Nine and half hours, 10 digital events and the same enthusiasm made of the second day of the Sport Integrity Week 2021 another success, with both participants and global media emphasising the outputs of intense debates on Financial Integrity, Transparency and Sustainability in Sport.
Tackling corruption is a key value of SIGA’s mission, and therefore the panels directly dedicated to that goal were the most participated. “Integrity in Sport: The Key to Recovery”, and “The Name of the Game: Follow the Money” reunited some of the best leaders in the industry and produced enhanced expertise.
Check Media Partners As, Record and Lusa coverage of #SIW2021 (in Spanish and in Portuguese)
Andrea Traverso, Director, Financial Sustainability and Research, UEFA:
“Agility, flexibility, necessity to take new decisions were the lessons we learned from Covid-19. The pandemic had a massive effect on clubs… European football clubs owe among them 6 Bn euros. It is like a domino. One of the key elements we have to focus on during this period is to prevent that this becomes contagious, as it will increase the lack of liquidity.”
Alan Gilpin, CEO, World Rugby:
“Fans expect more from us, and they expect the Sport to be based on integrity. They need to believe in what they see in the field of play, whether from Integrity or antidoping perspectives. ”
Andy Westlake, Chairman of the European Sponsorship Association:
“Sport at all levels have been under stress. We lost 23 per cent in sponsorship revenue last year as a result of Covid. Sponsors want to be a part of the dialogue, they want to embed good purpose activations in their programs.”
Lisa Levine, General Cousel, National Women’s Soccer League:
“it’s interesting to hear about the drops in sponsorships reviews, because we were able to add a number of partners. We were very fortunate.”
Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Global CEO, SIGA:
“We need a united front, and we need governments and international organisations to for, once and for all, prioritise the prevention and fight against corruption, money laundering, tax evasion, and criminal infiltration in sport”.
Emily Devlin, Director of Corporate Legal, FIFA
“In 2015 the new FIFA president was elected, and now we see a change in how the administration approaches things like good governance and ensuring the money that FIFA distributes is properly used”.
INSPIRING YOUTH AND AFRICAN PROBLEMS
The day started with a significantly participated Open Forum, held by the SIGA Youth Council, providing stimulus for a better future with clean Sport and strong leaders. Ed Bowers moderated, while Taylor Green, Tomás Medeiros, Tarryn Horner and Maureen Rosita Ojong Ebob-Besong shared their enthusiasm and inspiration.
After a coffee break pause, the debate moved to Stage Africa, where Uganda’s football star Jean Sseninde, member of CAF Women’s Football Committee, and CEO of Sseninde Foundation expressed her views on problems that threaten Sport Integrity in Africa:
“There are some issues of governance in Africa, and you can see that by how many leaders have been picked up for corruption, mainly in the football federations. There have been quite a few… One key thing often ignored is sexual harassment. Women have to fight. Sometimes you have to do certain things you don’t want to do, and they force you to do this. Such cases are not reported because in Africa that is the norm. Women are supposed to keep quiet. I always say if I am a leader, let me treat women and men the same way, because if you invest the right resources and show them how to do things, you will get the same results from both men and women”.
PIRACY, RIGHTS AND COLLEGIATE SPORT
After the intense and vibrate debate on “Fight for your Rights: Digital Piracy and IP Protection in Sport”, the much participated and highly insightful webinar “Collegiate Sport: Show me the Money”, closed the day and left many open questions, providing food for thought.
The revenues of the highest profile College sports teams in the US exceed that of the English Premier League, and athletes want a share, which conflicts with strict NCAA rulings. Jonathan Duncan, Vice President of Enforcement at NCAA enlightened the debate with an inspiring Keynote.
Day 3 will kick off at 10 BST, 11 CET with INTEGRITY IN SPORTS BETTING & FANTASY SPORT IN INDIA: THE ROAD AHEAD, on stage Asia.
Amanda Davies, Journalist and Anchor News at CNN Sport will be the host.
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For membership of SIGA and partnership opportunities relating to Sport Integrity Week and our other thought leadership events please contact katie.simmonds@siga-sport.com
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ABOUT SIGA
SIGA is the world´s largest coalition in the field of sport´s governance and integrity. Supported by more than 100 international multi-industry supporters, SIGA is an independent and neutral organisation whose mission is to bring about meaningful reforms and enhance the integrity of all sports through a set of universal standards operated by an independent and neutral body. SIGA is the only organisation to bring together sport, governments, academia, international organisations, sponsors, business, rights holders, NGOs and professional services companies, from every region in the world, around a common cause of fostering greater integrity throughout sport.
Click on the hyperlinks for the list of SIGA Members and Committed Supporters and SIGA Partners.
For more information on SIGA, including its vision, mission and reform agenda, please refer to the website: www.siga-sport.com.
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