The Daily>inside

weDnesDay, may 29, 2013

your guide to the saint petersburg sportaccord conventionwww.sportaccordconvention.com @saconvention #saCon13

>social City Forum focuses on new media

3>sportfive CeO shaila-Ann Rao on the global market 5

>cycling Pat McQuaid outlines the UCi’s major priorities

11

summer Federations to share the wealthinternational Olympic Committee

President Dr Jacques Rogge is expected to confirm a revenue windfall of more than US$500 million for ASOIF members when

he meets them today at SportAccord Convention.

The announcement is likely to be accompanied by details of a new grouping system for the summer Olympic sports, which will influence how much each of them receives from the pot.

The payment is the share of the proceeds from last year’s London Olympics which is to be allocated to members of ASOIF – the Association of Summer Olympics International Federations.

Andrew Ryan, Executive Director of ASOIF, said the initial sum had been expected to total around US$475 million – an increase of just over 60 per cent compared with US$296 million from Beijing – but the actual figure to be revealed by the IOC Executive Board today is likely to exceed US$500 million.

Ryan said the Olympic revenue amounts to 35–40 per cent of income for some sports, excluding FIFA, and that it will be distributed by ASOIF according to the new groups.

“It is a massive uplift in revenue from

the Olympics but there is also a big uplift in the business affairs of the International Federations,” Ryan told The Daily.

“We were given the job of distributing the money and we secured agreement

between the 28 members that they would agree the split on condition that the IOC reviews the five groups.”

The groups were originally set more than 20 years ago and have been revised

after taking into account key indicators from the London Olympics.

“They were not based on particularly detailed analysis in the past but now we have had a much more scientific approach,” said Ryan.

“The whole process has taken two years and is based very much on figures from the London Games, looking at things like ticket sales and TV audience for each sport. That is where the criteria have come from and the next thing that will happen is that the IOC Executive Board will present the new groups,” said Ryan.

The IOC Executive Board is due to meet at SportAccord Convention at 8:00 today and will update ASOIF in an open session at 9:15.

Addressing his first ASOIF General Assembly meeting since his election as President at SportAccord Convention last year, Francesco Ricci Bitti spoke of the importance of International Federations being seen as a valued part of the Olympic Movement.

He underlined the importance of his members being at the centre of all decision-making that affects their sports, and he promised a more proactive approach to achieve greater involvement.

Ricci Bitti also reaffirmed ASOIF’s

feTisov aT ConvenTionLegendary Russian ice hockey player Vyacheslav Fetisov will wrap up day one of SportAccord Convention’s conference programme later today by providing an unmissable insight into his glittering career.

The Interview of the Day with Fetisov will start at 17:00, half an hour later than originally scheduled, with the Spirit of Sport Awards (see preview on p9) moving back to a start time of 16:30.

Fetisov, a member of the National Hockey League Hall of Fame, was one of the first players from Russia to move to the North American league. The two-time Olympic champion also coached Russia’s Olympic ice hockey team and served for six years as the Russian Federation’s Minister of Sport.

From 10:00-10:30, Alexander Zhukov, President of the Russian Olympic Committee and First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, and SportAccord Convention Chairman Hein Verbruggen will welcome delegates at the start of the conference.

Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide CEO Kevin Roberts, NBC Executive Producer Jim Bell, Rio 2016 Olympics Organising Committee President Carlos Arthur Nuzman, UK Sports Minister Hugh Robertson and SPORTFIVE International CEO Shaila-Ann Rao (see interview on p5) are among the other stellar speakers lined up today.

uplift: francesco Ricci Bitti

Continued on page 2

2 news

Cities must look into the futureA panel of expert speakers

acknowledged yesterday at the City Forum that hosts of major sporting competitions have to look

beyond short-term economic benefits when they are considering whether they are the right destination for an event.

In the panel discussion entitled ‘The Right Fit: Matching Events with City Priorities’, panellists agreed that a positive legacy as part of a long-term vision is crucial.

“We have to be very cognisant that these events cost an enormous amount of money,” said Dr Laurine Platzky, Western Cape Deputy Director-General, who coordinated the region’s 2010 FIFA World Cup programme.

“It gave us enormous infrastructure, stadiums and transportation facilities, and our airports were completely revamped. Our service culture became very important. But we are very cautious with the opportunities that seem to sit up well, but that come at a great cost to the taxpayer as everyone knows that we have great challenges in terms of poverty and how to invest money.”

The panel took into account the financial challenges faced by developing countries that are keen to make a mark in the sporting world.

“The event really needs to be a milestone of long-term development for the city,” said Hazem Galal, Partner, State

and Local Government Sector Global Leader at PwC Qatar.

“In many ways when you look at developing cities it is what I call the Maslow hierarchy of cities – the legacy is going to be focused a lot more on developing infrastructure.

“Most importantly you must make sure that there is a sustainable legacy so that the infrastructure investments will be helpful for the development of the city and the country as well.

Bringing in the example of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, in which PwC is involved, Galal said that the tournament has “served as a catalyst because it comes with a date and a lot of scrutiny from the international community to actually implement these programmes on time”.

Andrew Craig, CEO of The Craig Company and an Adviser to Baku for the 2015 European Games, added: “The smaller the state, the more flexibility they have and the more direct lines of

communication exist to mould sport to what they want to happen in the context of the vision for the country. Azerbaijan has a clear vision of the goal of sport in the establishment of their nation.”

The need to prioritise the knowledge-sharing process between host cities was also highlighted.

