2019 Athlete power on the rise 13-16 October Colorado Springs, CO • USA 11th world communication conference on sport and society
CONFERENCE GUIDE
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A welcome from the Chancellor of UCCS
Venkat Reddy Chancellor, University of Colorado
I am delighted and honored to welcome all participants to Olympic City USA, the site of the first Play the Game conference hosted outside of Europe. Since I began my tenure as Chancellor of the university, I have promoted a culture of respect, compassion, safety and excellence for our entire campus community. The UCCS Daniels Ethics Fund Initiative provides our campus with practical tools to address ethical concerns on a day-to-day basis. And our students recently took it upon themselves to create a UCCS Creed enshrining the collective values of our student body – including integrity. Integrity in sports is equally important as excellence, because it is an area where our ethics are tested the most. As we prepare our students academically to become future leaders in sports and sports governance, I am proud that ethical decision-making is an integral part of the process.
From doping and dishonesty to the heartbreaking abuse of Olympic athletes, there are many difficult conversations still to be had. But it is encouraging that the Play the Game conference brings energy and thought to the many issues that require solutions. Sports are universal – so it is critical that we continue to strive for ethical standards that can be upheld across the globe. Building solutions in an international context here at the Play the Game conference is an excellent first step. Thank you for your time and dedication to addressing these pressing concerns. Your very participation in this event means that you will become part of their solution. Once again, welcome to Colorado Springs. I hope that you will enjoy our beautiful city nestled at the foot of America’s Mountain, and that you will engage yourself fully in the conversations yet to come. I wish you a wonderful conference.
Dear colleagues in sport
Carl Holst Chairman of the Board, Play the Game / Danish Institute for Sports Studies
On behalf of the board of directors of the Danish Institute for Sports Studies, the mother institute of Play the Game, it is a privilege to welcome you all to our 11th Play the Game conference, the first outside Europe. We embark on this conference with both self-confidence and humility. The self-confidence derives from a firm belief that the goal of Play the Game – to promote democracy, transparency and freedom of expression – has proven its importance over the past two decades, and that this importance is growing. We are thankful that numerous individuals and organisations, who share these goals, support our conference with their presence and their commitment to dialogue and debate. But we are also humbled by the size of the challenges we confront, and by the fact that we have for the first time moved Play the Game into a North American setting. We recognise that sports politics on this continent has its own special history and characteristics, and that we have to listen to and learn from each other. And yet, many of the challenges are similar, because human nature is something we
share. Corruption in elite sport has become an increasing challenge in the U.S., just like in Europe. And at the global level, U.S. authorities have played a crucial role throughout Play the Game’s existence, launching actions that have brought those who corrupt sport with money and drugs to justice, and at the same time forced the most powerful sports organisations to carry out reforms. This is an inspiration that we will build on in the conference days ahead of us. But intervention from authorities should be a last resort. Our aspiration must be to create a sporting environment and a leadership culture that has no need for outside intervention to secure integrity, fair play and the fundamental rights of athletes. To develop such a culture requires a willingness to bring up all issues, also the most sensitive ones, and discuss them openly and in mutual respect. It also requires that we listen to athletes and welcome them as advisers and decision-makers. This is our ambition, and we look forward to sharing it with you over the next few days. Welcome to Play the Game 2019!
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DANIELS FUND ETHICS INITIATIVE AT UCCS
Leading students to success through their ethical compass Proud sponsor of UCCS.EDU/BUSINESSETHICS
Play the Game 2019
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FEATURE
Will the rise of athletes’ power lead to the fall of empires? By Jens Sejer Andersen, International Director of Play the Game
The governing bodies of sport have never been challenged by top athletes as they are today. But solutions are complex, and that is why a wide range of stakeholders will discuss them during Play the Game 2019. ”Yes, we play sports. Yes, we play soccer. Yes, we’re female athletes, but we’re so much more than that. You’re so much more than that. You’re more than a fan. You’re more than someone who just supports sport. […]. You interact with your community every single day. How do you make your community better?” There is probably no speech given by any active athlete that has embraced the multiple dimensions of athlete activism as the one the co-captain of the U.S. women’s national soccer team, Megan Rapinoe, gave a few days after winning the 2019 FIFA World Cup in front of the New York City Hall. It contained references to all key issues on the palette of athlete activism: The fight for better pay and working conditions. The fight for diversity and against discrimination. The fight for influence in the decision-making bodies of sport. And last, but not least, the fight for creating better communities, even a better world, through sport. Even if Rapinoe’s speech stands out as particularly impressive, it also reflects a trend that has grown over the past few years: Elite athletes are increasingly speaking up to improve their situation or to improve society. Some athletes target social injustice, such as Colin Kaepernick, who peacefully decided to kneel, when the U.S. national anthem was sung and the Stars and Stripes raised, in protest against racism and police violence.
Jens Sejer Andersen
Others demand protection from a harmful sporting environment, such as the brave female gymnasts, who revealed horrendous sexual abuse from their national team doctor accompanied by oppression by the sports leaders that were responsible for protecting their athletes. And disappointment with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) handling of the Russian-international doping scandal – which not only included state-sponsored doping by the Russian state, but also a prominent group of athletic leaders cheating and blackmailing the athletes – has triggered a variety of athletes worldwide to speak up and seek other platforms and other groupings than the so-called Olympic family.
Freedom of expression and freedom of association Curiously enough, neither society nor the governing bodies of sports seem overly enthusiastic about the way athletes energise the sports debate. Democratically elected governments, who would usually call for civic engagement, seem to prefer athletes that move only those muscles that do not affect the tongue. The international sports federations, who base their legitimacy on membership of millions of athletes with a right to vote, seem disturbed when some of their prominent members speak up and claim their democratic rights. Even the IOC, who always claims to put athletes first, asks of its athletes to swear an oath of unlimited loyalty to the institution, and has so far reacted negatively when athlete groups outside the IOC’s own ranks have raised their voices or dared to form their own, independent associations.
Photo: Sam Simmonds/Polaris/Ritzau Scanpix
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Megan Rapinoe delivered a powerful speech at the New York City Hall, after the U.S. women’s national soccer team won the 2019 World Cup, addressing equal rights and diversity of identity.
