Ferriani re-elected as AIOWF President

Ivo Ferriani has been re-elected as president of the International Olympic Winter Sports Federation (AIOWF) as reported by insidethegames.

Ferriani was first elected AIOWF President during an online meeting in 2020 when he replaced Gian Franco Kasper, the former President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), who retired from the position having only served half of his last term.

In addition to the 62-year-old Italian retaining his post, Kim Jae-youl, Einars Fogelis, Beau Welling, and Olle Dahlin have also been reinstated as AIOWF Council members.

They respectively hold the Presidencies of the International Skating Union, International Luge Federation, World Curling Federation, and International Biathlon Union.

International Ice Hockey Federation President Luc Tardif also takes a place on the Council.

The FIS did not present a nomination so the floor presented the body’s President Johan Eliasch as a member.

The FIS will then consider whether it accepts the nomination.

During the last AIOWF Presidential election in May, Ferriani prevailed although the process was disputed by Eliasch who argued that it was invalid.

British Basketball League appoint new CEO

British Basketball League announces the appointment of Aaron Radin as new Chief Executive Officer.

Following an extensive recruitment process carried out by the league’s board of directors, Radin’s appointment comes at a crucial moment for the BBL as the league looks to accelerate its growth to achieve its full potential. 

Radin moves to the BBL after compiling a successful track record across a 30-year professional career. He has held increasingly senior-level positions at a multitude of sports, media and tech organisations such as the NBA, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal and Meta. His extensive knowledge of the commercial landscape surrounding the sport will help take the league to exciting new heights. 

Alongside his professional background, Radin has been significantly involved in his community for over 20 years through volunteering as a basketball coach, and helping to lead a grassroots program which helped generate opportunities for hundreds of inner-city youth to expand their educational and professional opportunities through the sport.   

Speaking on the appointment, British Basketball League Director, Lenz Balan said:

“We are thrilled to be welcoming Aaron to the BBL. His professional achievements, and passion for and understanding of the sport, make him the ideal leader to take British Basketball to the next level during this exciting period of growth.

“It has been a truly remarkable year for the league and Aaron’s appointment highlights our commitment to accelerating the commercial growth of the BBL and the longer term success of our clubs, players and partners both domestically and in Europe.”

Speaking on his arrival as the league’s CEO, Aaron Radin said:

“I am thrilled to join the British Basketball League at this critical point in its history. Between the new investment of capital into the league, the creation of new broadcast partnerships and the return to European competition, the BBL is just beginning to deliver on its goal to generate joy for its fans and value for its marketing and distribution partners.  I am excited for the challenge to help the league fully deliver on that promise and I look forward to working with our clubs, owners and investors, as we join forces to become one of the most competitive and exciting basketball leagues in the world.

“We are committed to continuing to attract the most talented players to the British Basketball League from across the globe, as well as providing a platform for British athletes to fulfil their potential here in the UK as well as on the global stage.”

Athens to host 2023 FINA World Youth Artistic Swimming Championships

The Greek capital of Athens is set to host the 3rd FINA World Youth Artistic Swimming Championships 2023 from 30 August – 3 September 2023.

Over 200 artistic swimmers from more than 30 countries are expected to compete. The five-day event will see the athletes, aged 13-to-15 years old, compete for medals in the Female and Male Solo, Duet, Figures, Mixed Duet, Team, and Combination events.

The youth event follows Athens jumping back into holding major global sports events, including last year’s FINA Artistic Swimming World Series 2022 Super Final.

The event is slated to take place at the Athens Olympic Sport Complex “Spyros Louis” Aquatic Centre, a facility built for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games that is now home to the Hellenic Swimming Federation.

Located just outside the Athens city centre, the 96-hectare sports complex provided the sporting hub for the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad. In addition to 11 swimming pools, the sporting grounds also include the Olympic Stadium, the Olympic Hall, the Olympic Velodrome and sixteen tennis courts.

The venues are well used today, with 3,000 daily aquatics practitioners – from water polo teams training to artistic swimming clubs – using the venue facilities. 