“Legacy doesn’t just happen,” Platzky added. “You have to plan it, you have to strategise it and you have to budget for it.”

asoif seT To aDDress Challenges

sporTaCCorDConvenTion

sainT peTersburg

The DailyThe Daily is produced by squires Media – editorial communications and publishing for the international sporting community – www.squiresmedia.comeditor: rory squiresJournalists: phil ascough, Daniel Kozin, elena nikulicheva, alyona podvyazkina, natalia smolentseva, simon redfern, amanda strenz, peter Tenetko

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hosT CiTy parTners:

status as the umbrella body for its International Federations in all aspects of the sport movement where there are common issues.

Under his Presidency, ASOIF will continue to address what he believes are the four key challenges facing the sports.

He highlighted the issues around illegal and irregular betting and match-fixing, and the continuing fight against doping in sport.

Ricci Bitti also spoke of the autonomy of the Olympic movement and warned that as sport becomes more important it will attract more government attention in some countries, and with that the risk of

more interference.Ryan added: “Another major concern is

the increasing amount of sport.“Our members suffer from an

absolutely full sporting calendar and every time someone comes up with another multi-sport event it has a really big impact.

“In particular it affects athletes who become more prone to injury and have less time for recovery and it also affects sponsors, who are faced with more requests for their investment.”impact: andrew Ryan

‘a major concern is the increasing amount of sport’

- Andrew Ryan

Continued from page 1

event: Panellists at the City Forum

T he need for a comprehensive social media strategy for sports events was acknowledged by all participants at yesterday’s

SportAccord Convention conference panel session, ‘Using Social Media to Maximise Benefit’.

The main question discussed by the speakers was how to achieve success using Facebook, Twitter and the various other platforms in this fast-moving sector.

Eline Andersen, Event & Communication Manager, SportEvent Denmark, pointed out that social media had to live up to its name and be ‘social’.

“The new audience expects different content from social media, not content that the traditional media can offer them,” she said. “That is why the

approach should be more personal, containing more behind-the-scenes stories.”

International Masters Games Association CEO Jens Holm and Professor Andy Miah, the Director of the Creative Futures Institute at the University of Wales, also participated in the engaging session.

To succeed in social media, one needs a team ready to react to any sporting event, according to Lucien Boyer,

President and Global CEO, Havas Sports & Entertainment.

“We should think about the practical aspect for our audience,” he said. “If we show competition results in real time, people who did not attend the event might feel that they were actually there.

“By reporting about weather changes, for example, we will help people to adjust their plans to the situation, which is another practical thing about the approach to social media.”

When you post on Facebook, it is crucial to remember the ‘when’ factor, Andersen added, since the social media activity differs before, during and after the event.

In the days leading up to the competition it is better to post just a few stories to attract your audience’s attention and then once the event starts, the number of stories should increase as you report on the athletes’ results.

“No one cares if you tweet ‘have a good weekend’, but if you ask people how they will spend their weekend, they will definitely respond to you,” she said.

Boyer agreed that social media strategy should be based on audience engagement.

“What is important about social media is that you initiate a conversation with people instead of trying to push content,” he concluded.

Comprehensive sTraTegy neeDeD

news 3

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high five for sportaccordSportAccord has added to its burgeoning role as an organiser of multi-sport events, with five new concepts on the table.

The World Artistic Games, World Beach Games and World Urban Games have joined SportAccord’s portfolio, which opened in 2010, while the World Combat Games and World Mind Games will have their schedules expanded.

“The World Combat Games bring together 15 of our members from the Combat Sports Association,” said Vincent Gaillard, General Director of SportAccord.

“In 2011 we launched the World Mind Games, as four of our members are mind sports: chess, bridge, draughts and go. We have now included the Chinese game xiangqi.”

The three other three multi-sport events – the World Artistic Games, World Beach Games and World Urban Games – will be launched soon.

sportaccord convention is delighted to welcome oao MeZHregionenergosByt as a presenting partner of the 2013 event in saint petersburg

‘the new audience expects different content from social media’

- Eline Andersen

4 news

ski race grows

International Korfball Federation President Jan Fransoo is targeting 2028 for the sport to make its Olympic Games debut.

Fransoo will continue to serve ARISF as President Emeritus after stepping down this week as the organisation’s President, but he made it clear his sporting priority now will be to prepare korfball for the Olympics.

The Dutchman had completed two terms and a total of eight years at the top of ARISF – the Association of IOC Recognised International Sport Federations –

before stepping down this week at SportAccord Convention.

He told The Daily: “I have served this community for the past eight years and it’s good that someone else takes over.

“I hand over an organisation that is in good shape. It is financially healthy and we have an excellent relationship with the IOC. We have gained a lot of recognition within the SportAccord community.”

As new President Raffaele Chiulli took up the reins of ARISF, Fransoo spoke of his

own plans for the future. “I have decided not to run because I want to focus more on my own federation,” he said. “With korfball we have a long-term campaign to be able to develop and be ready to enter the 2028 Olympic Games, so by 2020 we should be on a par with other federations that are competing.

“We have some things that give us the edge over other sports – we are a mixed sport but we need to make a number of steps in our development and we will focus on that in the next few years.”

A small-town Swedish ski race first held more than 90 years ago emerged as a model of the partnership between sport, sponsors and local communities when the story unfolded as part of the

City Forum agenda.Anders Selling, Managing Director of Vasaloppet,

spoke of how the cross-country challenge based in Dalarna and held over a 90km route between the village of Sälen and the town of Mora attracted 119 entries for the first event in 1922.

Somehow it took off and now supports additional races and even a summer festival, 13 days of activity in total which attract more than 90,000 participants – plus their families – to a combined community of 35,000 people.

That community benefits from annual revenue of around 30million Euros generated by the event, an amount which Selling said is reward for their efforts.