It is hard to understand why democratic structures would like to silence their constituency. Are the power brokers in sport afraid that the voices of athletes will bring empires to fall? Some would like to dismiss the new trend as a movement by privileged, well-paid athletes who just want a bigger slice of the cake. Such athletes probably exist, but most professional and semi-professional athletes are not particularly well-paid, and they often try to make a living in a sporting environment that defines its own laws and regulations, caught up in legal grey zones or sometimes in an outright criminal environment. It is hard to blame them for organising in unions and other interest groups. But there is more to the trend than a natural call for labour rights in a growing global industry. Two fundamental human rights, essential components of democracy, are at stake: Freedom of expression and freedom of association. For Play the Game, these rights have always had centre stage, and we appreciate the opportunity to gather some of the most important athlete groups and other stakeholders to discuss how we shape the future for athletes.
Because the call for rising athlete power also raises difficult questions: • What is a genuine athlete representative? • How do athletes best organise? • How many unions should a federation negotiate with? • Who will speak for the millions of amateur athletes in organised sport? • Who defends the interests of the millions of citizens who practice sport outside the associations, in the gyms, on the streets, in the woods? • Will professionalisation and unionisation put an end to sport as a civil society factor? We look forward to discussing these and many more central questions in a joint search for solutions that, at the end of the day, can only advance athlete power in a sustainable way if we share the spirit that Megan Rapinoe expressed: “Do what you can. Do what you have to do. Step outside of yourself. Be more. Be better. Be bigger than you’ve ever been before.”
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Photo: margaretglin/Flickr
THEME: ATHLETE POWER
James Tomkins
Athlete power – end game for abusers? Athletes all around the world are raising their voices like never before to influence decision-making in sport. Different aspects of athletes’ rights will be up for debate at Play the Game 2019: How can athletes better exercise their rights and responsibilities, and who should represent them: Unions, athlete committees, activist groups? The ‘take a knee’ movement shows that freedom of expression suffers in sport, but are there limits to what athletes should express?
Moritz Geisreiter
Athlete activism and the rights of athletes is a key theme at Play the Game 2019, where representatives from major sports federations and athlete commissions, researchers and athletes themselves will take part in discussions on issues such as athlete representation in the federations, unionisation of athletes, athlete activism and freedom of expression, and athlete safety and abuse. Brendan Schwab
In the opening session, delegates will hear from whistleblowers Yuliya and Vitaly Stepanov, the former Russian athletes who helped uncover the Russian doping scandal, when they talk about how blowing the whistle has affected their lives. The opening day of the conference also kicks off the discussions on athlete activism, unionisation, and athlete representation with key speakers from the International Olympic Committee’s Athlete Commission, Emma Terho and James Tomkins, Board member from Athleten Deutschland, Moritz Geisreiter, and Executive Director of the World Players Association, Brendan Schwab. Director General of Global Athlete, Rob Koehler, will share his views and thoughts on athletes working together for enhanced rights and how they can make their voices heard in the world of sport.
Rob Koehler
Focus on athlete safety In the past years, several major cases of athlete abuse have come to light in different sports around the world. At Play the Game 2019, key speakers dedicated to the fight against athlete abuse will be brought together. Among these are long-time advocate for protection and support of girls and women in sport, CEO of Champion Women Nancy Hogshead-Makar, Ju’Riese Colon, CEO of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, and Marci Hamilton, Founder of CHILD USA, who, along with Per Nylykke from the Danish Ministry of Culture, will discuss the path to ending abuse and creating a safe sports environment.
Nancy Hogshead-Makar
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Delegates can also join the discussion, when professor Roger Pielke, CU Boulder, professor Madeleine Pape, University of Wisconsin, and Andy Brown, Editor of the Sports Integrity Initiative, analyse the Caster Semenya case and what it means for athletes.
Ju’Riese Colon
In two sessions focussed on attacking abuse around the world, delegates will also hear from Indian freelance journalist Murali Krishnan, who will talk about abuse in Indian sport and the lack of laws, and freelance journalist Laura Robinson, on the slow process of getting Canada to address its problems with sexual abuse in sport. Play the Game 2019 will also present the documentary ‘Broken Trust: Athlete Abuse Exposed’ by Jill Yesko from the University of Texas, which delves into the abuse scandal in U.S. gymnastics, followed by a talk about gendered violence and abuse of children in sport.
Marci Hamilton
Sessions with a focus on athlete power, rights and abuse The following list may have been altered since production. Please check out the full programme in the conference app for updated information on speakers and scheduled sessions. Sunday 2.00 PM
Tuesday 11.50 AM
OPENING SESSION: ATHLETE POWER ON THE RISE. Meet Carl Holst, Venkat Reddy, Jens Sejer
PARALLEL SESSION: ATTACKING ABUSE AROUND THE WORLD (1). Meet Murali Krishnan, Maria
Andersen and Yuliya and Vitaly Stepanov
Juliana Perez Tello, Laura Robinson and Mojca Doupona
Sunday 03.45 PM Murali Krishnan
OPENING SESSION: ADVANCING ATHLETE POWER: ACTIVISM, COMMITTEES, UNIONS? Meet
Han Xiao, Emma Terho, James Tomkins, Moritz Geisreiter, Brendan Schwab and Rob Koehler
Tuesday 11.50 AM PARALLEL SESSION: ATHLETES IN THE POWER STRUCTURES: BEST PRACTICES. Meet
Benjamin Bendrich, Lone Hansen and Maximilian Seltmann
Sunday 05.15 PM OPENING SESSION: SAFE SPORT: END GAME FOR ABUSERS? Meet Nancy Hogshead-Makar,
Ju’Riese Colon, Marci Hamilton and Per Nylykke
Tuesday 2.15 PM PARALLEL SESSION: WORKERS OF THE COURT, UNITE! Meet John Wolohan, Geoff Parsons and
Alex Wolf-Root Sunday 8.00 PM MAIN THEME: THE SEMENYA CASE: WHAT IT MEANS TO ATHLETES. Meet Roger Pielke,
Madeleine Pape and Andy Brown
Tuesday 2.15 PM PARALLEL SESSION: ATTACKING ABUSE AROUND THE WORLD (2). Meet Nikki Dryden, Karen Lynn
Jones and Kimberly S Dickman Monday 11.50 PM Laura Robinson
PARTNER SESSION: WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO STAND UP FOR ATHLETE VOICES? Meet Lisa Kihl,
Annette Greenhow, Ashley Labrie, Paul Marsh, Han Xiao, Beckie Scott and Daryl Adair
Nikki Dryden and Margaret MacNeill
Monday 02.15 PM
Wednesday 2.15 PM
PLENARY SESSION: BROKEN TRUST: MOVIE AND TALKS. Meet Jill Yesko, Andrea Florence De Mello
PARTNER SESSION: THE STRUGGLE FOR SAFE SPORT IN CANADA. Meet Peter Donnelly,
Aguiar, Sheree Bekker, Yetsa Tuakli-Wosornu, Nikki Dryden and Nancy Hogshead-Makar
Erin Willson, Paul Melia, Bruce Kidd and Ashley Labrie
Tuesday 9 AM MAIN THEME: ELITE SPORT AND COLLEGE EDUCATION IN THE U.S.: A DYSFUNCTIONAL MARRIAGE?
