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Tennis To Allow Russians And Belarusian Athletes To Continue Competing; World Triathlon, FIA, IRONMAN Decisions

A deep sense of distress, shock and sadness has been felt across the entire tennis community following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the past week. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine, and we commend the many tennis players who have spoken out and taken action against this unacceptable act of aggression. We echo their calls for the violence to end and peace to return.

The safety of the tennis community is our most immediate collective priority. The focus of the WTA and ATP in particular in recent days has been on contacting current and former players, and other members of the tennis community from Ukraine and neighboring countries, to check on their safety and offer any assistance.

The international governing bodies of tennis stand united in our condemnation of Russia’s actions and, as a result, are in agreement with the following decisions and actions:

The WTA and ATP Boards have made the decision to suspend the WTA / ATP combined event, scheduled this October in Moscow.

The ITF Board has made the decision to suspend the Russian Tennis Federation and Belarus Tennis Federation membership and to withdraw their entries from all ITF international team competition until further notice. This action follows the cancellation of all ITF tournaments in Russia and Belarus indefinitely.

At this time, players from Russia and Belarus will continue to be allowed to compete in international tennis events on Tour and at the Grand Slams. However, they will not compete under the name or flag of Russia or Belarus until further notice.

World Triathlon bans participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials

World Triathlon stands in absolute solidarity with the Ukraine triathlon family and the entire country at this time of grave international crisis. Following the recommendation by the International Olympic Committee, World Triathlon Executive Board has unanimously decided not to allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes or officials in all international competitions or official events, following the principles of the Olympic Charter. This decision will be reviewed by the Executive Board at its monthly meetings in accordance with how the situation evolves.

This extreme measure is taken to protect the integrity and safety of all athletes participating in the events and the integrity of the global sports competitions.

Regarding the recommendation of the IOC not to organise any sports events in Russia or Belarus, World Triathlon had previously suspended the Russian Triathlon Federation, due to the high number of doping cases, in December 2021 for one year, and no events were permitted to take place in the country in 2022. World Triathlon strongly condemns the actions against Ukraine taken by Russia, through which the Russian government also breaches the Olympic Truce.

World Triathlon will work with Ironman and Challenge in order for them to follow these recommendations as well.

World Triathlon has contacted all National Federations, especially those closest to Ukraine or bordering the country, as well as Europe Triathlon, to help coordinate our support to Ukrainian athletes, coaches, officials and staff.

World Triathlon has set up an email account (welcome@triathlon.org) where members of the Triathlon community in Ukraine who are leaving the country or willing to do so, can reach out to find families in other countries that are able to host them. The email address is also available for all prospective host persons anywhere in the world who can offer their support to those fleeing Ukraine. World Triathlon will keep all contacts confidential but will help to put the parties in touch with each other.

World Triathlon and Europe Triathlon are coordinating support for those in need in Ukraine, as well as Ukrainian athletes and entourage who are abroad and either looking for support while unable to return to their country, or to relocate near the border awaiting further development of the situation. World Triathlon has already received more than 60 offers of assistance from all over the world from individuals, clubs and Federations offering help, and we are already in touch with some Ukrainian athletes and entourage that have requested this support.

World Triathlon has contacted the IOC task force monitoring the situation to offer our help to coordinate humanitarian assistance to members of the Olympic Community in Ukraine – and more specifically the Ukrainian triathlon family – where possible. We will continue to closely monitor the situation in Ukraine and how it affects our community and events in the region. Athletes, officials, coaches, staff and the TriathlonLive support personal based in Ukraine… you all have all our support and we stand with you in these terrible times. Stay safe and take care.

FIA ANNOUNCES WORLD MOTOR SPORT COUNCIL DECISIONS IN RELATION TO THE SITUATION IN UKRAINE

In his opening remarks to the meeting, the FIA President said: “As you know, the FIA is watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and I hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation. We condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and our thoughts are with all those suffering as a result of the events in Ukraine. I would like to stress that the FIA, together with our promoters, proactively acted on this matter last week and communicated accordingly on the Formula 1, Formula 2, WTCR and the Intercontinental Drifting Cup. An updated version of the different FIA International Calendars will be presented to the WMSC meeting in Bahrain for approval.”