“Vasaloppet has only 30 staff but we have 3,500 volunteers and we have extremely stable relations with our sponsors,” he said.

Swedish TV ranks the event as second only to the Eurovision Song Contest in viewing figures, with two million people watching live at 9:00 on a Sunday.

But such success brings new challenges, said Selling.

“We need to protect Vasaloppet and maintain it. In my little town we have to have a more professional organisation to match the best sponsorship and marketing organisations in Stockholm.

“What we are doing now is building more of an

event and learning how to put on more of a show.“Dedication is important because the Vasaloppet

is a strong tradition and we want to do it well. Co-operation is very important in a small town – with everyone, volunteers, fire brigade, hospital, town management.

“Professionalism is something we learn more and more.

“We need to be in the front line of how we work with sponsors and I think we are there.”

play to strengths

korfball looking to 2028 games

Cities need to integrate sporting events into their fabric to maximise hosting benefits, Dr Beatriz Garcia, the Head of Research at the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Cultural told delegates at the City Forum yesterday.

In an informative Keynote Address to set the tone for the City Forum, Garcia outlined the opportunities that major sporting events can provide to a host city, and emphasised the requirement for organisers to activate innovative and distinctive advertising campaigns to engage the local community.

Garcia also cited the famous destination of the 1992 Olympic Games diving competition at the Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc, when the host city of Barcelona provided a spectacular backdrop.

“It’s one of the well-known images of the diving pool at the top of the hill, with the Barcelona skyline in the background,” Garcia said. “The organisers of the Barcelona Olympic Games were the first to develop iconic images that really blend and integrate the city, the skyline and sporting activity.”

Garcia also referred back to the memorable logos of the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City and Munich and explained how such designs can showcase a community’s native cultural elements and leave a lasting impression. “Not only do these kinds of designs celebrate the event, but they tell the story of the city and its development,” Garcia added.

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‘co-operation is very important in a small town’

pRotect: anders Selling

news 5

The Daily: Could you outline sporTfive’s services in the sports sector?shaila-ann rao: “During recent more challenging times, we have focused on innovation and diversification. We have engaged with new sports and are proposing an extended range of marketing services. We continue to look for new opportunities to grow our business and to add value to our partners. Our teams are meeting with brands and listening to their needs so that we can propose tailor-made innovative solutions and accompany brands more closely with their future marketing projects.”

The Daily: not all economies are in reverse, of course. where has sporTfive found to be its key growth markets in recent years? sar: “The emergence of digital and social media is having a profound impact and

we are continuing to develop innovative projects. Last year we launched our digital streaming multi-platform, ‘Qualifiers2014’, to show live streaming of FIFA World Cup 2014 European Qualification matches and we have just finished a project with the French Ligue Nationale de Rugby to develop its digital commercial strategy.Many marketing budgets have been cut and companies have been forced to look for cost-effective forms of communication. Sponsorship provides an ideal opportunity for brands to engage with consumers and, unlike traditional advertising, it provides a focal point for real consumer dialogue. So, whilst many economies are still struggling,

the world of sports sponsorship is evolving. Exciting times are ahead and we are working with brands and rights-holders to explore new opportunities.”

The Daily: what are sporTfive’s plans over the coming months and years?sar: “We need to maintain our position as a leader in the distribution of sports media rights; to diversify our range of marketing services; to expand into new sports; to continue to innovate, notably in digital projects; and to get talent onboard and continue to develop our teams.”

The Daily: sporTfive has attended sportaccord Convention in previous years, but why did you decide to

become a gold partner for the 2013 Convention in saint petersburg?sar: “Previously, a large part of SPORTFIVE International’s business focused on football and media rights. As we move forward and continue to develop our business, we are looking at working with a wider number of sports and the possibility of offering innovative marketing solutions. The SportAccord Convention presents an ideal opportunity for us to meet with a maximum number of federations, governing bodies, host cities and rights-holders, amongst others, and we were keen to send a strong team to this year’s event to build relationships and lay the foundations for

future projects and partnerships.”

The Daily: why is sportaccord Convention an important event?sar: “SportAccord Convention is a major event on the annual sport business calendar – the impressive list of delegates and intense convention programme speak for themselves. A number of key decisions will be made and it is important for us to have a presence and to keep ahead. As a Gold Partner, we have been able to show our support for this event and the SportAccord community, whilst benefiting from networking opportunities and brand visibility.” sport and the global economy (Today, 15:15-16:15)

catcHing Up witH... sHaila-ann rao

‘We have engaged with new sports’

The Ceo of sporTfive international discusses the international sports marketing agency’s activities in the industry

6 aroUnD tHe convention

Multi-sports Games unit focuses on group offeringa fresh approaCh fig backing

for womenThe International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) will today become the latest governing body to endorse the Brighton Declaration on Women and Sport.

FIG President Bruno Grandi will use his visit to SportAccord Convention to confirm his organisation’s support in a signing ceremony to be hosted by the Finnish Olympic Committee at stand 2 in the exhibition hall.

The Declaration was introduced following the first international conference on women and sport, which was held in Brighton, England, in 1994.

Its over-riding aim is to continually develop a sporting culture that enables and values the full involvement of women in every aspect of sport.

The FIG will take the total number of signatories to 352, and the International Working Group on Women and Sport (IWG) is campaigning to increase that number.

The IWG is based at the Finnish Sports Confederation in Helsinki and will next year host its sixth World Conference on Women and Sport from June 12–15.

david Nivelle, the director of SportAccord’s Multi-Sports Games unit, has insisted that his division of the umbrella organisation for International

Federations and sports organisations wants to bring a fresh approach to the event-hosting industry.