Jill Yesko
Wednesday 11.50 PM PARALLEL SESSION: THE WAVES OF ATHLETE ACTIVISM. Meet Juha Kanerva, Todd Fraley,
Meet Bradley David Ridpath, Karl Benson, Ceal Barry, Carolayne Henry and Andrew Zimbalist
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Photo: Colourbox
THEME: ANTI-DOPING
Anti-doping: What’s next for WADA? The international anti-doping system has been in stormy waters for the past years as the revelation of the Russian doping scandal and the way it has been managed has caused intense debate among stakeholders about the weaknesses of the system. Some critics have claimed that the fight against doping as we have known it since the creation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has been lost and must be reinvented and the recent news about the ‘inconsistencies’ over the data handed out by Russia to WADA has set the whole anti-doping system on fire once again. Bryan Fogel
The international anti-doping system is facing a serious challenge to restore confidence and regain trust from athletes and other stakeholders. Criticism of the lack of independence in WADA has led to some adjustments of its governance structure, but athletes are still not represented to the extent they believe is appropriate and it remains to be seen which results the current wave of athlete mobilisation will have in this respect. At the last Play the Game conference in 2017 one of the key themes was titled ‘The global fight against doping: Facing a breakthrough or a breakdown?’ Now, two years later on the edge of Play the Game 2019, this question is still unanswered, not least in the light of recent news regarding the potential Russian manipulation of data from the Moscow lab. The upcoming conference will include perspectives from various high-profile stakeholders as well as academics and journalists on where things stand today and which improvements must be made if the fight is going to remain worth fighting. Through various plenary and parallel sessions, there will be opportunities for the speakers to engage in discussions and for the audience to participate in Q&A sessions.
Yuliya and Vitaly Stepanov
Past, present and the future: Is WADA up for the challenge? At Play the Game 2019 participants will hear the personal perspectives from some of the most well-known whistleblowers in the world of anti-doping, namely Oscar-winning Director Bryan Fogel and Yuliya and Vitaly Stepanov. Here, they will share their experiences and thoughts on what sport must do to encourage and protect whistleblowers adequately if they are to provide information on wrongdoings in sport. WADA’s Confidential Information Manager
Damien Larin
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Damien Larin will also give his views and thoughts on protecting whistleblowers in sport.
Travis Tygart
Some of the most prominent voices in the international debate will present their views on how they believe WADA can best move forward in the coming years to position itself as an effective global watchdog of the international efforts to protect clean athletes. The speakers include Beckie Scott, Chair of WADA’s Athlete Committee, who has fought for the athletes’ voices to be heard. Travis Tygart, USADA’s CEO, will face the man who is probably in the hottest seat in international anti-doping today, Yuriy Ganus, the Director General of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), alongside Michael Ask, Chair of iNADO and CEO of Anti Doping Denmark. Last, but not least, the journalist who exposed the Russian scandal five years ago, investigative journalist and Head of EyeOpening.Media, Hajo Seppelt, will put a media perspective on the current challenges, and in a later session give insight into his work with investigative journalism.
Governance of anti-doping: Time for changes?
Michael Ask
Andrea Gotzmann, CEO of NADA Germany, will show how new legislation in Germany has improved the use of law enforcement in doping investigations, and Peter Mattsson, Director of Sport in the Swedish Sports Confederation, will discuss if anti-doping’s independence from sport is as crucial as it has been frequently advocated during the past years. Ben Sanford, member of WADA’s Athlete Commission, will present another innovative perspective to better protect the rights of athletes in anti-doping by the introduction of an Ombudsperson. Furthermore, the anti-doping debates will focus on the testing schemes that are being implemented by anti-doping organisations around the world, present academic research into doping culture, and look at how research in anti-doping can be supported by collective work from various partners in an organisation such as Partnership for Clean Competition, which has contributed heavily to improve research in the area of anti-doping.
Sessions with a focus on anti-doping and whistleblowing: Yuriy Ganus
The following list may have been altered since production. Please check out the full programme in the conference app for updated information on speakers and scheduled sessions. Sunday 2.00 PM
Tuesday 2.15 PM
OPENING SESSION: ATHLETE POWER ON THE RISE
PARALLEL SESSION: RAISING THE GAME FOR JOURNALIST (2): WHEN TELEVISION DIVES UNDER THE SURFACE OF SPORT
Meet Yuliya and Vitaly Stepanov Monday 11.50 PM PARALLEL SESSION: NEW STEPS IN THE GOVERNANCE OF ANTI-DOPING.
Meet Andrea Gotzmann, Ben Sandford and Peter Mattsson Monday 2.15 PM PARELLEL SESSION: DOPING: LEGAL RIGHTS AND WHISTLEBLOWING. Meet Jack Anderson, Grego-
Hajo Seppelt
ry Ioannidis & Howard Jacobs, Kelsey Erickson, Laurie Patterson and Faraz Shahlaei Monday 8.00 PM PLENARY SESSION: IS BLOWING THE WHISTLE WORTH THE RISK? Meet Bryan Fogel,
Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Damien Larin, Yuliya & Vitaly Stepanov, Bonita Mersiades
Meet Hajo Seppelt, Josh Fine Tuesday 2.15 PM PARALLEL SESSION: TESTING THE TESTING: WHAT IS IT WORTH IN ANTI-DOPING?