In accordance with the International Olympic Committee recommendations, Council members approved the following decisions to be implemented with immediate effect:

Competitions organized on the territory of Russia and Belarus

No international/zone competition to take place in Russia and Belarus, until further notice
No flag/symbol or anthem of Russia/Belarus to be used in international/zone competitions, until further notice

Drivers, competitors and officials

No Russian/Belarusian national teams to participate in international/zone competitions (e.g. FIA Motorsport Games), until further notice
Russian/Belarusian drivers, individual competitors and officials to participate in international/zone competitions only in their neutral capacity and under the “FIA flag”, subject to specific commitment and adherence to the FIA’s principles of peace and political neutrality, until further notice
No Russian/Belarusian national symbols, colours, flags (uniform, equipment and car)- should be displayed or anthems should be played at international/zone competitions, until further notice

FIA Elected officers/Commissions’ members

Representatives from Russian/Belarusian FIA Members to step aside temporarily from their roles and responsibilities of elected officers/commissions’ members *

FIA grants

No FIA grant to be awarded to the Russian/Belarusian FIA Members, until further notice *
No existing FIA grant funding will be paid to the Russian/Belarusian FIA Members *

* Subject to the approval of the World Council for Automobile Mobility and Tourism

FIA International Sporting Calendar

Upon proposal of the F1 Commercial Rights Holder, cancellation of the 2022 Russian F1 Grand Prix for reason of Force Majeure.

The FIA President added: “I want to thank the Council members for their prompt action in deciding these measures in the interests of sport and peace. We stand in solidarity with Leonid Kostyuchenko, the President of the Federation Automobile d’Ukraine (FAU) and the wider FIA family in the country. The measures taken today recognise the authority of the FAU in Ukraine and are also aligned with the recommendations recently made by the International Olympic Committee. We are in active discussions with our members as we continue to extend our compassion and support in their time of need. We sincerely hope for a peaceful resolution to their intolerable hardship.”

IRONMAN Group Cancels St. Petersburg Event

The IRONMAN Group stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, our athletes and their community, and condemns the actions dictated by Russian leadership during this deeply troubling international crisis.

The 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 St. Petersburg triathlon scheduled to take place on July 17 will be cancelled and registered athletes will receive further email communication.

In line with the recommendation by the International Olympic Committee and World Triathlon regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competition, The IRONMAN Group, effective immediately, will disallow participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in St. George, Utah and our two IRONMAN World Championship events taking place in St. George, Utah and Kona, Hawai’i.

Furthermore, all Russian and Belarusian professional athletes will be ineligible to race at any 2022 IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon events, including this weekend’s IRONMAN 70.3 Dubai triathlon. No age group participants will be allowed to compete under the Russian or Belarusian flag at any IRONMAN or IRONMAN 70.3 events in 2022.

While we recognize the difficult situation created for Russian and Belarusian athletes by these steps, we believe these are necessary to protect the integrity of our events.

Additionally, we understand that the current situation will be extremely challenging and worrying for athletes residing in Ukraine to compete in any 2022 IRONMAN or IRONMAN 70.3 events and are offering our assistance for those athletes. Ukrainian athletes registered for an IRONMAN or IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon will receive further communication with options available to them. Those with additional questions may be directed to our athlete services team who are on hand to assist on eu.athleteservices@ironman.com.

Scuderia AlphaTauri Renews Partnership With Randstad Italia

Scuderia AlphaTauri and Randstad Italia have renewed their partnership for the next three seasons, with the world leader in Human Resources acting as the Italian Formula 1 team’s Official HR Partner until the end of the 2024 season. The Randstad logo will appear on the drivers’ race suits, on the team members’ clothing and on the AT03 for the Italian, Dutch and Miami Grands Prix.

As an on-going commitment to nurture young talents, both companies will continue the Formula Future programme which, for many years now, has trained graduates in technical, scientific and engineering disciplines, all aimed at careers in Formula 1. In 2021, over 3000 candidates applied to join the Formula Future programme and 41 people were selected to participate. Following the completion of the programme 90% of these employees then went on to join Scuderia AlphaTauri on a fulltime basis.

“We are delighted to renew our partnership with Scuderia AlphaTauri, with whom we share values such as results orientation, the promotion of talent, the drive for innovation and the constant effort to achieve success at work”, was the comment from Marco Ceresa, Group CEO Randstad Italy. “In recent years, we have been thrilled by the successes achieved by the team; in the coming seasons, our logo will also be on the cars of Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda in three Grands Prix but – ideally – we will be at Scuderia AlphaTauri’s side every day, to race and win challenges on the track as well as in the many training projects in which we are allied”.

