Following on the success of the Global Sports Impact Event Studies Programme in 2017, Sportcal announced today at the IF Forum in Lausanne, Switzerland that ‘Sustainability’ has been added as a key pillar to the GSI Event Studies Programme for 2018.
The theme for the IF Forum in Switzerland is ‘Leading the way towards a sustainable agenda’, with over 300 international federation delegates presenting and discussing how sport can create a more sustainable future. Presentations were made by the International Olympic Committee, the World Bank and a variety of international federations representing a diverse range of sports.
Sportcal has undertaken over 20 GSI Event Studies in 2017 including:
• The Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti, Finland
• The World Games in Wroclaw, Poland
• Winter and Summer Universiades in Kazakhstan and Chinese Taipei
• The World Baseball Classic in Korea, Japan, Mexico and USA
• World Championships in Archery, Boxing, Fencing, Floorball, Table Tennis and Wrestling
• Grand Prix events and finals in Taekwondo and Sailing
Mike Laflin, CEO of Sportcal, commented: “We have undertaken a wide range of studies in 2017 and we can see some excellent initiatives to improve sustainability at major sporting events, especially at events like Lahti 2017. Sport can really lead the way in the drive to improve global sustainability and help push the message out to the world that we need to do more to create a sustainable future for our planet. It was a natural addition to include sustainability as a key pillar to our GSI Event Studies programme”
Janne Leskinen, CEO of Lahti 2017, presented the sustainability initiatives undertaken during the Nordic World Ski Championships to the delegates at the IF Forum. Among the initiatives was a meeting with the International Ski Federation, FIS, which has resulted in FIS adopting sustainability as a key requirement for every FIS World Championship in the future. Jenny Wiedeke, Communications Manager and Head of Sustainability Activities at FIS said that what Lahti 2017 had achieved was “truly exceptional and inspirational.”
Meanwhile at its annual conference in Mexico, World Sailing presented its ‘Sustainability Agenda 2030.'
Andy Hunt, CEO of World Sailing, commented: “World Sailing recently launched Sustainability Agenda 2030, an ambitious commitment to help create a better world through sport. To tangibly contribute to global sustainability, we have taken active measures to bring about substantial change across our sport.”
“Sustainability becoming one of the Global Sports Impact pillars is a positive step forward as there will now be a common measure for all sports to assess and advance their initiatives.”
The GSI Event Studies Programme was launched in January 2017 in partnership with the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and has engaged over 30 sports in the programme. Cities and governments are now joining the programme which seeks to understand the impact of sport in a four-year Olympic cycle (2017 to 2020).
For further information on the GSI Event Studies Programme and to become a partner of the programme contact gsi@sportcal.com.
ABOUT THE GSI EVENT STUDIES PROGRAMME 2017 – 2020:
Sportcal is embarking upon a four-year programme during the 2017-2020 Olympic cycle, which will bring federations, rights owners, host cities, governments and key stakeholders together to work with Sportcal and engage in the GSI Project. The programme will involve the development of annual studies from a diverse range of sports and events, to help event owners and hosts understand the true impact of their events across a wide range of sectors, and to support them in the further development of their event strategies.