Nivelle, who was appointed to the role in September 2012, is overseeing the development of five Games concepts with the aim of boosting exposure for the participant.

“We are aware it is a busy marketplace,” Nivelle told The Daily. “The International Federations are our members and we are launching these platforms with the idea of providing them with benefits, such as increasing visibility of their sports worldwide.

“Grouping sports together – especially if they have the right story and a concept that appeals to host cities – can be a powerful proposition, but obviously it is very important to find your space in the marketplace.

“We are not trying to replicate formats that are already successful. We’re approaching this with a different mindset.”

The second edition of the SportAccord World Combat Games will take place in Saint Petersburg from October 18-26, while the third edition of the annual SportAccord World Mind Games – comprising Bridge, Chess, Draughts, Go and Xiangqi – will take place in December in Beijing, China.

It is hoped that the inaugural edition of the SportAccord World Beach Games will take place in 2014, ahead of a major launch in 2015, while the SportAccord World Artistic Games and also the SportAccord Urban

Games, which will focus on sports that form the fabric of youth culture, are also in the pipeline.

“Currently we are working on consolidating our events portfolio, but we are a very young organisation,” Nivelle added.

“We’re working towards future success right now and we’re focusing on events that have the potential to be relevant to the public and provide benefits for the IFs.

“A very important part of the concept is the focus on social and educational issues. For all of these concepts, the IFs would have the ability to develop grassroots programmes for youngsters.

“So that is our aim: to use the power of multi-sports events to increase visibility for our member IFs, while on the other side engaging local communities. If we can achieve this then we may be able to find a niche in the marketplace.”

‘a very important part of the concept is the focus on social and educational issues’

COnCePt: David nivelle

aroUnD tHe convention 7

UK Sport’s Gold Event Series is the UK’s major events programme for 2013-2019. UK Sport are targeting 70 major events including 36 World and European Championships to build on the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Upcoming Events:— 2015 IPC World Swimming Championships, Glasgow— 2015 FIG World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Glasgow— 2017 IPC World Athletics Championships, London— 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships, London

Live Bids:— 2016 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, London — 2016 LEN European Swimming Championships, London

More information at www.uksport.gov.uk/events

supporT for aCTion on fixingEarly results from the LawAccord vote on how to tackle match-fixing indicate huge support for the use of legal action to deal with offenders.

Steve Townley, LawAccord Chairman, said the feedback is only preliminary but he expects to be able to build a more complete picture as SportAccord Convention delegates take up the opportunity to cast their votes.

Standing out among the results so far is the 96 per cent of respondents who think the offence of match-fixing should be codified and adopted in domestic legislation. More than 86 per cent say athletes, referees and other officials should face

action if they bet on their sport’s competitions even if they are not involved, with 90 per cent supporting plea-bargaining to aid investigations. Just over 86 per cent think sports federations should receive a financial contribution or a levy from betting operators towards the cost of integrity services.

“It is clear sport recognises it needs the help of governments to tackle match fixing, and that smaller sports need to have integrity services available to help them as well as the larger ones,” said Townley.

sportaccord convention delegates and the public can view the proposals at http://sportaccordconvention.com/#p739 and submit their opinions.

The Daily: what sort of impact has uK sport witnessed in the nine months since the london 2012 olympic and paralympic games?simon morton: “Since London 2012, the enthusiasm and appetite for sport in the UK has been nothing short of incredible.

“We’ve hosted a number of world level events such as the International Cycling Union (UCI) Track Cycling and BMX World Cups, the International Aquatics Federation (FINA) Diving World Series, and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Gymnastics World Cup, and the response from the public has been just fantastic with sell-out crowds for most days of these events.

“We’ve also seen a huge amount of interest around our top Olympic and Paralympic stars, with many of these becoming household names.

“All of these factors have led to a really positive outcome in terms of the legacy of sport in the UK, and which has resulted in our Government awarding record levels of funding for the next four years.”

The Daily: how is uK sport helping to manage and support the surge of increase across such a wide variety of sports in the wake of london 2012?sm: “As the UK’s high performance sporting agency we’re focused mainly on investing into future medal success and hosting world-class events – and one of our roles in this is to continue to create inspirational platforms that help to maintain the UK’s interest in sport beyond

London 2012. One of the things we’ll be working on is a programme to ensure that the UK’s funded athletes each contribute five days per year to engage with the wider sporting system, ensuring that success at the highest level is felt in communities right across the country.

“We’re also committed to using London 2012 as a means of establishing the UK as a leading host of international events.”

The Daily: Tell us about your gold event series strategy...sm: “The Gold Event Series is the UK’s major events legacy programme. It’s our commitment that we will carry on being a full and active partner within the

international sporting community after the Games has gone. Three years ago we sat down with all our National Federations and developed a prioritised list of 70 target events to host in this period after the Games.

“We’ve already secured World and European Championships in sports such as athletics, gymnastics, triathlon, hockey, equestrianism, canoeing, squash, rugby league and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) athletics and swimming. These events can’t be solely responsible for maintaining levels of sporting interest in the UK, but they are an important element of our work to keep the spirit and passion that we felt during the Games alive.” 

The Daily: what are uK sport’s hopes for the next 12 months, and the coming years?sm: “Our immediate focus is Sochi 2014. The UK is not traditionally a strong nation in winter sport, but we’ve got some exciting talent coming through in a number of winter disciplines and we’re quietly confident of a good performance.