“In recent years we have put our experience at the service of the entire motor industry, offering ourselves as a point of reference in HR services”, said Fabio Costantini, CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Randstad HR Solutions. “Over the years the Formula Future offer developed thanks to our Education division, it has evolved: we have not limited ourselves to identifying, training and placing specialised profiles in the automotive sector, but we have tried to anticipate the skills needed and to create a system capable of enhancing them”.

Scuderia AlphaTauri Team Principal, Franz Tost, commented: “We’re pleased to be extending our partnership with Randstad. Having their expertise on-board for a further three seasons is very beneficial to us, as we continue to work closely together across a variety of HR projects, including the Formula Future programme. This joint venture has been a big accomplishment for the partnership so far, as we have been able to select, train and develop young talents to help grow our team and we hope to continue its success as we work together in the upcoming seasons.”

“In the last three years the cooperation with Randstad has been extremely valuable for Scuderia AlphaTauri and has played a key role in the growth of our people and the improvement of our team” added Otello Valenti, Scuderia AlphaTauri HR Director. “It’s great to extend our partnership with Randstad for another three years. In the fast-moving F1 environment, where the rapid innovation and technological development is complicated by the new challenge of the cost cap, the right balance of technical expertise, people development and teamwork are key performance differentiators for the teams in order to be highly competitive and deliver outstanding results. At Scuderia AlphaTauri, we believe that a key for success is to give wings to people and their ideas and to create the right mix of talented young people and technical experts, blended in a high-performing team. The strategic partnership with Randstad, which shares our philosophy of striving for excellence through the growth of people, will continue to be the strong platform, contributing to build our future results”.

LDN UTD Announces HyperX As Official Peripherals Partner For 2022

LDN UTD, the tech led purpose driven esports org, today announces their partnership with HyperX, the gaming peripheral brand.

LDN UTD has become recognised as the org that utilises esports and grassroots gaming to address social issues through both online and offline events. Most recently at Samsung KX in partnership with the Mayor of London, health and wellbeing in gaming was front and centre in discussions between content creators and celebrities, including LDN UTD new Co-Owner, Connor Ball, to an audience of 130,000 on Twitch.

Simultaneously, LDN UTD plays host to a diverse roster of talented creators and esports teams, including a VALORANT roster which competes in the VCT EMEA Challengers against some of Europe’s most recognisable esports brands.

Accordingly, LDN UTD will be championing HyperX’s core message of ‘We’re All Gamers’ by targeting inclusion in esports through a variety of avenues in 2022, from grassroots tournament initiatives to community focused events, all while continuing to support their grassroots and professional esports rosters.

Additionally, HyperX will feature across LDN UTD’s 2022 jersey, be integrated into digital branding assets, and future tournaments hosted on LDN UTD’s digital economy platform. HyperX peripherals will be utilised by staff and visitors at LDN UTD’s Centre Of Excellence, including young persons attending for UTD EDN workshops, the first cohort of which began their journey with us on Monday 21st February and can be seen on our socials. The purpose driven esports venue is set to offer gamers a safe space to play video games, attend workshops on mental & physical health and fitness, and be offered opportunities relating to further education and employment prospects.

Oliver Weingarten, CEO of LDN UTD said: “Ever since establishing LDN UTD, HyperX has provided unrivalled support to ensure we could support our events by providing our community with the best in class products, whether at GrimeAgainstKnives or most recently with All Access Gaming. We look forward to continuing our long term partnership to ensure the community can continue to experience HyperX’s peripherals in our Camden Centre of Excellence.”

“HyperX is proud to partner with LDN UTD. Their work around diversity and highlighting the good in gaming is something we’ve always admired.” said Amy Ash EMEA Events Specialist for HyperX. “We’re excited to continue supporting them with our peripherals and helping to bring inclusivity to the forefront of gaming.”

PGA TOUR Names NOBULL Official Training Apparel And Footwear Of The PGA TOUR And PGA TOUR Champions

The PGA TOUR and NOBULL, a high growth athletic footwear, apparel and accessory brand, announced a new multi-year partnership designating NOBULL as the “Official Training Apparel and Footwear of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions” and the umbrella sponsor of PGA TOUR Active through 2027.

