on Friday 3 August. This optimised 10-day television program will create a fantastic viewing experience with audiences able to follow finals in multiple sports across the day and evening, with great storytelling opportunities for broadcasters. Indeed, it will intensify even further the power of aggregation that this European Championships provides.”

Stefan Kuerten, Director of Eurovision Services and Sports Rights, said: “We are very happy with this exciting 10-day television schedule for the 2018 European Championships. In a multi-sport event, you can choose between the different sports and the opportunity to follow your national athletes across a variety of sport.

“Television and radio channels will be able to switch from one highly attractive sport to another without interrupting their program and digital platforms will propose a large choice of content which will accommodate all viewers. Furthermore, it creates a close synergy between Glasgow and Berlin, with broadcasters able to crisscross between events in both cities as they follow their respective national medal hopes.

Glasgow 2018 will build on Scotland’s track record of hosting major international events including the 2014 Commonwealth Games, 2014 Ryder Cup and 2015 World Gymnastics Championships.

Download the programme for Glasgow 2018 here: DOWNLOAD PROGRAMME

Visit www.glasgow2018.com for further information on the Glasgow 2018 European Championships and to register for priority access to tickets, which go on sale this summer. 

[Source: EventScotland]

The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations’ (ASOIF) Olympic and Multi-Sports Games Consultative Group (AOMSG) held its first meeting of 2017 and top of the agenda was the International Federations’ (IFs) increasing role in the preparations of Olympic Games as well as Youth Olympic Games.

In the light of Olympic Agenda 2020, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) strategic roadmap for the Olympic Movement, IFs are required to be more involved in the planning and delivery of the Olympic competitions, including the transfer of some technical responsibilities from the Olympic Games Organising Committees (OCOGs) to the IFs.

This comes after a number of IFs expressed concern over venue standards during the run-up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. In April 2016, the gymnastics federation, FIG, held its Rio test event and concerns were raised over power outages, the scoring system and missing equipment at a temporary training venue.

The ultimate goal is to better utilise IFs’ growing events expertise and thereby ensure seamless organisation and a reduction of costs of the Olympic Games, for instance when it comes to venue design and development or the integration of IF workforce personnel into the OCOG.  

IOC experts joined in the AOMSG meeting to update the group on the preparations for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) to be held next year in Buenos Aires and about future plans for the development of the event.

During a detailed review of the YOG concept last year, driven by Olympic Agenda 2020, IFs gave important feedback on their experience with the first two summer YOG editions.

The IOC will deliver a report to all ASOIF members during a dedicated working meeting in Lausanne in April.

Expo 2020 Dubai will award 47 construction contracts worth $3 billion in 2017 as preparations for the Middle East’s first world expo continues to gather pace.

A further 98 non-construction contracts totalling more than $98 million will also be distributed before the end of the year. These will range from legal advisory services to event management and merchandising.

The construction contracts for 2017, which are open to local, regional and international businesses, include the third and final infrastructure package for the event’s support areas.

Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, said: “We are committed to working with leading businesses from across the world in order to deliver an exceptional event of this scale, on time and on budget.

“This is particularly true when it comes to the development of the physical site, which will live on long beyond 2021 to become an anchor for the UAE’s developing knowledge economy in Dubai South.

“But just as importantly, the non-construction contracts to be procured this year will allow us to spread the investment made in the Expo as far as possible and enable local, regional and international businesses of all sizes to be part of what will be the most inclusive and international event in Expo history.”

In 2016, Expo 2020 Dubai awarded more than 1,200 contracts, investing more than $544.5 million in the economy. This included the appointment of an Orascom-Besix joint venture at the end of the year to develop the deep infrastructure at the Expo site in Dubai South. Once complete, the site will cover 4.38 square kilometres and host up to 300,000 people a day between October 2020 and April 2021.

Ahmed Al Khatib, vice president of real estate and delivery, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “While 2016 was an important year for design, 2017 is when the momentum of construction will really build, ahead of international participants beginning work on their pavilions in 2018.

“These important contracts will help us meet our target of completing the majority of construction with a year to go before Expo 2020 Dubai opens its doors in October 2020, providing the opportunity for all-important readiness testing.”