“We’re looking ahead to Rio 2016 – we’ve set ourselves the goal of becoming the first nation in modern times to improve its results in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games after hosting. We’ll also be keeping our fingers crossed for Glasgow and its bid for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.”

catcHing Up witH... siMon MortonThe Director of major events and international relations at uK sport describes the afterglow following london 2012

‘The response has been just fantastic’

“russia could overtake germany to become the largest european economy before 2020 in purchasing power parity terms and by around 2035 at market exchange rates. emerging economies such as Mexico and indonesia could be larger than the Uk and france by 2050, and turkey larger than italy which will undoubtedly cause a major change in the global sporting domain.”

from pwC’s world in 2050: The briCs and beyond: prospects, challenges and opportunities report published in January 2013

insights

pwC is a gold partner of sportaccord Convention

8 aroUnD tHe convention

russia will Thrive - iaafinternational Association of Athletics

Federations (IAAF) President Lamine Diack believes Russia’s prowess in the sport will be vital in encouraging more of the country’s youth to take up athletics.

The IAAF World Championships, which will take place in Moscow later this year, will kick-start a decade of sport for Russia, with a host of other major events also due to be staged there, but Diack feels that because athletics is already considered a mature sport in Russia, the 2013 IAAF event will have more of an impact on the country’s young people.

“Hand in hand with the commercial opportunities available in 2013, the IAAF World Championships in Russia offer us a unique chance to consolidate and advance both the national and international popularity of athletics,” said Diack.

“The key to the success of the championships in 2013, and for the wider development of our sport, rests on keeping athletics relevant to the modern world, especially the young, who now have so many other entertainments and distractions competing for their attention.”

As a way of increasing interest among the young, the IAAF has agreed a memorandum with the Russian central government to introduce the IAAF Kids’ Programme in all Russian schools. Diack believes this will encourage more children to take up athletics, as well as create a similar sense of excitement that Daegu 2011 did – where many youngsters visited stadiums to see events live.

“If we can engender that same enthusiasm in this year’s IAAF World Championships, then we are

confident that the youth of Russia will be converted for life to the appeal of athletics,” he said. “If we can achieve that, then Moscow 2013 will have matched the IAAF’s primary goal.”

Diack believes that this increased interest will stand Russia in good stead in sporting and financial terms – and the Russian public will benefit as a result.

“Russia, like Asia and South America, are the new business hubs of the world, and with that

comes competitive and sports marketing opportunities,” he said.

“As these economies develop, their populations will benefit from increased financial security and leisure time, and the opportunity to engage in sports both as competitor and

spectator.“Just as occurred in the USA and

north-west Europe at the end of the 19th century, these economic and social developments will help to motor a growth

in the profile of and the passion for sports. It is athletics’ mission to reap as much of that harvest of public interest as possible.”

Focusing on Moscow 2013, Diack is extremely confident as to how the championships will help Russia, and athletics as a whole, in the long term.

Highlighting the city’s impressive sporting facilities and amenities in particular, Diack said that this year’s event is showing all the signs of matching – if not bettering – previous IAAF championships.

“We stand together ready to deliver what will be the greatest single sporting spectacle on the planet in 2013 in terms of the number of nations and athletes competing, and spectators and TV audience viewing,” he added.

oppoRtunitieS: lamine Diack

Delegates are reminded that the Sochi 2014 breakfast this morning at the Repin Lounge at Sokos Hotel Vasilievskiy is an invitation-only event for members of the media. Sochi 2014 will unveil the medal designs for next year’s Winter Olympic Games tomorrow. Edmonton Events, the unique partnership between Edmonton Tourism and the City of Edmonton, has launched its new identity in a fresh bid to attract major events. “The strength of our partnership combined with our comprehensive strategy has heightened our commitment and momentum,” Candice Stasynec, the Executive Director

of Edmonton Events, said. Delegates can visit Stand 47 for ‘Happy Hour’ every day from 16:00-17:00 to find out more. The 5th International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS V) opened today in Berlin, Germany. The Conference will address key issues including ‘Access to Sport as a Fundamental Right for All’, ‘Promoting Investment in Sport and Physical Education Programmes’, and ‘Preserving the Integrity of Sport’. SportAccord’s Director of Integrity and Social Responsibility, Ingrid Beutler, addressed the Expert Forum

in Berlin yesterday before the opening of the Conference. SportAccord has played a major role in drafting a Declaration including a number of recommendations in relation to IFs that will be adopted at the Conference this Thursday. China has retained its place as the leading global sports nation for 2013, according to SportAccord Convention Media Partner Sportcal. In Sportcal’s annual list of the ‘Top Twenty Global Sports Nations’, China was named ahead of Canada, which moved up from fifth to second in the rankings, while Russia, host of the 2013 SportAccord Convention, remained third.

aroUnD tHe convention 9spirit of sport awards to recognise dedicationSportAccord’s annual Spirit of Sport Awards will be presented at a ceremony tomorrow in recognition of the use of sport as a tool towards positive social change and lasting benefit for communities and individuals throughout the world.

SportAccord members have shortlisted two people for the individual award and seven programmes for the three project prizes on the basis of their contribution to sport and society.

The key criteria that the Spirit of Sport Award Commission – chaired by Don Porter, President of the International Softball Federation (ISF) – will use to decide the winners will be the promotion of the Millennium Development Goals, social change, the impact in changing individual lives and communities, sustainability and potential for replication.

Iranian Paralympic archer Zahra Nemati and Polish sensei Piotr Borowski have been nominated for the individual trophy, Nemati by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Borowski by the International Aikido Federation (IAF). Nemati made history at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London by becoming

the first Iranian woman to win a gold medal at either Olympic or Paralympic level, thus helping to change perceptions of disabled people and to inspire many women to take up para-archery in her native country.

