Official Schedule

Max people: 30

Cost: 80 CHF

Description: Visit the Home of Rugby before exploring Shakespeare’s England.

At least two centuries of Rugby’s history are written in the stones and other monuments to tradition that stand around the School Close, where in 1823, local lad William Webb Ellis, with a fine disregard for the rules of football, took the ball in his arms and ran with it, originating the game of rugby football. Today, innumerable tourists visit the ‘home of the game’ and rugby teams from all over the world can be seen training against the distinctive backdrop of Butterfield’s Chapel.

Steeped in history, Stratford-upon-Avon is a gorgeous Medieval market town in the heartland of England. It is the 16th-century birthplace of William Shakespeare, possibly the most famous writer in the English language, Shakespeare is known for his sonnets and plays such as ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Hamlet’.

Within Stratford’s compact old town, you can walk easily to most sights. The river Avon, which flows right through town, has an idyllic yet playful feel, with rowboats, swans, and an old, one-man, crank-powered ferry just beyond the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, home of the world’s best Shakespeare’s performance ensembles.

Itinerary:

• 9am – Coach pick up from Birmingham
• 10am – Rugby School Tour
• 12noon – Coach to Stratford-Upon-Avon
• 30pm – Roast Dinner Lunch
• 2pm – Shakespeare’s Birthplace Hosted Tour
• 3pm – Stratford-Upon-Avon guided walking tour
• 4pm – Coach return to Birmingham
• 5pm – Arrive in Birmingham

Please note timings are approximate and subject to change. If any location on the itinerary changes we will inform delegates as soon as possible.

Presented by Alibaba Cloud & Green Future Project

Martin Gibbs, Managing Director, SportAccord
Ian Metcalfe, Chair, Executive Steering Committee, SportAccord 2024
Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair, UK Sport

Thailand: Your Utmost Sports Destination, Dr. Gongsak Yodmani, Governor of Sports Authority of Thailand

Professor Margo Mountjoy, IOC Medical Commission Games Group, WADA Deputy Foundation Board Member 

Why Event Readiness Matters
James Tibbetts, Director of Operations & Delivery, Trivandi

Mental Health for Elite Athlete Support

Few topics have moved faster up the agenda than the mental health of athletes competing in elite sport. This panel addresses our preparedness for addressing the anxieties and complexities facing the athlete, officials and coaches. And it includes an exclusive insight into the lengths professional golf is going – on the DP World Tour – to aid its stars.

• Dr Will Wynter-Bee, European Tour Golf Group

Presented by WADA

Mental Health for Elite Athlete Support

Moderator: David Eades, Moderator and MC

• Dr Stuart Miller, Senior Executive Director, Integrity & Legal, ITF
• Dr Will Wynter-Bee, European Tour Golf Group
• Gregor Swinney, Current Scottish National Champion and recordholder in the 50m Butterfly, Commonwealth Games medallist

Round Table : Enhancing Sport Performance of Female Athletes

Part 1: Sporting activity for the athlete must be as much about health and fitness as is it about results in a world where the goals are so high and the pressure often so acute. From ACLs to REDs, we consider the big issues facing women in sport, the dilemmas they must face, but also the progress being made in making health and performance part of the same equation. 

Part 2: An opportunity to shine the light on reproductive health issues for women athletes, addressing the spectrum from ‘menstrual myth busting’ to reproductive choices and returning to sport post pregnancy. As we reach parity for sport participation for women, how are we adapting to accommodate women in sport?

(With scene setter from Professor Kirsty Elliott-Sale, Professor of Female Endocrinology and Exercise, Manchester Metropolitan University)

Moderator: Professor Margo Mountjoy, IOC Medical Commission Games Group, WADA Deputy Foundation Board Member 

• Dr Niall Elliott, MBE Chief Medical Officer, British Olympic Association
• Professor Kirsty Elliott-Sale, Professor of Female Endocrinology and Exercise, University of Manchester
• Annamarie Phelps CBE OLY, British Olympic Association, European Rowing, European Olympic Committees
• Gillian Sanders, Triple Olympian triathlete for South Africa, Integrity Manager, World Sailing
• Evert Verhagen, Medical Research Adviser, UEFA, and Professor, UMC University
• Pippa Woolven, Founder, Project RED-S

Join us for the official welcome to the Summit by

• Prof Dr Uğur Erdener, President, SportAccord
• Rt Hon Stuart Andrew, MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society, and Minister for Equalities and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities)
• Cllr John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council

The Cultural Ceremony will showcase the diverse cultural offerings of the West Midlands.