As part of the TOUR’s Official Marketing Partner program, NOBULL will activate and create custom content within PGA TOUR Active (www.pgatour.com/active), a TOUR platform featuring health, fitness and lifestyles of professional golfers, where fans get an inside look into the techniques and activities helping the world’s best golfers perform at their peak. NOBULL products will be available on the Player Performance Centers, which are state-of-the-art mobile fitness centers that travel to PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions events and provide fitness and training equipment and recovery technology to players on-site at tournaments throughout the season.

“We are excited to partner with NOBULL to provide athletic footwear, apparel and training expertise in our Player Performance Centers,” said Brian Oliver, PGA TOUR Executive Vice President of Corporate Partnerships. “Our golfers recognize the importance of proper training in order to reach peak performance and aid with career longevity. NOBULL will provide our athletes with the resources and tools needed to achieve their training goals.”

NOBULL was founded in 2015 by Reebok veterans Marcus Wilson and Michael Schaeffer. The company sells its footwear, apparel, and accessories through its own website, permanent and pop-up stores, as well as at numerous events. NOBULL recently announced a multi-year partnership as the title sponsor of the CrossFit Games and as the Official Footwear and Apparel Brand of CrossFit. NOBULL has expanded its training offering into running, cycling and trail running, and continues to expand into new sports every year.

“We are thrilled to partner with a premier organization like the PGA TOUR and introduce our brand to the global golf community” said NOBULL Chief Marketing Officer, Todd Meleney. “NOBULL is a training brand for people who work hard and don’t believe in excuses, and we’re excited to support the PGA TOUR and golfers who put in the work off the course each and every day. Through training, this partnership will amplify the evolution of golfers as athletes.”

PGA TOUR golfer Scott Stallings, who is a NOBULL athlete, and PGA TOUR Player Performance Center trainers will work to create training and performance content for PGA TOUR Active along with hosting community workouts at TOUR events. PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions players and trainers will have access to the latest products from NOBULL to aid their training.

SX Global Unveils Plans for FIM Supercross World Championship Series

Global series promises to elevate the sport & expand global fanbase, offering unprecedented financial support for teams & riders, along with the sport’s richest prize purses.

SX Global, the Australian company that recently earned the exclusive rights to manage and promote the FIM Supercross World Championship, today unveiled plans for the comprehensive global championship series. Featuring an independent team-ownership model, unprecedented financial support for teams and riders, expanded opportunities for global and local sponsors and innovations to elevate the broadcast and in-stadium experience; the FIM Supercross World Championship represent the most progressive and ambitious platform to elevate the sport and expand its appeal across the world.

The series will feature a highly exclusive structure, with only 10 team licenses available to independent owners, and an unparalleled level of financial support for teams, including seed funding for every team entering the series, appearance fees at every event, and logistics and freight support throughout the series. In total, more than $50 million has been designated specifically for team and rider support over five years. In addition, the independent ownership model opens the door for significant sponsorship opportunities on global and local-event levels.

The global series will feature the richest prize purses in the sport’s history, with a total of $250,000 up for grabs at each event. The FIM Supercross World Championship will follow the established two-class format, with each team fielding four riders – two in the WSX (450cc) class, and two in the SX2 (250cc) class. Furthermore, every event will allow for two wild card entries in each class, providing opportunities for local riders and sponsor-driven exemptions and round out the 22-rider field. SX Global also plans to deliver an elevated experience for fans, through unique race formats, broadcast innovations, and in-stadium attractions that elevate the overall entertainment experience.

Plans for the global Championship series were underscored today by the news of Mubadala Capital’s investment in SX Global, bringing an unprecedented level of financial support and development resources on behalf of the FIM Supercross World Championship. Mubadala Capital, the asset management arm of Mubadala Investment Company, a sovereign investor with $243 billion in assets under management, brings a wealth of experience in funding the development of global business and sports ventures.

“There is a massive fanbase and untapped demand for supercross outside the United States and backed by the financial support and significant resource of Mubadala Capital, we intend to feed that, bringing the sport to new regions through the most exciting and lucrative World Championship series in the history of the sport,” said Tony Cochrane, President of SX Global. “We have created an entirely new model for supercross – one that emphasizes expanded financial support and opportunities for riders and teams, expanded opportunities for sponsorship and an elevated experience for fans.”