Emerging youth artistic swimmer Karavasili Ismini of Greece expressed delight in hearing FINA selected Athens as the event host.

“I am especially excited about the fact that the FINA World Youth Artistic Swimming Championships are taking place in the summer of 2023 in Athens, the birthplace of the Olympic Games! We are setting high goals for the best possible results. We are asking for everyone’s support for a strong stand so that everyone can see this spectacular sport!”

NBA decides to allow sovereign and pension wealth funds

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has decided to allow sovereign and pension wealth funds to own passive stakes in NBA teams.

It was reported by Sportico that the decision was voted on by the NBA Board of Governors earlier this week.

League spokesperson Mike Bass said: “The NBA board of governors recently decided to allow direct, passive investments in NBA teams by institutional investors. All such investments are subject to league review and NBA board approval.”

This is the another move that the NBA is making to try an open up the opportunity of team ownership to another group of people.

The move comes while one the league’s most expensive franchises is up for sale.

The Phoenix Suns are believed to be valued somewhere north of $3 billion and there are rumours of a consortium involving President Barack Obama could be looking into purchasing the team.

Formula 1 confirm 2023 Chinese Grand Prix will not take place

Formula 1 can confirm, following dialogue with the promoter and relevant authorities, that the 2023 Chinese Grand Prix will not take place due to the ongoing difficulties presented by the COVID-19 situation.

Formula 1 is assessing alternative options to replace the slot on the 2023 calendar and will provide an update on this in due course.

China has not hosted a F1 Grand Prix since 2019, due to the pandemic. The Shanghai circuit had previously been a regular feature on the Formula 1 calendar.

IMG secures international broadcast deals for Fury Chisora

IMG, a global leader in sports, events and media, has secured a series of international broadcast deals for Queensberry Promotions Limited’s (QPL) all-British WBC World Heavyweight Championship trilogy fightbetween Tyson Fury and Derek Chisora.

To date, IMG has concluded over 30 separate deals to broadcast the fight in 120 territories, including with Fox Sports (Australia), Sky Sports (New Zealand), Bild (Germany & Austria), Viaplay (Scandinavia) and Globo (Brazil). The bout is set to take place on 3 December 2022 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Frank Warren, Chairman of Queensberry, said: “I’m delighted that our World Heavyweight Title double header will go out to a huge global broadcast audience. Tyson is a generational talent who continues to attract huge audiences around the world and we are set for another massive night on Saturday. IMG continue to be the best in the business at media distribution, which is just one of the multiple verticals we work with them across as our partnership continues to strengthen.”

Michael Ridout, Vice President, Media at IMG, said: “Fury vs Chisora III is set to become another historic event as Tyson Fury completes his second Heavyweight trilogy following 3 epic bouts against Deontay Wilder. The Gypsy King will be looking to cement his position as the dominant champion in the Heavyweight division but in Derek Chisora you have an opponent who has nothing to lose! The deals we have concluded for this event show the global appeal that Tyson has from audiences and broadcasters around the world and we’re delighted to continue our partnership with Queensberry and Frank Warren.”

IMG partnered with Hall of Fame Boxing Promoter Frank Warren in 2018 to exclusively represent its international broadcast rights in all territories, outside the UK and North America.

These deals follow the recent renewal of IMG’s long-standing, worldwide video archive partnership with Queensberry Promotions that will see all upcoming bouts and events produced and promoted by QPL made available on IMG’s digital archive platform, IMG Replay.

The full list of broadcast partners for Fury vs. Chisora III includes:

  • A1 (Bulgaria)
  • Athletic Sports Group (Belgium & Netherlands)
  • beTV (French Speaking Belgium)
  • Bild (Germany & Austria)
  • Canal+ (French speaking Africa & Myanmar)
  • Charlton LTD (Israel)
  • CJ ENM (South Korea)
  • Digicel (Pacific Islands)
  • Fox Sports (Australia)
  • FPT (Vietnam)
  • Globo (Brazil)
  • Polsat (Poland)
  • Protocol (Spain)
  • RMC (France)
  • Madison (China)
  • Mola (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia & Italy)
  • Network4 Media Group (Hungary)
  • Saran (Turkey)
  • Sky (New Zealand)
  • Sport Klub (Balkans)
  • Sport TV (Portugal)
  • STARZPLAY Sports (MENA)
  • Straight4ward Sports (Albania & Kosovo)
  • SuperSport (Africa)
  • TAF (Malta, Greece & Cyprus)
  • True Vision (Thailand)   
  • Viaplay (Scandinavia)

Northampton Saints seal partnership Shurtape

Northampton Saints have sealed a new partnership with Shurtape UK, who have become the Club’s Official DIY Tape Partner.