Meet Bill Cuddihy, Bryan E Denham and Daniel Westmattelmann Wednesday 9.00 AM PLENARY SESSION: ANTI-DOPING: WHAT’S NEXT FOR WADA? Meet Beckie Scott,
Travis Tygart, Yuriy Ganus, Michael Ask and Hajo Seppelt Wednesday 11.50 AM PARELLEL SESSION: DOPING: CULTURE AND PERCEPTIONS. Meet Michael Pearlmutter,
Helen Staff and Siena Araceli Morgan
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Photo: Kwiyeon Ha/Reuters/Ritzau Scanpix
THEME: MEGA-EVENTS
Mega-events and human rights: Duel or dialogue? In the last decade, there has been a growing number of protests over the hosting of major sporting events. One issue has been the costs and overall lack of sustainability of mega-events. Another has been human rights problems in the countries hosting the spectacles. Last year, the host of the 2018 World Cup – Russia – was criticised for the citizens’ lack of freedom of speech, imprisonment of political opponents of the state and especially the lack of rights for LGBT persons. The Olympics next year in the Japanese capital of Tokyo have also been subject to protests organised by the anti-Olympics movement NOlympics. The protest were part of a first international gathering of activists from several countries with the message that the Olympics should be banned across the world as they contribute to poverty and harm the environment.
Niels Nygaard
Despite this tendency, some countries with poor human rights records – like Qatar, Russia, Azerbaijan and China – still invest a lot of money in elite sport and mega-events hoping to create a more positive image worldwide – socalled ‘sport-washing’, designed to divert attention from the more concerning human rights issues in some of the host nations. Gigi Alford
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Focus on human rights issues At Play the Game 2019 different actors from both inside and outside of sport will share their perspectives on the growing attention on the relationship between mega-events and human rights.
Mary Harvey
Andrew Zimbalist
The Vice President of the European Olympic Committee (EOC), Niels Nygaard, will give his view on the EOC’s newcomer – The European Games – which has been criticised for placing its first two events in Azerbaijan and Belarus, which are among the European countries with the poorest human rights records. Gigi Alford, Director of Sport and Human Rights at the World Players Association, and Mary Harvey, CEO at the Centre for Sport and Human Rights, will be sharing their views and thoughts in regards to the pressure from NGOs outside of sport on the big sports organisations, while professor of economics Andrew Zimbalist will shed some light on the economics behind mega-events and the problems concerning the displacement of citizens to make room for sporting facilities. The NOlympics movement has received a lot of attention lately, not least because of its gathering in the streets of Tokyo to protest against the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Co-founder Jonny Colemann from the organisation’s Los Angeles branch will present the organisation’s intentions and main goal for the demonstrations. Last, but not least, FIFA’s Head of sustainability & diversity Federico Addiechi will account for the advances FIFA has made in his area of responsibility.
What will be the legacy of a big sporting event? At Play the Game 2019 we will also take an academic approach to the debate on the legacies of sporting events. Professor Harry Arne Solberg from Trondheim Business School in Norway will talk about the economic challenges of hosting major sporting events, while professor Tim Lawrence Walters from Okanagan College in Canada will elaborate on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and why he believes that football has the potential to become a mechanism to reduce inequality and enhance social justice.
Jonny Colemann
The mega-event sessions will also touch upon questions like the IOC’s ‘Agenda 2020’ and how it has impacted the human rights issues, cost overruns, empty facilities, and (the lack of) public involvement.
Sessions with a focus on mega-events The following list may have been altered since production. Please check out the full programme in the conference app for updated information on speakers and scheduled sessions.
Federico Addiechi
Monday 2.15 PM
Tuesday 2.15 PM
PARALLEL SESSION: EVENTS: A WORLD OF PROMISES. Meet Federico Darío Teijeiro,
PARALLEL SESSION: MEGA-EVENTS: TRACKING RESISTANCE. Meet Christopher T.
Takuya Yamazaki, Harry-Arne Solberg, Karen Lynn Perry and Christian Tolstrup Jensen
Gaffney, Ryan Gauthier and Tim Lawrence Walters
Monday 4.30 PM
Wednesday 11.50 AM
PLENARY SESSION: MEGA-EVENTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: DUEL OR DIALOGUE? Meet Gigi Alford,
PARALLEL SESSION: MUST HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF IN OVERSPENDING? Meet Harry-Arne
Andrew Zimbalist, Jonny Coleman, Federico Addiechi, Niels Nygaard and Mary Harvey
Solberg, Michael Dias Correa and Tim Lawrence Walters
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Photo: Colourbox
THEME: GOVERNANCE AND CRIME
Sport: A victim of crooks or a partner in crime? Only five years ago, this scene was unthinkable: A Swiss luxury hotel hosting the congress of the world’s most powerful sports organisation is raided at the break of dawn by a team of Swiss and American police taking out seven top members of the football family. Or the Vice President of the International Olympic Committee sleeping peacefully during the Olympics in Rio when – “knock, knock” – the Brazilian police comes to pick him up as God created him, accompanied by rolling cameras. Not the kind of broadcast sports fans were expecting to get for their TV subscriptions.
Governance reformers vs. Olympic Crime
Richard W. Pound
In the past few years, reality has surpassed imagination more than once, when criminal investigations have been started against top leaders in sport who believed that they belonged to a class of untouchables, a level of society above the rule of law. But they do not. Football leaders related to the American continents have received severe punishments or had them reduced if they cooperated with the police. Several high ranking members of the Olympic family, from the once so powerful Sheikh Ahmad from Kuwait to the lesser known Norwegian biathlon President Besseberg, are under criminal investigation. Public prosecutors in Switzerland, Austria, France, Australia, Norway, Colombia, Brazil, the U.S. and other countries are working overtime with limited resources and lots of legal obstacles to gather evidence against the crooks of sport. How could this happen, and what can governments and sports organisations do today to prevent crime and corruption among those who should think more about their sport than about their personal enrichment.
David Howman
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Linda Helleland
It took years of denial before honest sports leaders recognised that they could and should no longer close their eyes and accept criminal behaviour from their peers, as long as business was thriving. Today, good governance is – as the longest serving IOC member Richard W. Pound will express it in his presentation at Play the Game 2019 – “the new mantra in sport”. He will be joined by journalist Jens Weinreich, who will speak about why governments must combat Olympic crime, and chairman of the Athletics Integrity Unit, David Howman, who will shine a light on sports integrity. More top speakers will share their views and thoughts in this session such as WADA Vice President Linda Helleland, Secretary General of the International Ski Federation, Sarah Lewis, and lawyer and attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, Evan Norris.