The FIM Supercross World Championship will annually take place in the second half of the year, ensuring a complimentary relationship to the Monster Energy Supercross Series in America. With plans for five events from September through November, 2022 will serve as a “pilot” season, allowing the series to establish itself and build momentum. 2023, and subsequent years, will see the series expand annually between June and November.

While the supercross series in the United States has firmly established itself as the preeminent platform for the sport, there has yet to be a definitive global series to lay claim to a true FIM-sanctioned World Championship. Highly successful events are held throughout Europe and Australia every year, normally around September–December. However, these events are not currently linked by any official FIM ‘championship’ status, and this remains a significant untapped opportunity for the sport’s ongoing credibility and evolution, as well as a significant opportunity for riders and teams to expand their influence and financial prospects.

“Over the years, there have been various attempts to build a true World Championship series for supercross, but none of them have succeeded, due to deficiencies in funding and resource, lack of global and regional relationships and a variety of other factors,” said Adam Bailey, Managing Director, Motorsport, for SX Global. “Our team possess the necessary supercross and international event background, relationships and expertise, and the funding to make this World Championship a reality.”

SX Global brings a team of highly qualified motorsports and entertainment executives, armed with the experience to successfully deliver a series of this magnitude. SX Global President, Tony Cochrane, spearheaded the development and success of V8 Supercars, an Australian-based auto racing series that became one of Australia’s most successful motorsports, eventually expanding with events in Shanghai, the United States, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and New Zealand. In addition, proven supercross event veterans

Adam Bailey and Ryan Sanderson have been the driving force behind Australia’s highest-profile supercross offering, the AUS-X open. The duo has promoted five years of consecutive sold out AUS-X Open events in Sydney (2015-2018) and Melbourne (2019), along with successful events in Auckland, New Zealand in 2018 and 2019.

“Our entire careers have been driven by a passion for motorsport and entertainment, and our motivations are as pure as they come – to continue to evolve and elevate our sport and its incredible athletes to new levels of global relevance and success,” said Ryan Sanderson, Managing Director, Commercial, for SX Global “Our aim is to take the amazing sport of supercross global and reveal its greatness to millions of new fans all over the world.”

Mubadala Capital Backs SX Global To Launch New FIM Supercross World Championship

Mubadala Capital, the asset management subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, one of the world’s leading sovereign investors with US$243 billion of assets under management, today announced its investment in SX Global, an Australian company established to develop, promote, and commercialize the FIM Supercross World Championship.

Mubadala Capital has established a track record of successfully investing in category leaders across sports, media, and entertainment—including EMI Music Publishing, Endeavor Group Holdings, Reigning Champs, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network (YES Network), among others—and this investment continues its history of backing world-class management teams in building differentiated global sports, media and entertainment businesses.

Mubadala Capital’s investment will support SX Global’s expansion plans for supercross and its efforts to capitalize on the exclusive rights it has secured from the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) to manage and promote the new FIM Supercross World Championship, bringing the exciting sport of off-road motorbike racing to fans across the globe in a new competitive format.

“Our commitment to SX Global and the FIM Supercross World Championship builds on our strategy and track record of selectively investing in premier content properties with strong global appeal,” said Adib Martin Mattar, Head of Private Equity at Mubadala Capital. “We expect that our investment in SX Global will introduce the exciting sport of professional supercross to a global audience and build lasting value by delivering an authentic, exciting and fan-centric experience.”

SX Global’s President, Tony Cochrane, added, “We’re proud to partner with Mubadala Capital, a company that shares our vision and global aspirations for the FIM Supercross World Championship. With the international reach, resources, and business building experience of Mubadala Capital alongside us, we’re looking forward to establishing FIM Supercross World Championship as a leading global motorsport and entertainment property.”

Representing Mubadala Capital on the SX Global Board of Directors will be Matt Kim and Russ Pillar, who collectively bring decades of experience backing and leading global sports, media, and entertainment companies. They will be joining Tony Cochrane, SX Global’s President; Adam Bailey, SX Global’s Managing Director (Motorsport); Ryan Sanderson, SX Global’s Managing Director (Commercial); Tom Potter, Rush Sport & Entertainment; and Tavo Hellmund, Founder, Event Partners Marketing, on SX Global’s Board of Directors.