Shurtape is a leading manufacturer and marketer of adhesive tape, as well as consumer home and office products, including T-REX Tape, FrogTape and Duck Tape.

T-REX will be the lead brand for the partnership, with permanent in-stadium branding appearing on the front of the Terraces in the Carlsberg Stand at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens ahead of Saints’ exhibition match against the Barbarians last weekend.

The new relationship will also see Saints’ Grounds and Maintenance teams rely on Shurtape’s products around Northampton’s stadium, training facilities and commercial offices.

“We’re thrilled to have secured a new partnership with Shurtape,” said Northampton Saints’ Head of Commercial Partnerships, Ulundi Makhanya.

“Shurtape’s products are found across the world, with the company based in the United Kingdom, United States, South America, Middle East, Nordic Region, Asia and Australasia.

“With our track record of building meaningful and long-term relationships with all our partners, we’re confident this will be a partnership that sticks!”

T-REX’s range of tapes are designed for those moments in life when you need intense holding power – no matter the application. Whether you’re looking for around-the-house fixes or industrial scale repairs, with a selection of duct, packaging, clear repair, mounting and waterproof tapes, there’s no project too big or small for T-REX’s ferociously strong products.

“We are delighted to become the official DIY Tape Partner of Northampton Saints, who’s players push the limits of extreme performance in every single match,” says Jason Burns, Managing Director at Shurtape UK Ltd.

“As a technologically advanced tape, T-REX Tape is also known for pushing the limits in both adhesion strength and hold. Northampton Saints are the perfect team to help bring the strong qualities of the tape to life, and we look forward to a long and rewarding partnership.”

Liverpool extend partnership with Weston Corporation

Liverpool FC has extended its partnership with Weston Corporation, the club’s official retail partner in Singapore, for a further five years.

Weston Corporation is Singapore’s premier football store, and currently operates LFC standalone stores at Bugis Junction and Queensway Centre, along with branded shop-in-shop locations off and online.  

Reds fans in the region are able to access official club merchandise and the latest Nike jerseys and training kits. The store fit at both locations mirrors retail spaces in Liverpool – featuring a Champions Wall, mock-up of the players’ dressing room and a copy of the Shankly Gates.  

Recent in-store events have included a signing session with Mona Nemmer and her book A Taste of the Liverpool Way, performance from Jamie Webster during the LFC summer tour, and meet and greet with legend Sami Hyypia.

Mike Cox, senior vice-president for merchandising at Liverpool FC, said: “It’s great to continue working with Weston Corporation. We have a growing fanbase in Singapore and working with Weston Corporation we can offer fans exclusive club merchandise on a local level.  

“I’ve been able to see first-hand how passionate our fanbase is here, and as one of the world’s premier shopping destinations it’s an exciting opportunity for the club to continue connecting with supporters in the region.”

Rajbir Chopra, sales director at Weston Corporation, added: “Weston Corporation is a key player in the football and sports retail industry in Asia, and we are excited to be offered the opportunity to extend our current retail relationship with Liverpool FC, and the opportunity to bring both official merchandise and the Anfield experience to the fans in Singapore.”

Michael Payne awarded Pierre de Coubertin Medal in Lausanne

Michael Payne, former Director of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and long-time Olympic commentator, has been awarded, by the IOC, the prestigious Pierre de Coubertin Medal at a special ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland. 