David Casserly SC, Barrister, Head of Sports Law, Kellerhals Carrard

Melanie Duparc, Secretary General, World Union of Olympic Cities

Sport can play a powerful role in contributing to some of the biggest public policy challenges like improving health and wellbeing, civic pride and social cohesion, enhancing skills and jobs, promoting sustainability and active travel. What have we learned and how do we continue to make the case for investment in an increasingly complex world.

Benefits and challenges of independent integrity units in international sport

Moderator: Louise Reilly BL, Barrister, Kellerhals Carrard

• Simon Geinoz, Case Manager, Gymnastics Ethics Foundation (GEF)
• Tanja Haug, Board Member, Biathlon Integrity Unit (BIU)
• Julia Lowis, Legal Counsel, International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA)
• Huw Roberts, Head of Case Management, Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU)

Active Travel, Sport and Making Cities More Civilised, More Prosperous and Healthier

Chris Boardman had a highly successful professional cycling career and then went on to take up the challenge of leading both Active Travel England’s mission to get more people walking and cycling and Sport England’s work to make sport and physical activity a normal part of everyday life. We explore with him what’s worked, what hasn’t, the importance of political will at the city level and what cities can learn from each other in this sphere.

David Eades in conversation with…

• Chris Boardman, MBE, Commissioner, Active Travel England, Chair, Sport England, Olympic Gold Medallist, Tour de France stage winner and yellow jersey holder, Hour Record Holder

…joined by

• Tine Eriksen Green, Head of Major Events, City of Copenhagen

Transforming a City With Investment Centred Around Reviving a Football Club

When Tom Wagner and his partner, the NFL legend Tom Brady, bought a controlling stake in Birmingham City Football Club in 2023 it was as part of broader city transformation project. As he said “we invested in Blues because of the of the opportunity to not only to transform a football club but also to be a catalyst for a change in the city itself” We talk with him about the lure of a club in the heart of a major city, and why he believes this is the start of a new era for Birmingham’s city centre.

David Eades in conversation with…

• Tom Wagner Chairman of the Board, Birmingham City Football Club and Co-founder, Knighthead Capital, an investment company with over US$10 billion under management.

Moderator: Jean-Pierre Morand, Partner, Kellerhals Carrard

• Vincent Jäggi, Partner, Kellerhals Carrard
• Christophe Rapin, Partner, Kellerhals Carrard

Moderator: Ben Avison, Editorial and Conference Director, Host City

• Kris Gemmell, Head of Marketing and Commercial, World Triathlon
• Georg Spazier, CEO, ITS GmbH, Innsbruck World Masters Games
• Nicola Turner MBE, CEO, United By 2022
• Alana Vought, Program Manager, Olympic and Paralympic Games Brisbane 2032, City of Gold Coast

Joe Cusdin, CEO & Founder, Iventis

Exploring new event models, successes and innovation in an increasingly challenging environment for host cities, regional and national governments.

Moderator: Susan Sawbridge, Managing Partner, Daylight Ltd, New Zealand

• Esther Britten, Head of Major Events, UK Sport
• James Bulley, CEO, Trivandi
• Perttu Pesa Chair, International Association of Event Hosts
• Katie Sadleir, CEO, Commonwealth Games Federation

Court of Arbitration for Sport – Annual Report

Moderator: Sean Cottrell, Founder and CEO, LawInSport

Annual presentation and Q&A with Matthieu Reeb, Director General, CAS

Revolutionizing your event and venue planning with OnePlan, Official Supporter of GIS Mapping and Digital Twin Software for Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Paul McCrudden, OnePlan

Presented by iSportConnect

• Jay Stuart, Head of Content at iSportConnect
• Alex Gough, CEO, Professional Squash Association
• Max Wolfe, Head of Web3 and Digital Licensing, McLaren Racing

Paul Bush, OBE, CEO of EventScotland reflects on 21 years of experience of the transformational power of sport, including the 2014 Commonwealth Games, 2018 European Championships and 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

….in conversation with David Eades

World Anti-Doping Agency Report – Annual Report

Moderator: Dr Leanne O’Leary, CAS Arbitrator

Annual presentation and Q&A with Ross Wenzel, General Counsel, WADA

Yutang Sports

Examining the implementation and development of rules for transgender athletes in International Federations

Moderator: James Drake KC, 7 King’s Bench Walk

• Brent Nowicki, Executive Director, World Aquatics
• Dr Seema Patel, Senior Lecturer in Law, Nottingham Law School; author of Inclusion and Exclusion in Competitive Sport, Socio-Legal and Regulatory Perspectives
• Prof. Yannis Pitsiladis, Professor of Sport and Exercise Science, IOC Medical and Scientific Commission Member
• Jonathan Taylor KC, Partner, Bird & Bird