In December 2021, the FIM awarded SX Global the exclusive organisational and commercial rights to stage, manage and promote the FIM Supercross World Championship. Under the leadership of the SX Global Team, and with the financial backing and support of Mubadala Capital, Supercross will become a true global sports property, competing on a legitimate international platform for the first time in history. The FIM Supercross World Championship will commence in late 2022.

FIFA And UEFA Suspend Russian Clubs And National Teams From All Competitions, UEFA End Gazprom Deal

Following the initial decisions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which envisaged the adoption of additional measures, FIFA and UEFA have decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice.

These decisions were adopted by the Bureau of the FIFA Council and the Executive Committee of UEFA, respectively the highest decision-making bodies of both institutions on such urgent matters.

Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both Presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people.

UEFA has also decided to end its partnership with Gazprom across all competitions. The decision is effective immediately and covers all existing agreements including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA national team competitions and UEFA EURO 2024.

eSkootr Championship Appoints Little Dot Sport To Build Global Social Media Engagement

The eSkootr Championship™ (eSC) has appointed Little Dot Sport, award-winning digital content agency Little Dot Studios’ recently launched specialist label, to help amplify the Championship’s social media content and engagement across all platforms.

Little Dot’s international presence, with offices around the world, will help build a global fan base. They have worked with some of the biggest brands, broadcasters, distributors and rights-holders in international sport, including Formula E, Eurosport, The FA and Extreme E, engaging and retaining an active audience with original and strategically re-versioned content.

As a brand-new sport, social media will play a vital role in building a fan base for eSC and driving anticipation for the upcoming season. Little Dot Sport will work with eSC’s in-house social media team to support and maximise the Championship’s Instagram, YouTube and TikTok channels, as well as looking to test and innovate on new and emerging platforms where there is an opportunity to connect with young audiences in new and interesting ways.

Little Dot has recently been verified as carbon neutral to Future Net Zero Standard since inception.

Hrag Sarkissian, eSkootr Championship™ Co-founder and CEO, said:

“As a global championship racing on different continents and with riders from all around the world, the opportunities for building an engaged international fan base through social media are incredibly exciting.

“Little Dot’s record for delivering premium and ground-breaking digital entertainment with world-famous brands makes them the ideal expert partner for eSC’s social media ambitions. Our shared vision for how we will reach, excite and educate to spread the word of eSC and the benefits of micromobility is extremely powerful, and Little Dot’s pioneering and data-driven approach will ensure long-lasting growth.”

Robbie Spargo, Director of Little Dot Sport, added:

“We’re delighted to partner with the innovative and ambitious team at eSkootr Championship™. Having seen the plans around the events, the broadcast product, and where the riders are coming from, we know we will be working at the cutting edge of sports entertainment content.

“More than this though, it is the alignment of our values that make this partnership such an exciting one for us. Having recently been certified as net carbon neutral since inception and having worked with other pioneering sports rights-holders with sustainability at their heart, we’re proud to support a sporting championship fundamentally built on this ethos.”

ATPI Acquires Australia’s The Travel Authority In Southern Hemisphere Expansion

ATPI Australia, a part of The ATPI Group, global leader in travel management and events, today announces the acquisition of The Travel Authority Group.

With a significant presence in Sydney and a raft of established corporate travel clients, The Travel Authority also has operations in Perth (Western Australia) and on New South Wales’ northern coast. The Travel Authority portfolio includes clients across the marine and energy industries and the leisure and events sector, making the respected travel management company a strong strategic fit for ATPI.

Ian Sinderson, CEO, ATPI Group said:

“ATPI’s dedicated marine and energy, and mining and resources, divisions are growing in Australia and the acquisition of The Travel Authority cements our expansion in this region. With a strong corporate presence in Sydney and the servicing of marine customers in Perth, The Travel Authority team complements our existing Melbourne and Perth based operations, as well as bringing additional support and expertise to our team. The synergies do not end there; we are also excited to add a travel management company with our shared values for specialist and expert service in the Events sector, in which ATPI is a global leader.”

Peter Hosper, CEO, The Travel Authority, adds:

“We are excited to have found a like-minded partner that shares our vision. Despite the challenges of the last two years, The Travel Authority has achieved strong performance and by joining ATPI we collectively become a stronger united business with a renewed vigour and positive outlook. There’s a lot to look forward to.”