Created in 1997, the Pierre de Coubertin Medal is awarded by the IOC as a tribute to educators, writers, sports executives, cultural figures, corporate leaders, athletes and individuals who deliver exceptional services to the Olympic Movement and carry out achievements in the cause of world sport. Previous recipients of the award, which has only been awarded 42 times, include Emil Zátopek, Gianni Agnelli, Henry Kissinger, Juan Antonio Samaranch and Prince Rainier of Monaco.

As the IOC’s first ever Marketing and Broadcast Rights Director, Michael led the global marketing effort of the Olympic Movement for more than two decades, from 1983 to 2004, and has continued to advise corporations and sports bodies.

More recently, Michael, a collector of political cartoons, told the extraordinary story behind the modern Olympic Games through 1,200 Olympic-themed cartoons, accompanied by a personal 100,000-word commentary, in a one-of-a-kind, 500 page coffee table book, “Toon In!”.

IOC Vice-President Ser Miang Ng, who presented the award on behalf of IOC President Thomas Bach, said:

“You have dedicated your life to sport – and to the Olympic Movement. It was at the IOC, where you became the first-ever Marketing Director, when your passion for sports and marketing combined. Even after you left the IOC, you remained close to the Olympic Movement. 

“But why we are here today, is not because all of this, but because of your irreverent sense of humour, which found its creative outlet with Toon In!, collecting 1,200 cartoons about the Olympics. This is an outstanding contribution to Olympism, which was described by Pierre de Coubertin as philosophy of life and a link between sport and culture.

“In recognition of your outstanding achievements in the cause of world sport and your faithfulness to the Olympic ideal as illustrated by Pierre de Coubertin, renovator of the Olympic Games, it is an honour and pleasure to present you the Pierre de Coubertin Medal. You are the first recipient of the Pierre de Coubertin Medal, inscribed with the new Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter.”

Speaking after becoming the first-ever British-Irish recipient of the award, Michael Payne said:

“I am deeply honoured to receive this prestigious award, and when I look at some of the past recipients, honestly don’t feel worthy – but thank you, thank you for this great honour.

“It has been the greatest privilege of my professional life to serve the Olympic Movement now for close to four decades, and my next thanks of appreciation goes to all my Olympic friends, many with us tonight, who share the same passion for the power of the Olympic rings to unite and help the world to celebrate humanity. Thank you for your guidance and friendship, and trust when I turn up with some crazy marketing idea

Global Boxing Forum to discuss IBA’s place in the Olympics

Ensuring Sound Opportunities for Athletes and IBA’s Place in the Olympic Games is the overarching theme of the Global Boxing Forum taking place in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Fruitful discussions amongst boxing stakeholders are set to take place on December 10-11 at the Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers.

The athlete-first principle has been a foundation of the IBA Governance for the last two years. To achieve this, IBA has been working on a variety of development programs across multiple continents and has allocated prize money for its tournaments. IBA President Umar Kremlev established direct contact between athletes and management to understand their needs better. In addition, the IBA Athletes Committee was re-elected this year with its Chair Lovlina Borgohain from India and its member from Brazil, Abner Teixeira being represented on the IBA Board of Directors playing an active role in the decision-making process.

President Kremlev said, ‘The Global Boxing Forum is a unique opportunity to bring our boxing family together, discuss our challenges and find the necessary solutions. I expect a lot of innovative and insightful ideas to be voiced and recommendations to be made.’

Esteemed guests and champions from many countries around the world will be present at the 3rd Annual Global Boxing Forum.

Sport and Athlete First Leadership, Boxing Development on the Five Continents, IBA and Professional Boxing Collaboration, Athlete Health, and Safe Sport, Esports and Digital Transformations, and How Boxing Achieved Gender Equality will be some of the topics discussed during the Global Boxing Forum keynotes, panel sessions, seminars, and round-table discussions.

The Global Boxing Forum will be crowned by a spectacular boxing show, marking a new milestone for the International Boxing Association. The IBA Pro Series, the first of its kind, will become a unique and entertaining format of competitions for athletes and spectators. The best of the best boxers are to participate in 7 fights. The format of the event will be bouts boxed over 5, 3-minute rounds for the male select, and 5, 2-minute rounds for the female select.