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SportAccord Convention in Dubai

SportAccord Convention in Dubai

The City Manager of 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa host city Durban and the Chairman of London’s Olympic Delivery Authority will be featured speakers in the City Forum during the SportAccord Convention in Dubai next month. Dr Michael Sutcliffe from Durban will deliver a case study on the upcoming football mega-event and his city, and ODA chief John Armitt will address the subject of how London 2012 is balancing the needs of the Olympic Games with long-term legacy.

To share viewpoints and best practice

Now in its third edition, the City Forum is dedicated to giving cities and the sports and companies they work with an opportunity to share viewpoints and best practice and find more effective ways to cooperate in the hosting of events.

“The City Forum is a unique part of our conference offering,” said Anna Hellman, Executive Director of SportAccord Convention. “Cities and sport need to talk to each other and the Forum’s panel sessions are designed to facilitate a real open dialogue with a lot of interaction. The City Forum is very much about tackling current issues that are really relevant for cities.”

The City Forum will feature two panel sessions. Peter van Gend, President of Major Events at Siemens One, Siemens AG, will moderate a discussion on Facilities, and Don Schumacher, Chairman of the USA’s National Association of Sports Commissions, will lead the session on Adding Value (focusing on how cities can maximize benefits from hosting sporting events).

Confirmed speakers at the City Forum are

• Marisol Casado, President, International Triathlon Union, IOC Member
• Jon Coxeter-Smith, Partner, Head of Global Sports Group, Davis Langdon
• Alpaslan Baki Ertekin, General Director, Istanbul Sport Events Co
• Joel F. Finlay, Global Lead-Major Sport Events, KPMG LLP
• Ronald Froehlich, President, International World Games Association
• Robert J. Johnson, MRAIC, AIA, Principal, National Sport Practice Leader, Cannon Design Architecture Inc.
• Guru V.S. Malladi, Partner-Advisory Services-Infrastructure, Government, Ernst & Young India PVT Limited
• Shane O’Leary, CEO, Sydney 2009 World Masters Games Organising Committee
• Hans den Oudendammer, Director, Rotterdam Top Sport Foundation

The SportAccord Convention will take place in Dubai from April 25-30, 2010 at the Atlantis Palm Resort. It is the first edition of the SportAccord Convention to be held in the Middle East.Every year SportAccord Week features a dynamic exhibition, numerous networking receptions and top-level conference sessions, including the City Forum, as well as the annual general meetings of the Sports Governing Bodies. The Convention attracts over 1,500 leading representatives of international sport.

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About the SportAccord Convention

The SportAccord Convention annually brings representatives from the 100 international sports federations and organisations affiliated to SportAccord/GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations), ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations) and AIOWF (Association of the International Olympic Winter Sports Federations), as well as the International Olympic Committee Executive Board, together with sponsors, bidding and host cities, architects, sports lawyers, broadcasters, games organising committees, rights holders and other specialists to discuss the key issues facing the sports industry.

Owned by SportAccord/GAISF, ASOIF and AIOWF, the SportAccord Convention encompasses the annual Congress and General Assembly of each association, while offering the sports community a powerful opportunity to come together in an exclusive and authoritative networking environment to build relationships, exchange knowledge and develop ideas.