Borowski, meanwhile, helped to establish the Aikido movement in his country in the 1980s and is now working towards establishing the sport in Kenya and Tanzania among youth, women and the disabled.

Nominees for the project award include: Wheelchair Tennis, which has helped develop tennis programmes for disabled people in 35 countries; ‘From Scream to Victory’, which is dedicated to promoting water sports for youngsters in earthquake-stricken areas of Turkey; and Ping Pong Paix, which brings children at risk of being recruited as child soldiers from villages in the lake region between DR Congo and Burundi together for a ping-pong tournament, tennis classes and a training camp.

The award was created in 2002 to reward the efforts of SportAccord members committed to supporting sport programmes dedicated to social betterment.

The Daily: how is pwC involved in the sports industry?bob gruman: “We provide professional services to help sports organisations achieve their business goals in a lot of different areas. What we are perhaps not as well known for – but what I’d like to highlight – is the wide range of consulting services that PwC provides in support of major events across the globe in the bidding, organisational and legacy phases. PwC actually has a pretty long history of advising on sports mega-events around the world. PwC China was the official supplier of financial advisory services to Beijing 2008, for example.”

The Daily: Tell us about your operations in russia…bg: “Here in Russia, where I’m based, we have built on the past experience of our colleagues and significantly increased our capabilities in mega-events consulting. PwC Russia is a Partner and the Official Professional Services Provider to the Organising Committee of the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the Executive Committee of the 2013 World Summer Universiade in Kazan.

“The scope of work we are doing for the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee is quite considerable: PwC Russia has delivered or is working on over 200 projects to date. In a nutshell, our role is to support the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee in its core task of planning, preparing and staging the Games. In addition to this, we deliver a large number of specific professional services projects to support Sochi 2014 in areas like HR consulting, taxation, supply chain management, management consultancy, financial planning and budgeting, risk management and more.

“We are Partner and Official Professional Services Provider to Universiade 2013 as well. Our role there is similar to our role on Sochi 2014, if somewhat more modest in scope. We have carried out a number of major organisational projects in taxation consulting, in budgeting and financial planning, and in Games planning.

“Sharing in the country’s top challenges and successes is what keeps us motivated. So when sport was identified as one of the key development vectors here, and Russia began winning the right to host several sports mega-events, we knew we wanted to be involved in helping to bring value on those projects.”

The Daily: what will be the legacy of pwC’s work with sochi 2014?bg: “We’ve carried out a labour market analysis of the region where Sochi is located and helped structure the Sochi 2014 workforce and volunteer programmes. We’ve carried out a training programme for venue managers.

“We were also heavily involved in functional operations planning, venue operations planning and operational readiness exercises for the extensive test events season and for the Games themselves.

“I believe that the project planning and management approach we’ve developed along with Sochi 2014 represent a major contribution to the intellectual legacy of the Games, and can serve as a model for future mega-events planning.”

The Daily: has it been a strategic decision by pwC to become increasingly prominent in sport, or has the increasing professionalism and commercial awareness of sports industry stakeholders led to increasing demand for companies such as pwC?bg: “Sports industry revenues continue to increase, but so does the demand for measurable return on investment. As major sports events grow increasingly complex, there is more need than ever for integrated planning that incorporates the kind of professional services that PwC provides.

“There is more need than ever for professional advice in the areas of strategic and operational planning, legacy planning, HR consulting, customs, VAT, procurement, risk assurance, sustainability, internal audit – the list goes on. On the other hand, of course, we at PwC recognise the increasing demand and opportunities to apply our services in sport and have made an investment in raising our game in this area.”

The Daily: Tell us about pwC’s sports mega-events Centre of excellence and how it has developed over the years?bg: “PwC’s Sports Mega-Events Centre of Excellence pulls together sport industry specialists from across our global network. In establishing our Centre of Excellence, we have made a significant investment in bringing together into one informal team those PwC specialists who have advised on or are currently advising on sports mega-events.

“This process began around the time we set out on our partnership with Sochi 2014 here in Russia about four years ago. Given the scale of our role on Sochi 2014, we wanted to be able to pull from and contribute to the mega-events advisory expertise within the PwC network. We continue to coordinate the Sports Mega-Events Centre of Excellence out of PwC Russia, but have active members based in Qatar, the US, the UK, Canada, Switzerland, China, South Korea, Turkey, Zambia and more.”

pwC is a gold partner of sportaccord Convention

catcHing Up witH...BoB grUManThe pwC Consulting partner discusses the company’s role in preparations for the sochi 2014 olympic and paralympic winter games

‘sharing in the country’s top challenges and successes is what keeps us motivated’

10 aroUnD tHe convention

irb TargeTs russiaTweets of the day

Jonny Murch  @jonnymurch6hJust back from #saCon13 morning run. absolutely stunning city. forgot to take my phone for pics - darn it. @saconvention

Jeffery McMillan @jefferymcmillan4h@saconvention: #saCon13 exhibition open! hooray! Congrats and best of luck to all exhibitors.

Marisol casado @Marisolcasado4hnew president ricci bitti outlines 4 main challenges facing #asoif 1) calendar 2) betting/match fixing 3) doping 4)autonomy of sport

andy westlake @andywestlake3hbeautiful day in st petersburg...looking forward to an action packed day with the sporting family...! @saconvention #saCon13

austrackrecord @austrackrecord3hits here! first day of @sportaccord and the hall is buzzing. #saCon13

carolyn Johnson @caz_liz1habout to take off to saint petersburg for the #saCon13 first time at the convention - can’t wait! @saconvention @sportaccord

T he International Rugby Board (IRB) is in Saint Petersburg this week to check out the progress of a “very important strategic market”,

according to Head of Competitions and Performance Mark Egan.