Focus on FIFA In a parallel session, Miguel Poiares Maduro, the man who barred Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko from FIFA leadership and were removed as Chair of FIFA Governance, will explain why FIFA cannot reform itself. Known as the FIFA whistleblower, Bonita Mersiades will give her take on FIFA and her work on exposing corruption and governance issues within the world of football. Delegates will also hear Middle East expert James M. Dorsey, who will share views and thoughts on the case of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Benchmarking sports governance Sarah Lewis
Every sports body today is against corruption and for better governance. But are they honest, and can they deliver, if the whole culture of sports has been shaped over years of mismanagement? This is what Play the Game tries to benchmark in its Sports Governance Observer project, which was first launched in 2015. The benchmarking tool was refined in 2018 and five international federations put under renewed scrutiny. At Play the Game 2019, the fresh results for six international federations will be launched, together with National Sports Governance Observer results for six countries: Australia, Canada, Colombia, Georgia, Lithuania and the USA. Good governance, sports integrity and building governance networks will also be on the agenda, with examples of governance reforms from around the world of sport.
James M. Dorsey
Sessions with focus on governance and crime The following list may have been altered since production. Please check out the full programme in the conference app for updated information on speakers and scheduled sessions.
Monday 11.50 AM PARALLEL SESSION: SPORTS GOVERNANCE: REMEDIES FOR CHANGE. Meet Mike McNamee, Sabrina Furtado, Grzegorz
Botwina and Simon Gardiner Sunday 8.00 PM MAIN SESSION: INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS: BETTER GOVERNANCE & DIRTY TRICKS. Meet Christina Friis Johansen, Ivan Miljk-
Monday 2.15 PM
ovic, Jakob Færch, Mike McNamee, Alex Phillips and Sarah Lewis
PARALLEL SESSION: BENCHMARKING SPORTS GOVERNANCE: FRESH FACTS FROM FEDERATIONS IN SIX COUNTRIES. Meet
Monday 9.00 AM
Daryl Adair, Spencer Harris, Edvinas Eimontas, Ryan Gauthier, Ana Maria Arias and Anatoli Korepanov
PLENARY SESSION: GOVERNANCE REFORMERS VS. OLYMPIC CRIME: WHO’S ON TOP? Meet Jens Weinreich, Evan Norris,
Tuesday 2.15 PM
Richard W. Pound, Sarah Lewis, David Howman, Linda Helleland and Jesper Møller
PARALLEL SESSION: BUILDING GOVERNANCE NETWORKS IN SPORT.
Monday 11.50 AM
Tuesday 3.45 PM
PARALLEL SESSION: NEW STEPS IN THE GOVERNANCE OF ANTIDOPING. Meet Andrea Gotzmann, Ben Sandford and Peter
PLENARY SESSION: THE NEW FIFA: SAME, SAME, BUT DIFFERENT?
Mattsson
Meet Marianne Dortants, Sandy Adam and Paulo Marcos Schmitt
Meet James M. Dorsey, Jan Jensen, Andreas Selliaas, Bonita Mersiades and Miguel Poiares Maduro
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Monday 14 October
PLENARY SESSION: Governance reformers
vs. Olympic crime: Who’s on top?
10:15 AM
COFFEE BREAK
10:45 AM
[PLENARY CONT.]
11:50 AM
PARTNER SESSION BY LISA KIHL AND ANETTE
09:00 AM
Sunday 13 October
GREENHOW: Who has the right to stand up
11:50 AM
ARRIVALS AND REGISTRATION
11:50 AM
11:50 AM
11:50 AM
02:00 PM
OPENING SESSION:
Words of welcome
for athlete voices?
PARALLEL SESSION: New steps in the
governance of anti-doping
PARALLEL SESSION: Under the radar:
PARALLEL SESSION: Sports governance:
PARALLEL SESSION: Raising the game for
Gender and body perspectives
Remedies for change
journalism (1): Investigating in the shades of football
01:00 PM
LUNCH
02:15 PM
PARALLEL SESSION: Broken Trust: Movie
PARALLEL SESSION: Benchmarking sports
PARALLEL SESSION: Grassroots sport in the
and talks
02:15 PM
03:15 PM 03:45 PM
05:15 PM
COFFEE BREAK
OPENING SESSION: Advancing athlete power: Activism, committees, unions? Safe sport: End game for abusers?
06:30 PM
02:15 PM
PARALLEL SESSION: Events: A world of promises
02:15 PM
PARALLEL SESSION: Doping: Legal rights
04:00 PM
COFFEE BREAK
04:30 AM
PLENARY SESSION: Mega-events and
08:00 PM
MAIN THEME:
International federations: Better governance & dirty tricks
Please observe: All programme elements are subject to change.
human rights: Duel or dialogue?
DINNER
MAIN THEME:
The Semenya case: What it means to athletes
and whistleblowing
06:30 PM
United States
02:15 PM
WELCOME RECEPTION
08:00 PM
governance: Fresh facts from federations in six countries
08:00 PM
PLENARY SESSION: Is blowing the whistle
worth the risk?
Tuesday 15 October 09:00 AM
MAIN THEME: Elite sport and college edu-
cation in the U.S.: A dysfunctional marriage?
Wednesday 16 October 09:00 AM
PLENARY SESSION: Anti-doping: What’s next
for WADA?
09:00 AM
10:15 AM
COFFEE BREAK
10:45 AM
[PLENARY CONT.]
[MAIN THEMES CONT.]
11:50 AM
PARALLEL SESSION: Doping: Culture and perceptions
PARTNER SESSION BY ANETTE GREENHOW:
11:50 AM
Concussion – management and team doctors: Legal and ethical implications
PARALLEL SESSION:The waves of athlete activism
11:50 AM
PARALLEL SESSION: Must history repeat
itself in overspending?
PARALLEL SESSION: Raising the game for
journalism (3): The niche media: Survival or revival?
MAIN THEME: The global challenge of
growing grassroots sports
10:15 AM
COFFEE BREAK
10:45 AM
11:50 AM
11:50 AM
PARALLEL SESSION: Putting sports integrity
on the map 11:50 AM
11:50 AM
11:50 AM
11:50 AM
PARALLEL SESSION: Attacking abuse around
PARALLEL SESSION: Athletes in the power
the world (1)
structures: Best practices PARALLEL SESSION: Raising the game for
journalism (2): When television dives under the surface of sport
01:00 PM
LUNCH
02:15 PM
PARTNER SESSION BY PETER DONNELLY
AND MORE: The struggle for safe sport
in Canada
01:00 PM
LUNCH
02:15 PM
PARALLEL SESSION: Workers of the Court, Unite!