The exponential growth of women’s sports. Janelle Janis, Executive Director, Event & Business Development, Explore Edmonton. Moderator: Lars Pederson, BCW

Clarence Perez Diaz, Director and Sport Scientist, Healthy Sports Organisations

Adam Kosa, President of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), in conversation with David Eades, MC and Moderator

Lerina Bright, Executive Director/Founder of Mission89

Integrating the athlete’s voice in sports governance –
exploring internal and external models of athlete representation

Moderator: Andreas Zagklis, Secretary General, FIBA

• Emilio Garcia, Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, FIFA
• Alexandra Gómez Bruinewoud, Senior Legal Counsel, FIFPRO
• Áine Power, Deputy Head of Legal, FEI
• Florian Yelin, Head of Policy and Research Coordinator, World Players Association

Witold Bańka, President, WADA

We need to talk about: Professionalising the Industry. James Bulley, CEO and Co-founder, Trivandi, in conversation with David Eades, MC and Moderator

David Casserly SC, Barrister, Head of Sports Law, Kellerhals Carrard

The conference will be followed by a drinks reception from 17:00 – 18:30 in Hall 3

SportAccord
World Combat Games Council,
National Olympic and Paralympic Committee of Saudi Arabia

From Vision To Victory: Glasgow 2024 World Indoor Championships – Accelerating Sustainable Event Success Through World Athletics’ 2030 Sustainability Strategy

Presented by ThinkBeyond

• Stuart Campbell, World Athletics Indoor Championships Director
• Sara Kassam, Sustainability Advisor for UK Sport
• Dr Susie Tomson, Sustainability Partner at ThinkBeyond

Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair, UK Sport

Mark Rein is a Gaming fanatic. He is Vice-President of Epic Games, one of the world’s leading interactive entertainment companies, which created Fortnite, the most successful online video and game platform globally. Mark is also the co-owner of the Carolina Hurricanes NHL team, and has a deep love of equestrian sport, twice named ‘Horse Owner of the Year’ by Equestrian Canada. Once described as ‘famously effusive, opinionated – and smart’ Mark talks candidly with David Eades about the opportunities as well as limitations his industry can bring to the sports world in their quest for a significant role in gaming and esports

Mark Rein, Vice President, and Co-Founder, Epic Games, in a Keynote Conversation with Moderator David Eades

Presented by IPACS

What is the potential value of the intellectual property held by different rights holders and federations in the gaming and esports sphere, and for all but a minority of sports is this really going to make a difference?

Moderator: David Dellea, Director, Sports Practice, Altman Solon

• Alice Dearing, Olympic open water swimmer and gamer
• Alban Dechelotte, CEO, G2, and IOC Esports Commission
• Paul Foster, CEO, Global Esports Federation
• Alex Inglot, Commissioner, ESL Pro League

The Superbowl 2024 has shown the potential for growing your fanbase in some unexpected ways and building on opportunities that arise. This panel considers lessons from North America about creative approaches to build their brands and invest in their fan engagement over the long-term.

Moderator: Sarah Mulkerrins, Presenter, BBC

• Marc Ciampa, VP Content, New Jersey Devils
• Rob Alberino, VP of Content and Production, Kansas City Chiefs
• Brett Gosper, Head of Europe & Asia-Pacific, NFL
• Scott Kegley, VP Digital Strategy, Atlanta Falcons

Jen Falding, Strategic Lead for Major Sports Events, Sport Liverpool

Presented by iSportConnect

• Jay Stuart, Head of Content at iSportConnect
• Kevin Perrin, Global Head of Commercial for Sports at ATPI

David Eades, MC and Moderator

Roger Mitchell, author of the newly released ‘Sport’s Perfect Storm’, explores some of the serious structural challenges federations and sports rights holders are facing including the fragility of the financial structures supporting the sports ecosystem.

Moderator David Eades in conversation with…

Roger Mitchell, corporate financier, founding CEO of the Scottish Professional Football League and author of ‘Sport’s Perfect Storm’

With geo-political instability, increasing levels of complexity in putting on major events, changing patterns of fan behaviour and growing interest from institutional investors, how can sport hold its own?