The acquisition sees ATPI develop its largest-ever office presence in the commercial capital Sydney, and further expands operations focused on the marine and energy industries in Perth and Fremantle. ATPI Marine & Energy is the dedicated division of the Group providing specialist travel solutions to the energy and shipping sectors. The Travel Authority brings additional capacity to service more clients across these complex industries.

As part of the ATPI Group portfolio, The Travel Authority will enjoy access to world-leading specialist technology including bespoke platforms built to service the specific needs of the energy and shipping sectors.

ATPI’s acquisition of The Travel Authority in early 2022 follows expansion in Europe in 2021 via the acquisition of German travel agency Hamburg Süd Reiseagentur GmbH. In addition, ATPI has grown its international footprint extensively over the last two years with the addition of new international service locations via partners across particularly Africa, South America and Asia.

IOC Executive Board Recommends No Participation Of Russian And Belarusian Athletes And Officials

The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) discussed again today the dilemma the Olympic Movement is currently facing after the breach of the Olympic Truce by the Russian government and the government of Belarus through its support in this.

The Olympic Movement is united in its mission to contribute to peace through sport and to unite the world in peaceful competition beyond all political disputes. The Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, World Championships and World Cups and many other sports events unite athletes of countries which are in confrontation and sometimes even war.

At the same time, the Olympic Movement is united in its sense of fairness not to punish athletes for the decisions of their government if they are not actively participating in them. We are committed to fair competitions for everybody without any discrimination.

The current war in Ukraine, however, puts the Olympic Movement in a dilemma. While athletes from Russia and Belarus would be able to continue to participate in sports events, many athletes from Ukraine are prevented from doing so because of the attack on their country.

This is a dilemma which cannot be solved. The IOC EB has therefore today carefully considered the situation and, with a heavy heart, issued the following resolution:

In order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants, the IOC EB recommends that International Sports Federations and sports event organisers not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions.
Wherever this is not possible on short notice for organisational or legal reasons, the IOC EB strongly urges International Sports Federations and organisers of sports events worldwide to do everything in their power to ensure that no athlete or sports official from Russia or Belarus be allowed to take part under the name of Russia or Belarus. Russian or Belarusian nationals, be it as individuals or teams, should be accepted only as neutral athletes or neutral teams. No national symbols, colours, flags or anthems should be displayed.Wherever, in very extreme circumstances, even this is not possible on short notice for organisational or legal reasons, the IOC EB leaves it to the relevant organisation to find its own way to effectively address the dilemma described above.In this context, the IOC EB considered in particular the upcoming Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and reiterated its full support for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Games.
The IOC EB maintains its urgent recommendation not to organise any sports event in Russia or Belarus, issued on 25 February 2022.
The IOC EB has, based on the exceptional circumstances of the situation and considering the extremely grave violation of the Olympic Truce and other violations of the Olympic Charter by the Russian government in the past, taken the ad hoc decision to withdraw the Olympic Order from all persons who currently have an important function in the government of the Russian Federation or other government-related high-ranking position, including the following:
- Mr Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation (Gold, 2001)
- Mr Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation (Gold, 2014)
- Mr Dmitry Kozak, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office (Gold, 2014)
The IOC EB welcomes and appreciates the many calls for peace by athletes, sports officials and members of the worldwide Olympic Community. The IOC admires and supports in particular the calls for peace by Russian athletes.
The IOC EB reaffirms its full solidarity with the Ukrainian Olympic Community. They are in our hearts and thoughts. The IOC EB commits to continue and strengthen its efforts for humanitarian assistance. Therefore, the IOC EB has today established a solidarity fund. In this context, the IOC expresses its gratitude to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Sports Federations that are already supporting Ukrainian athletes and their families.

The IOC EB, assisted by the IOC Task Force, continues to closely monitor the situation. It may adapt its recommendations and measures according to future developments.

Today’s IOC statement builds on the IOC statements made on 24 February 2022 and 25 February 2022.

The IOC reaffirms the call of the IOC President: “Give peace a chance.”

NFL Reveals Designated Home Teams For 2022 International Schedule In UK, Mexico And Germany

The National Football League announced today that the Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play international games during the 2022 season.

The Buccaneers, two-time Super Bowl champions, will play in the NFL’s inaugural regular-season game in Munich, Germany, while the Cardinals will play in Mexico City, where they hosted the league’s first-ever regular-season game outside the United States in 2005.