02:15 PM
PARALLEL SESSION: Mega-events: Tracking resistance
02:15 PM
02:15 PM
02:15 PM
02:15 PM
02:15 PM
PARALLEL SESSION: Attacking abuse around
the world (2)
PARALLEL SESSION: Building governance
PARALLEL SESSION: Testing the testing:
What is it worth in anti-doping
03:15 PM
COFFEE BREAK
03:45 PM
PLENARY SESSION: The new FIFA: Same,
02:15 PM
05:30 PM
10:00 PM
PARALLEL SESSION: Media narratives under scrutiny PARALLEL SESSION: How to match the match-fixers
PARALLEL SESSION: Elite sport models:
What end do they serve?
04:00 PM
COFFEE BREAK
04:30 PM
PLENARY SESSION: Athletes, clients,
networks in sport
same, but different?
Busses leave for the Olympic Training Center Guided VIP tour with Olympic athletes, dinner, panel on the American Develop ment Model, sports demonstrations
Busses return to DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
06:30 PM
criminals? Who benefits from sports betting in the U.S.? Conference closure
07:30 PM
COCKTAILS
08:00 PM
FAREWELL DINNER
Farewell party with dinner & Play the Game Award
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Photo: Sharon Somero/Flickr
THEME: COLLEGE SPORT
Elite sport and college education in the U.S.: A dysfunctional marriage? By B. David Ridpath Given that elite sport development and athletic success is paramount in any elite sport system, there is a natural clash in the U.S. with academic primacy given that elite athletes have to meet academic benchmarks to be able to compete. Historically, the athletic goals of winning and revenue generation often win out at the expense of academic integrity. At Play the Game 2019, some of the most knowledgeable researchers and practitioners within the field will examine the current state of educationally based elite athletic development in America and propose solutions as potential templates for improvement.
The U.S. model of college sport The United States is the only country in the world that has a significant portion of its elite athletic development in many sports grounded in the educational system. American intercollegiate athletics, most specifically at the highest division, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, is highly commercialized, profitable and immensely popular. Many head college football and basketball coaches are making close to ten million dollars a year. Paradoxically, and somewhat strange to those not from the United States and despite tremendous revenue for some college programs, college athletes do not get paid a salary beyond an athletic scholarship that pays for school, nor are they able to share in the revenue such as profiting off their own name, image and likeness (NIL). The promise of a college education is often not delivered in an eligibility driven environment that often replaces actual access to a transformational college education for the college athlete, so competitiveness is not affected. This dysfunctional, yet very popular and profitable marriage has fueled more changes and requests for reform in the past ten years than in the entire 100 plus year history of American college sports.
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Is it time for changes? There is no shortage of issues and calls for reform and change. The athletes are asserting their rights more than ever to share in the revenue; the industry is replete with academic scandals and academic fraud; the public and the government are questioning the amount of spending on college sports when higher education is underfunded; a lucrative black market exists that exploits the athletic utility of the athlete to go to specific schools, and even famous movie stars have gotten involved in the recent Varsity Blues admission scandal which exploited special college admission standards for athletes at academically elite colleges and universities. B. David Ridpath
Moreover, the focus on the commercialized sports of football and men’s basketball has led to other sports being eliminated on many campuses, which in turn damages the United States on the international sports landscape as American higher education institutions are a primary training ground for Olympic and national team athletes in multiple sports.
Karl Benson
At Play the Game 2019, speakers such as professor B. David Ridpath, Ohio University, professor Andrew Zimbalist, Smith College, Karl Benson, former Commissioner of three NCAA Division I athletic conferences, Carolayne Henry, Associate Commissioner of the Mountain West Conference, and Ceal Berry, Deputy Athletic Director at the University of Colorado, will discuss the current state of educationally based sport and elite athlete development in the United States, with a focus on intercollegiate athletics at the NCAA Division I level. The main questions will be what is working and not working in commercialized college sports in the US today and are there potential alternatives to the American model such as looking towards Europe and integrating a local sports club system and other developmental options to reduce the stress on the educational system?
Workers of the Court, Unite! In a parallel session John Wolohan, will discuss the pros and cons of paying college athletes and Alex Wolf-Root will discuss the issue of unionization of college athletes.
Carolayne Henry
Delegates will also hear a presentation from Geoff Parsons about the Jess Varnish case, where the female cyclist lost a case about employment rights against UK cycling and UK Sport. Where athletes push to get rights as employees, sport governing bodies on the other hand perceive their relationship to athletes as more of a service provider supporting talented and dedicated athletes to achieve their best.
Sessions with focus on college sport The following list may have been altered since production. Please check out the full programme in the conference app for updated information on speakers and scheduled sessions. Ceal Berry
Tuesday 9.00 AM MAIN SESSION: ELITE SPORT AND COLLEGE EDUCATION IN THE US: A DYSFUNCTIONAL MARRIAGE. Meet Bradley David Ridpath, Karl Benson, Ceal Barry, Carolayne Henry and
Andrew Zimbalist Tuesday 2.15 PM PARALLEL SESSION: WORKERS OF THE COURT, UNITE! Meet John Wolohan, Geoff
Parsons and Alex Wolf-Root
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Photo: Colourbox
THEME: GRASSROOTS SPORT
The global challenge of growing sports By Spencer Harris In sporting terms, the term grassroots is oftentimes understood by defining what it is not— specifically, performance-oriented or commercially driven varieties of sport. The grassroots is foundational, local-level, community-driven, and primarily recreational. It is arguably the only genuine social movement focused on sport. It consists of a loose coalition of participants, officials, coaches, volunteer administrators, and parents who commit to the cause. These stakeholders not only play an important role in sustaining the grassroots sport movement, they directly influence the nature of the experience. Increasingly, governments – at various levels – intervene in grassroots sport. For example, the national governments of numerous countries develop policies, programs and funding programs targeting grassroots sports. Local government, too, has a long history of supporting the grassroots, predominantly through the provision of various facilities as well as the provision of outreach and community sport development programs.
What’s grassroots sport all about? For some, grassroots sport is about the development of sport: the development of players, coaches, clubs, and competitions. For others, it is about the possibility of bettering society through sport by improving physical and mental health and well-being, regenerating communities, addressing crime and anti-social behavior, enhancing education, and making a positive contribution to the economy. However, while grassroots sport offers the potential to meet these aspirations, it is also challenged by a range of micro- and macro-level considerations. At the micro-level, challenges such as poor operational practices, unrealistic parental expectations, participant drop-out, and the pressures placed upon volunteer coaches and administrators adversely affect grassroots sport. At the macro-level, issues such as the privatization of youth sport, the media representation of sport, the expectations associated with the impact of grassroots sport, and the politics and power across the various stakeholders involved in grassroots sport, all contribute to a challenging grassroots sport environment.