Moderator: Sarah Mulkerrins, Presenter, BBC

• Alan Gilpin, CEO, World Rugby
• Chris Jenkins OBE, President, Commonwealth Games Federation
• Simon Kuper, Author and Journalist, Financial Times
• Chris Argyle-Robinson, Research & Strategy Director, Co-founder, Redtorch
• Zena Wooldridge OBE, President, World Squash

Once a new technology rolls over you, if you’re not part of the steamroller, you’re part of the road.” It’s a quote to capture today’s and tomorrow’s technology potential, and the challenges that can pose for the most fleet footed of sports organizations. Professor Andy Miah lays out the technology pathways ahead of us, from creative AI to spatial computing, before leading a discussion on how sport can ensure it not only keeps pace, but accelerates towards a hi-tech future.

Presenter and Moderator: Andy Miah, Chair in Science Comms & Future Media, University of Salford, Manchester

David Fowler, Co-Founder, Sports Tech Match
Beth Johnson, Managing Director, Umbrella
Sulabh Soral, Head of AI, Deloitte UK, Advisory Board Member, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence

David Eades, MC and Moderator

AIMS invites you to the Hats Off Party
Box Brindley Place, 1-2 The Waters Edge Brindley Pl, Birmingham B1 2HL

David Eades, MC and Moderator

Wayne Barnes refereed 111 international rugby matches in an outstanding career, which culminated in the Rugby World Cup Final of 2023 in Paris. But that final match also represented the peak of the online abuse he suffered at the hands of angry, and usually anonymous, fans. Threats to his house, his family and his life were part of the slew of invective he received. We talk about these experiences and how they affected a man described as ‘the most accomplished and vilified referee in world rugby’

Wayne Barnes, Former World Cup Referee , in a Keynote Conversation with David Eades

A look at the state-of-play in terms of online abuse in sport, sharing insights and learnings gathered from some of the biggest sporting events on the planet, and showing how technology, sports bodies and law enforcement are working together to create a safer online environment for athletes and officials.

Jonathan Hirshler, CEO, Signify

Overcoming rising levels of abuse received by players, officials and fans.

Moderator: David Eades, MC and Moderator

• Wayne Barnes, Former World Cup Referee
• Janie Frampton OBE, Vice President, International Federation of Sports Officials
• Sanjay Bhandari, Chair, Kick It Out
• Sarah Gregorius, Director of Global Policy & Strategic Relations, Women’s Football, FIFPRO
• Jonathan Hirshler, CEO, Signify

A ground-breaking, data-led approach to injury reduction across all sports, presented by Podium Analytics.

• Professor Constantin Coussios OBE FREng , Director, The Podium Institute for Sports Medicine and Technology, The University of Oxford
• Andy Hunt, CEO, Podium Analytics

Sport’s influence in the world has never been more keenly examined. From global politics, to community action, ethical and moral challenges. This panel will consider how to make the most of that potential at a time of heightened global tension and accelerated social pressures.

Moderator: Dr J Simon Rofe, Reader/Associate Professor in Diplomatic and International Studies, University of Leeds

Neil Rami, Chief Executive, West Midlands Growth Company
Liz Nicholl DBE, President, World Netball and former CEO, UK Sport
Jason Williams, CEO, Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago

A look ahead at what promises to be the most technologically complex and visually stunning Olympic spectacle ever. Enjoy a sneak peek on what to expect when Paris opens its doors to the world, while setting new standards for broadcast and production creativity.

Moderator: James Pearce, Communications consultant and media trainer

• Pierre Galy, Head of Sports, Agence France-Presse
• Yiannis Exarchos, Chief Executive Officer, OBS, and Executive Director, Olympic Channel

Professor Andy Miah outlines how the worlds of immersive technologies are converging with artificial intelligence to create new audience experiences, which are transforming the landscape of the sports world, from stadium architecture to remote experiences. The implications of these transformations for how media content is designed, delivered, and what legacy it leaves as part of humanity’s sports heritage outline critical insights for how events must rethink their media strategy for the future.

• Andy Miah, Chair in Science Comms & Future Media, University of Salford, Manchester

Disruption & Opportunity: As new technologies proliferate, the expectations of sports audiences are continuously rising. Rights owners and broadcasters are under more pressure to deliver better content, in greater volume, faster than ever before, often without a clear path to monetization. This session will bring together thought leaders with an innovation mindset to offer practical insights on how federations and their partners can make the most of AI, fan data and new types of distribution to enable them to flourish now and in the future.

Moderator: James Pearce, Communications consultant and media trainer

• Joe Edwards, Head of Marketing, British Basketball League
• Melissa Lawton, Chief Content Officer, SailGP
• Ellie Roach, Digital and Data Services Lead, InCrowd Sports
• Ross Tanner, Senior Vice President – EMEA , Magnifi