Under the leadership of President Ivo Ferriani, SportAccord is working hard to ensure progress on key projects, including the development of a new set of statutes and associated governance framework. These will embed into the organisation the improved governance needed for a modern, accountable organisation and deliver on the commitments given to stakeholders last year, including enlarging the Executive Committee to provide representation from IF umbrella bodies ARISF and AIMS.
With membership of AIMS replacing membership of GAISF as the entry level for effective recognition of international federations, a new process and a new set of criteria are being worked on which will be further developed in consultation with key stakeholders, including the umbrella bodies ASOIF, AIOWF, ARISF and AIMS. The process will have at its heart a membership commission with a mandate to review applications and make recommendations to the SportAccord Executive Committee.
Following the dissolution of GAISF at the end of last year, professional services firm EY have been proceeding with the liquidation process that was conferred to them by the GAISF membership as part of the dissolution. Key contracts are being transferred to SportAccord and accountants BDO are currently undertaking a final audit of the organisation which will be reported publicly. SportAccord has integrated the employees of GAISF and is in the process of hiring new staff to some senior manager positions.
As part of the transfer of contracts and assets from GAISF, SportAccord has taken over responsibility for the World Combat Games 2023 which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 21 to 30 October 2023. Preparations are well advanced and a comprehensive all-sports meeting recently took place in the host city with senior technical delegates from the 16 sports who will be part of the event in attendance. The sports programme has now been finalised and over 1600 athletes from over 45 disciplines including parasports will be competing, amongst them many Olympic and World Champions.
“We are moving forward internally at SportAccord across a range of topics including the new statutes and the new admission system for AIMS members and I am also very pleased with the great progress being made by the LOC in Riyadh on the World Combat Games” said President Ivo Ferriani. “We are also in discussions with a number of cities as potential hosts for our SportAccord World Sport and Business Summit for later this year and also in Spring 2024. I have no doubt SportAccord will be playing an increasingly vital role this year and beyond for IFs and the wider sports ecosystem.”
