A series of meetings of top sports executives in Bangkok came to a close today with the GAISF General Assembly and United Through Sport Closing Ceremony.
The previous days were filled with an array of activities and meetings for nearly 1700 participants representing the international sports movement. FISU’s busy time at SportAccord Convention continued with a series of important meetings and developments. Collaboration conventions were signed with several international sports federations, including Badminton World Federation, United World Wrestling, International Orienteering Federation, World Squash.
FISU Secretary General Eric Saintrond, Summer Universiade Director Marc Vandenplas and World University Championships Director Paulo Ferreira made an introductory presentation for the representatives of various cities, providing an insight on hosting FISU events.
While SportAccord always provides opportunities for dialogue with host cities, it is also an important discussion platform for the Olympic Movement. FISU President Oleg Matytsin took part in the IOC-ARISF working seminar, where IOC representatives including Director of Strategic Communications Rebecca Edwards, Athletes’ Commission Chair Kirsty Coventry, Chief of the Lausanne office of the Olympic Channel Jochen Farber presented IOC’s vision for developing relations with recognised federations.
FISU also didn’t stand apart from a packed conference programme of the SportAccord Convention, as Oleg Matytsin joined the panel discussion at Health Accord session to talk about the role of sports in society, the ways of forming healthy lifestyle habits and fighting with sedentary lifestyle.
Mr Matytsin addressed the delegates one more time during the closing ceremony of United Through Sport Conference, which concluded almost a week of activities in Bangkok. The United Through Sport Conference and Festival, initiated by AIMS President Stephan Fox, took place alongside the SportAccord Convention under the patronage of IOC. The main goal of United Through Sport is to bring attention to deprived children and refugees, and FISU President praised the efforts of the organisers of the Сonference and the Festival, who secured the support of the whole international sports movement in addressing this issue.