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At Play the Game2019, delegates will hear more about these challenges and the ways in which they are being addressed. Tom Farrey, the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Sports and Society program, will kick things off by presenting the overarching vision and work of Project Play and their attempts to revitalize youth sport and replace the largely adult business model that dominates youth sport with a youth-centric, age-appropriate development model.
Spencer Harris
Chris Snyder from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) will build on the discussion, emphasizing the creation of the American Development Model (ADM). The ADM was created to enable the USOPC and USbased national governing bodies of sport to provide quality youth sport programming in order to slow or stop the drop-out in American sport. Providing an international perspective, Fernando Mezzadri will examine Brazilian sports policy and the impact of this on grassroots sport following Rio 2016. Peter Donnelly will reflect on grassroots and elite sport policies in Canada. He will compare the resources given to grassroots and elite sport and argue that while fetishizing medals has not directly caused a decline in youth and grassroots sport, it has created a situation that puts democratized participation in sport in a policy void. Tine Rindum Teilmann will explain how Danish sport will get 75% of the population physically active.
Chris Snyder
Taking the discussion in a different but important direction, Elizabeth Daniels will take a look at the role that the media play in promoting sport. In particular, she will discuss the ways in which the media typically cover women’s sports. Her presentation will also examine the effect that such coverage has on viewers, especially girls and women, and will consider the implications for grassroots sport along with recommendations for change.
Grassroot sport in the United States
Fernando Mezzadri
In a parallel session, Chris Knoester will detail adults’ reports of sports involvement in their own life over the past year, while growing up, and the sports involvement of their residing child. Stacy Warner will be talking about how sport can and should be managed to promote participation health, while Simon Licen will be presenting how sport management educators in the U.S. are doing when it comes to good governance. With an onset in a children’s game circling around the Harry Potter universe, Manuela Gamba will present how the game can function as a tool and means to grow together while having fun following in Harry Potter’s footsteps. Thomas Aicher will be presenting data from his study on the perceived welcomeness and self-efficacy of different racial groups within the United States that adds credence to the racialization of sport.
Sessions with a focus on grassroots sport The following list may have been altered since production. Please check out the full programme in the conference app for updated information on speakers and scheduled sessions. Tine Rindum Teilmann
Monday 2.15 PM PARALLEL SESSION: GRASSROOTS SPORT IN THE UNITED STATES.
Meet Chris Knoester, Stacy Warner, Simon Licen, Manuela Gamba, Niki Mandolesi and Thomas Aicher Tuesday 9.00 AM MAIN SESSION: THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE OF GROWING GRASSROOTS SPORTS. Meet Tom Farrey, Chris Snyder, John Ryan, Elisabeth Daniels,
Peter Donnelly, Fernando Mezzadri and Tine Rindum Teilmann
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Photo: Prayitno/Flickr
THEME: MATCH-FIXING
Match-fixing – the global threat to the credibility of sport Scandals of match-fixing or other forms of manipulation of sport competitions continue to appear in a number of sports and at various levels across the globe and an effective international approach against this threat to sport is still to be found. As it has been apparent in the fight against doping, cases of match-fixing also show that it is of utmost importance for sport to be engaged in information exchange and close cooperation with law enforcement to effectively discover potential match-fixing activities. Increasingly, governments – at various levels – look to implement policies to assist in the fight against match-fixing and the recently ratified Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (the Macolin Convention) also shows a commitment from state parties to preserve the integrity of sport. But it takes two to tango. In all instances of match-fixing, athletes are involved and effective prevention strategies are obviously required from sports organisations.
Athletes, clients, criminals: Who benefits from sports betting in the USA? In the closing session at Play the Game 2019, delegates will hear from highprofile speakers who will discuss the challenges to combatting match-fixing and present examples of how measures of investigation and prevention can be applied. The discussion is framed by the recent legalisation of sports betting in the USA and speakers will discuss what impact this will have for the U.S. sporting scene.
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Paulina Tomczyk, General Secretary of EU Athletes, will present experiences in the field of match-fixing prevention under the project initiative of ‘PROtect Integrity’, aimed at educating athletes about sports betting integrity issues and the dangers of getting involved in any form of match-fixing. Delegates will also hear a presentation from Michael Bahrs, Detective Chief Superintendent in Bochum Police, Germany, who will give his perspective on the threat sport is facing from criminals and what should be done to tackle it.
Paulina Tomczyk
Professor Richard H. McLaren, who investigated the Russian doping scheme, is now involved with anti-match-fixing activities in tennis and will give his perspective on the current situation in international tennis, where a report from independent investigators in 2018 reported ‘a Tsunami’ of fixing. Declan Hill, independent journalist and Associate Professor of Investigations at the University of New Haven, is a leading expert in match-fixing and corruption in sport. He will present new research on how the legalisation of sports betting will affect U.S. sport and which sport will be most affected by gambling corruption.
How to match the match-fixers
Michael Bahrs
In a parallel session a wide range of speakers will shine a light on a variety of aspects related to match-fixing. Freelance journalist Steve Menary, will look at the lack of regulation for friendly matches in Europe, while sports editor Mulemba Issiaka, will talk about match-fixing in East Africa. Minhyeok Tak, Lecturer at Loughborough University, will present on how to uncover match-fixing through technical betting data analysis, while Thomas Bach, Vice President of the NOC and Sports Confederation of Denmark, and Severin Moritzer, CEO of the Play Fair Code, will give their views on prevention and monitoring strategies. Finally, Amelia Fouques, President of the Canadian Sport Law Association, will take an in-depth look at the CAS case against the Turkish football club Trabzonspor.
Richard H. McLaren
Sessions with a focus on match-fixing The following list may have been altered since production. Please check out the full programme in the conference app for updated information on speakers and scheduled sessions. Tuesday 11.50 AM PARALLEL SESSION: PUTTING SPORTS INTEGRITY ON THE MAP
Meet Whitney Bragagnolo Wednesday 2.15 PM Declan Hill
PARALLEL SESSION: HOW TO MATCH THE MATCH-FIXERS
Meet Minhyeok Tak, Thomas Bach, Steve Menary, Severin Moritzer, Amelia Fouques and Mulemba Issiaka Wednesday 4.30 PM PLENARY SESSION: ATHLETES, CLIENTS, CRIMINALS: WHO BENEFITS FROM SPORTS BETTING IN THE USA?