The IRB is no stranger to Russia, which is preparing to host its most significant rugby tournament to date next month.

Russia considered bidding for the 2015 Rugby World Cup before deciding to concentrate on securing the hosting rights for the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens, which will take place from June 28-30 at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

“We targeted Russia back in 2006 when we kicked off the strategic investment programme, and we have seen some great growth there,” Egan told The Daily.

“It was a huge boost for rugby in the country and it really helped to raise the profile of the sport when the national team qualified for the 2011 Rugby World

Cup in New Zealand. We have gone there a number of times now and we have worked with the national federation in Russia, and the number of players has really grown.

“There were 15,000 players at the end of 2009, and that has now increased to about 25,000. We have also seen very good growth in the number of clubs, from 150 to 300, and there are now 14 professional clubs in the country’s league system.

“The country is now starting to witness the benefits of

adopting rugby as a sport. It is seen as a good sport for schoolchildren and, of course, now we are on the Olympic programme for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games, it gives us a lot of credibility.

“There has also been a big improvement in the standard of the women’s game in Russia. The country finished third in the latest round of the IRB Women’s Sevens Series in the Netherlands earlier this month, which

was a fantastic result.”Rugby is set for a further boost in the country next month through the seven-a-side version of the sport.

“The IRB Council made a key decision by taking the event to

Russia,” Egan said. “Like Japan, which

is hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2019, the IRB Council has identified

Russia as a key market. There is a good sporting tradition in the country and a growing economy. It is primed for significant growth.

“Organising a big tournament with 40 countries participating will always have its challenges, but it’s going to be a very good event. We are very pleased about where things are in an operational sense, and we are confident of selling between 30,000 and 40,000 tickets.”

Egan is also confident fans in Russia will be enthralled by the sevens format of the sport three years ahead of its Olympic debut at Rio 2016.

“In 2011, we developed a strategic plan for rugby sevens that would help to grow the game of rugby as a whole, and we are already seeing huge interest from National Olympic Committees around the world,” Egan added. “Being at the Olympics will immediately increase the pool of potential countries interested in rugby, and a lot of these countries will start with sevens. It’s a gateway format of the sport, and the Olympics will act as an immediate door-opener.”

‘the country is now witnessing the benefits of adopting rugby as a sport’

PROFILe: Mark egan

interview 11

UCi President Pat McQuaid outlines the priorities for the sport’s future

Changing CyCling’s CulTure

Few would dispute the claim that it has been a difficult year for cycling. The downfall of Lance Armstrong, who was exposed as a doping cheat, brought the image of the sport’s biggest ever star

crashing down to earth and simultaneously dragged cycling’s name through the mud.

However, Pat McQuaid, the President of the International Cycling Union, told The Daily that the sport is doing everything it can to restore its image.

“Anti-doping has been a key priority for me as UCI President over the past eight years,” McQuaid said. “I would stress, though, that for the past 20 years, the UCI has been the pioneer in the fight against doping, at the forefront of many new technical advances – and often forging ahead on its own and taking all the risks associated with doing so.

“Despite what is being said, the UCI has always done absolutely everything possible in tackling the scourge of doping in cycling without fear or favour.

“Obviously, following the release of the USADA (US Anti-Doping Agency) reasoned decision into the Armstrong affair, we have had a number of difficult months and there is still a lot the UCI needs to do to repair the damage that Armstrong and others have caused to the sport we love.

“We also clearly need to do a much better job communicating the UCI’s anti-doping activities and reassuring the public and our stakeholders that the UCI is indeed doing everything possible to ensure a clean sport – and that the peloton today is completely different from how it was in years past.

“My ambition is to see the end of the ‘culture of doping’ in cycling and replaced with a ‘culture of anti-doping’. Obviously, you can’t change a whole culture overnight, it takes time. But I see a great deal of evidence that the necessary change is happening thanks to the UCI taking the lead in this fight over the past 20 years. Today, the armoury in our fight against doping is so much stronger than it was in the past and I truly believe that, as a result, the peloton has a completely different character than before.”

McQuaid highlighted six positive developments in the battle against doping in the eight years of his presidency of the UCI, including the introduction of the external quality control programme for laboratories conducting health blood test analyses and the launch of the ‘100% Against Doping’ programme.

“More importantly, we helped to develop – and then were the first IF to introduce – the blood passport programme,” he added. “The UCI was the pioneer for this programme, which has since become the new cutting-edge tool in the fight against doping.

“We then successfully defended the blood passport before CAS, which recognised the programme as being a reliable proof of doping. So again, the UCI paved

the way for other anti-doping organisations, who have since in turn adopted the blood passport system.”

In 2008 the UCI introduced the mandatory use of an electronic whereabouts system as well as a blood anti-doping test for growth hormones.

The following year, the ‘True Champion or Cheat’ programme and the introduction of the Ethical Evaluation, as part of the Pro Teams registration process, was brought in.

McQuaid added that the UCI was “the first anti-doping organisation to introduce a ‘no-needle’ policy” that was later adopted by the International Olympic Committee at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

“The UCI is absolutely committed to running a clean sport. Cycling has changed and today’s riders don’t deserve to be condemned by other people’s past misdeeds,” he said.

“The UCI has been in discussions with WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) and it remains committed to commissioning an independent audit of the behaviour and practices of our organisation during the Armstrong years. I’ll be taking a proposal about that to our management committee meeting in Bergen next month.”

The Armstrong scandal may have diverted attention away from a number of positive, recent developments at the UCI that are unrelated to the fight against doping.

in 2014 the governing body will launch the UCI Cycling Forum, an event that will gather together all stakeholders in the international cycling

community for six days of meetings, discussions, debate and knowledge-sharing.

