LAUSANNE, Switzerland – World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and SportAccord and the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) President Dr. Raffaele Chiulli are among the high-profile speakers who will participate in the fully virtual International Federation (IF) Forum 2020, which kicks off tomorrow.
The IOC President’s Welcome Remarks will be streamed online before Dr. Tedros, a leading figure in the global response to the Covid-19 pandemic, delivers a Keynote Address on the theme of the conference – ‘How Sport and Society Can Emerge Stronger from a Global Crisis’.
There will also be an Opening Address by Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, President of SportAccord and the GAISF, and a Member Keynote Address by Professor Fabio Pigozzi, President of the International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS).
Oscar Tosato, Municipal Councillor Sport and Social Cohesion at the City of Lausanne, will also provide a Host Welcome, while Evgeny Kuivashev, Governor of the Russian Federation’s Sverdlovsk Region, will deliver a SportAccord 2021 Host Address to give delegates a taste of what to expect at next year’s highly anticipated SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit in Ekaterinburg.
All of the IF Forum sessions will be streamed online for participants, with SportAccord having adopted a fully virtual format for the event due to ongoing challenges in relation to international travel and in-person gatherings in the context of the pandemic.
Topics that will be debated will include crisis management, scenario planning, how to limit risk from a legal and financial perspective, law-related commercial considerations for IFs and how to stay connected and reassure athletes, fans and stakeholders in times of adversity.
Experts from companies such as Charles Russell Speechlys, Leidar, MARSH, MGO Events, OnePlan, and SKIDATA will provide essential insights. The packed conference programme will also feature contributions from representatives of the IOC, as well as numerous IFs, including Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), International Ski Federation (FIS), World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO), International Floorball Federation (IFF), World Taekwondo (WT), World Archery (WA), World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and World Rugby.
The invitation-only IF Forum 2020 will bring together more than 200 leaders from over 125 International Sports Federations, with delegates, and speakers.
Dr. Chiulli said: “In these unusual and challenging times it is more important than ever for International Sport Federations to come together, and we have an outstanding line-up of influential speakers who will provide essential insights during this first fully virtual IF Forum. I am delighted with the SportAccord team’s efforts in preparing for this year’s event in this exciting format that will connect our community from across the globe.”
For further information about the IF Forum, click here or download the brochure here, and follow #IFFORUM2020 on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.
For media enquiries, please contact: [email protected].
EDITOR’S NOTES
The International Federation (IF) Forum
The IF Forum takes place annually and targets the specific needs of Olympic and International Sport Federations with a focus on sharing best practices and knowledge. The event is open to International Sports Federation members from ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations), AIOWF (Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations), ARISF (Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations), AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport) and GAISF (Global Association of International Sports Federations) and its Associate Members.
In addition, the IF Forum receives the full support of the International Olympic Committee.