Meet Paulina Tomczyk, Michael Bahrs, Richard H. McLaren and Declan Hill
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SOCIAL EVENTS
WELCOME RECEPTION Play the Game will host a welcome reception at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel.
WHEN:
Sunday 13 October, 6:15-8:00 PM WHERE: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Colorado Springs DRESS CODE: Casual
TOUR TO THE U.S. OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC TRAINING CENTER IN COLORADO SPRINGS
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Complex in Colorado Springs is the flagship training center for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the Olympic & Paralympic Training Center programmes. USA Swimming and USA Shooting have their national headquarters on the complex. More than 15 other member organisations, as well as two international sports federations and the USOPC headquarters, are also located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
PROGRAMME:
GET AN ACTIVE START During the conference, the fitness and swimming facilities at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel will be open for conference delegates. We will also offer morning yoga classes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 7-8 AM in the Mountain View room behind the welcome desk. The yoga instructor will be Suzanne from Cambio Yoga in Colorado Springs. You can also join us for a morning run with a local guide at 7 AM Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday starting outside the main entrance of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel.
• • • • •
Welcome and introduction to the center Guided VIP tour with Olympic athletes Buffet dinner Panel discussion about the American Development Model A variety of sports demonstrations at the premises
WHEN:
Tuesday 15 October, 5.30-10.30 PM WHERE: The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center DRESS CODE: Casual or clothes suitable for the activities you may wish to join TRANSPORT: Buses will leave from the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at 5.30 PM and will return at 10.30 PM.
The tour is included in the conference price, but registration is necessary. Please note that no alternative dinner will be offered the same Tuesday evening. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS: Participation in the event, including any sports activities offered, is at your personal risk and responsibility. Play the Game does not provide insurance to cover any incidents caused by or harmful to the participants. Please ensure that you are well covered by your personal travel insurance. The Olympic Training Center would like you to be aware that smoking is strictly forbidden within the area, outdoors as well as indoors.
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ON YOUR OWN VISIT THE CASTLE ROCK OUTLET Play the Game delegates will receive a voucher for the Castle Rock Outlet in their delegate packs. Delegates, who visit the outlet after the conference, will receive a special package including a Tommy bag, a 10 USD voucher plus a VIP savings booklet. You can find the Castle Rock Outlet at 5050 Factory Shops Blvd. Suite 437, Castle Rock, CO 80108 approx. one hour from Colorado Springs.
SIGHTSEEING Colorado Springs has a lot to offer. It lies near glaciercarved Pikes Peak, a landmark in Pike National Forest with hiking trails leading to its 14,114-ft. summit. The city’s Garden of the Gods park features iconic redsandstone formations and mountain views. Go to www.visitcos.com for more information.
FAREWELL DINNER AND PARTY This evening, we will relax after four days of conference and enjoy a nice dinner and a glass of wine. During the evening, the winner of the prestigious Play the Game award will be presented. After dinner the dance floor and the bar will be open (at your own expense).
WHEN:
Wednesday 16 October 7:30 PM-01:00 AM WHERE: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Colorado Springs DRESS CODE: Smart casual
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PRACTICAL INFORMATION
CONFERENCE VENUE & HOTEL Conference sessions will take place at: DOUBLETREE BY HILTON HOTEL 1775 E Cheyenne Mountain Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906, USA
OTHER CONFERENCE HOTELS LA QUINTA 2750 Geyser Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 HAMPTON INN AND SUITES BY HILTON 2910 Geyser Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION DESK The Play the Game conference information and registration desk is located at the banquet entrance. The desk will be open during the following hours: Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
13 October 14 October 15 October 16 October
9 AM - 11 AM & 1 PM - 10 PM 8 AM - 8 PM 8 AM - 5 PM 8 AM - 6 PM
VOLUNTEERS Volunteers will be easily recognisable wearing dark polo t-shirts featuring the UCCS logo.
REPORTING FROM THE CONFERENCE Play the Game will be documenting the events at the conference. Video-on-demand from keynote sessions and some of the parallel sessions will be published on Play the Game’s YouTube channel and will be available at the conference website: www.playthegame.org/2019. Please observe that all conference presentations may be quoted by the media. Because of the recording, it is not advisable to make off the record statements in most sessions and workshops. Play the Game will record video and take photos during the conference for publication on our website. Photos will be uploaded on Play the Game’s Flickr account and website during and after the conference. The photos will be made available for your editorial use. If doing so, you must credit Play the Game and photographer Thomas Søndergaard. We would be pleased to get a copy of any article/broadcasted programme related to the conference. Please send it to stanis@playthegame.org. Please credit Play the Game in your reports from the conference.
SOCIAL MEDIA GETTING AROUND CAR: The best way to get around Colorado Springs is by car, since some of the city’s most popular things to do – including the famous Pikes Peak – cannot be reached on foot from the city center. However, if you plan on spending the day in downtown Colorado Springs or nearby Manitou Springs, your own two feet and a comfy pair of shoes should suffice. You can rent a vehicle in town or at the Colorado Springs Airport (COS), which is located about 11 miles east of central Colorado Springs. BUS: The city also features an affordable public bus system with more than 20 routes, many of which start or end in the downtown area. Plan your bus trip here: https://coloradosprings.gov/mountain-metro TAXI: Local taxi and sedan service in Colorado Springs can be ordered through the zTrip app or take an Uber.
For tweets about the conference follow @playthegame_org on Twitter and use the hashtag #ptg2019.
CONFERENCE APP Download the free Play the Game 2019 conference app and keep yourself up to speed with the latest latest programme changes. The app will also give you easy access to general conference information. Download the app called ‘Attendify’ and search for ‘Play the Game 2019’.
CONTACT Should you need assistance during your stay in Colorado Springs please contact: Conference Manager, Maria Suurballe by cell phone: +45 20 20 68 38 or e-mail: maria@playthegame.org.
Photo credits: Unless otherwise credited, the photos in this conference guide are provided by speakers, venues/hotels, and Play the Game conference photographer Thomas Søndergaard.
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#FOOTBALLFOREVERYONE
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HOTELS AND VENUES
SOCIAL EVENTS
Sunday 13 October Welcome reception at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
Tuesday 15 October Tour to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs
Wednesday 16 October Farewell dinner and party at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
ACCOMMODATION
CONFERENCE VENUE DOUBLETREE BY HILTON HOTEL COLORADO SPRINGS 1775 East Cheyenne Mountain Blvd., Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80906, USA
LA QUINTA 2750 Geyser Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
HAMPTON INN AND SUITES BY HILTON 2910 Geyser Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
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