The event will enable the cycling industry to exhibit their products and benefit from direct interaction with the sport’s decision-makers, while National Federations will be able to compare management and sporting matters.

“We hope that the Forum will encourage the creation of a solid network that can only benefit the sport of cycling, with all parties working together for the future of our sport,” McQuaid added. “Along the same lines as the UCI Cycling Forum, but aimed solely at our affiliated National Federations, we have launched the UCI Sharing Platform.  

“The first two-day seminar held in Geneva at the beginning of May was a tremendous success, bringing together representatives of 25 Federations. Future seminars will be held on other continents.

“Additionally, the UCI is continuing its work to further globalise our sport and see it develop in lesser-known markets. The WorldTour is now represented on four different continents, and our Continental Tours continue to grow both in the quality of the events and of the riders taking part. The UCI also continues its work to professionalise cycling careers, with courses at the World Cycling Centre for coaches, mechanics and soigneurs.”

McQuaid, who is standing for re-election as UCI President next month, said that he has an “ambitious agenda to continue developing the sport” – including five key priorities.

“My first priority if I am re-elected will be to promote women’s cycling around the world,” he said. “The UCI needs to focus on developing women’s cycling, both from the perspective of equality, but also from a grassroots perspective. We need to develop a calendar for women’s elite cycling that is clear and understandable, as well as one that is global.

“I want the UCI to help promote the women’s sport at an elite level by working with organisers, teams and broadcasters. We could do this by, for example, ensuring that events seeking WorldTour status are given priority if they have a women’s event – or that teams seeking WorldTour status should be given priority if they have a women’s team.

“I’d like to see Olympic funds split equally between the development of both men’s and women’s cycling and, to reinforce this priority, I want to see more women holding decision-making positions in cycling.

“My second priority is to continue the development of the sport and its various disciplines. BMX, for example, was a huge success in Beijing 2008 and London 2012. We also need to modernise the pro-cycling calendar and potentially the format of races. We need to ensure that what we are delivering is what the media and cycling’s fans want.

“My third priority is to promote the green power of cycling. Cycling has a huge contribution to make towards solving green issues, especially in urban areas.

“I also want to see a genuine ‘World Tour’ – one in which the best teams and riders compete in some of the biggest markets in the world, in particular the BRIC countries. We’re also seeing a lot of development in Africa, with some talent coming from places like Ethiopia, Eritrea and Rwanda.

“Finally, my ambition is to ensure that, at the end of my third term as President, we finally see the end of the ‘culture of doping’ in cycling and that it is replaced with a culture of anti-doping.”

FOCus: Pat McQuaid

‘i want to see the end of the ‘culture of doping’ in cycling and replaced with a culture of anti-doping’

12discover the citysportAccord Convention takes some

well-earned time off tonight – giving delegates the chance to explore the

delights of fantastic Saint Petersburg.And as the exhibition opened, the Saint

Petersburg team were in pole position to display the attractions and their tourism slogan: “No bears, just beauties.”

Early evening activities include receptions by the Finnish Olympic Committee and TEAM Canada. Risto Nieminen, President of the Finnish Olympic Committee, will welcome guests to the Sokos Hotel Olympic Garden between 17:00 and 19:00.

For full details please visit the Finnish delegates at stand 2.

Marcel Aubut, President of the Canadian Olympic Committee, will host a cocktail reception at the Sokos Hotel Palace Bridge from 18:00 until 21:00. To find out more please visit TEAM Canada at stand 40.

The highlight of the evening promises to be the specially organised cultural event in the State Hermitage Museum of Saint Petersburg.

The event will start at 21:00 and guests will be welcomed by a classical quartet ensemble as

they enter one of the world’s great museums, a cultural treasure which is top of the must-see list for most visitors to Saint Petersburg.

The museum is also close to departure points for coach tours and for late-night boat trips – giving delegates a view of the spectacular opening of the city’s drawbridges. A climb to

the dome of St Isaac’s Cathedral brings the reward of panoramic views across the city. For a taster, look at the big screen and talk to our hosts at the City of Saint Petersburg stand, just inside the exhibition main entrance. for online information go to www.visit-petersburg.ru and www.citytourspb.ru

agenDatoDay at a glance

all Day sportaccorD convention exHiBition

1000-1730 conference prograMMe (Conference auditorium, hall 7)1000-1030 welcome 1035-1115 Keynote address: winning the future (Kevin roberts)1130-1230 how fit is sport ?1400-1500  gains and gambles for government1515-1615  sport and the global economy1630-1700  spirit of sport awards1700-1730  interview of the Day: vyacheslav fetisov

Meetings0800-2000  ioC executive board meeting0915-1045  ioC eb/asoif Joint meeting1100-1200  ioC eb/aiowf Joint meeting1200-1330 aiowf/asoif Joint meeting

sports DeMo Zone minigolf (wmf), Triathlon (iTu), world Combat games 2013, Chess (fiDe), savate (fisav), paralympic (ipC)social1700-1900 finland – for the love of sport (sokos hotel olympic garden)1730-1900 exhibition showcase Cocktail (exhibition area)1800-2100 Team Canada Cocktail reception (sokos hotel palace bridge)1900 after hours Drinks (sokos hotel palace bridge)2100 sportaccord Convention Cultural event (The state hermitage museum)

Morning exercise sessions (0615)ToDay: muaythai boxercise, group 5km walk/runTomorrow: group 5km walk/run

Two combatants exhibit muaythai in the sports Demo Zone. badminton, aquatics, fencing and baseball/softball were also on show yesterday.