The Packers will make their first international trip, becoming the 32nd NFL team to play in London since 2007. The Saints will play in the UK for the third time, having won on two previous occasions. The Jaguars have previously announced that they will play a home game at Wembley Stadium in 2022.

“We are very excited to be staging five games outside the United States in 2022, and thank the clubs for their continued commitment to growing the sport internationally,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business and League Events. “Our fans in Germany, Mexico and the UK can look forward to seeing some of the most iconic names and biggest stars in the League and enjoying an incredible series of events.”

Last year, as part of the League’s expansion of the regular season to 17 games, it was determined that, beginning with the 2022 season, up to four of the teams from the conference whose teams were eligible for a ninth regular-season home game would instead be designated to play a neutral-site international game each year.

Designated international teams in 2022:

Country	Stadium	Team
Germany (Munich)	FC Bayern Munich Stadium	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mexico (Mexico City)	Estadio Azteca	Arizona Cardinals
United Kingdom (London)	Tottenham Hotspur Stadium	Green Bay Packers
United Kingdom (London)	Tottenham Hotspur Stadium	New Orleans Saints
United Kingdom (London)	Wembley Stadium	Jacksonville Jaguars

Details of the dates, matchups and kickoff times will be confirmed as part of the full 2022 schedule announcement later this year.

As previously announced, Munich and Frankfurt were chosen to stage regular-season games in Germany over the next four years. The first game will feature the Buccaneers.

“We look forward to participating in the first regular-season NFL game in Munich, Germany later this fall as part of the International Series,” said Buccaneers Owner/Co-Chairman Joel Glazer. “This historic game will play a crucial role in the NFL’s efforts to grow its international footprint while allowing us to directly engage NFL fans in Germany.”

In Mexico, the Cardinals last played at Estadio Azteca with 103,467 fans in attendance, the eighth largest crowd in NFL history.

“In 2005 when the Cardinals hosted the first NFL regular-season game played outside the United States, we experienced first-hand the extraordinary support and incredible passion of our fans in Mexico,” said Arizona Cardinals Owner Michael Bidwill. “We know that has increased exponentially in the years since and are thrilled to return to Mexico City and Estadio Azteca in 2022.”

The Packers will become the 32nd NFL team to play in London since 2007.

“The Green Bay Packers are excited to make our international debut during the 2022 season,” Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said. “Our fans in the UK and elsewhere in Europe have been eagerly awaiting an opportunity to see the Packers play in their backyard, and we know that many of our fans in the United States will travel to London. It will be an honor to represent the NFL, as well as Green Bay and the state of Wisconsin, internationally. This will be a great opportunity to introduce the Packers, as well Green Bay and our area, to an international audience and encourage fans in the UK to visit us in person at Lambeau Field.”

The Saints will return to London to play their first game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after having played at Wembley Stadium in 2008 and 2017.

‘It’s always an honor when we are selected to play in the United Kingdom,” said New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis. “We have enjoyed successful trips in the past and look forward to representing New Orleans and our fans from around the globe. Clearly a lot goes into the planning and the logistics of a trip of that magnitude and we have already began making the necessary preparations and will continue to do so in the coming months.”

The Jacksonville Jaguars, who played at Tottenham last season, will return to Wembley Stadium for the first time since 2019, having played there for seven straight seasons.

“London has served as the Jaguars’ home away from home since 2013 but, traditionally, home field in London has meant Wembley Stadium,” said Jaguars Owner Shad Khan. “Wembley is a significant part of our identity and brand in London and throughout the UK. Most important, Wembley is where our Union Jax fans want us to play. Wembley is where our fans, including those making the trip from the US, want to be. After a three-year absence, the Jacksonville Jaguars are coming back to Wembley Stadium. We’re looking forward to the homecoming!”

“We have a great lineup of teams coming to the UK and Germany this year,” said Brett Gosper, NFL Head of Europe and UK. “Having the Packers become the 32nd team to play in London is tremendously exciting for the fans and a great sign of the League’s commitment to international games. The Saints have been long-time supporters of the UK, having volunteered to be the home team in the second year of London games in 2008, and we welcome them back. We are very excited to have a recent Super Bowl champion in the Buccaneers playing in Munich and thank them for ensuring that it will be a memorable launch of our series of games in Germany.”