[Source: UCI] The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is pleased to announce that it has awarded the organisation of the 2020 UCI Road World Championships to Imola. The world-renowned Italian city and its region Emilia-Romagna will host the event from 24 to 27 September.

The awarding of this event follows the cancellation on 12 August of the Aigle-Martigny 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Switzerland, which meant the UCI needed to find a new organiser very quickly.

The competition programme for the UCI Worlds has been adapted in view of the current world health situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic: only the races (road race and time trial) in the Elite categories will be contested this year. Indeed, the majority of the top athletes in the Elite Men and Women categories are already in Europe, as opposed to their younger counterparts (Juniors and Under 23) whose national delegations, in a significant number of cases, will not be able to travel to Italy due to travel restrictions imposed in numerous countries. Limiting the programme to the Elite categories means a large majority of young athletes will not to be unfairly prevented from having the possibility to participate in the competitions.

Although the start and finish of all the events will take place on the Imola automobile racing circuit, the routes proposed by the organising committee stand out due to their extremely challenging character: the men’s road race will be 259.2km with a total of nearly 5000m of climbing, while the length of the women’s race will be 144km with a cumulated 2750m of ascension. The circuit (28.8km) will be the same for the men (9 laps) and women (5 laps) and will include two difficult climbs (3km in total with an average gradient of 10% and sections reaching 14%). These characteristics will offer the riders a profile comparable to that of Aigle-Martigny (Switzerland) which will suit the punchers and climbers and should produce exciting and lively races.

The time trial circuit (to be covered once by both men and women), fairly flat, will measure 32km with 200m altitude difference, suiting the strongest specialists of the race against the clock.

A city situated some 40 kilometres from Bologna, Imola hosted the UCI Road World Championships in 1968, the year that saw victories go to the Italian Vittorio Adorni and the Netherlands’ Keetie van Oosten-Hage. The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari has also been the theatre of several Giro d’Italia stage finishes. The organising committee of the Imola 2020 UCI Road World Championships can therefore benefit from extensive experience in the organisation of international events and world-class facilities.

2020 UCI Road World Championships Programme:

-      Thursday 24 September: Women Elite individual time trial

-      Friday 25 September: Men Elite individual time trial

-      Saturday 26 September: Women Elite road race

-      Sunday 27 September: Men Elite road race.

UCI President David Lappartient declared: “I congratulate the Imola organising committee for the excellent quality of its bidding file which it succeeded in producing in a short lapse of time. I would also like to thank the three other candidates Peccioli (Italy), Alba Adriatica (Italy) and the Haute-Saône (France) who also sent solid files to the UCI. It was not an easy choice, but it goes to show that even in this difficult period that we are going through, the UCI World Championships are still very attractive for cities and their regions.

“Although the award of the 2020 UCI Road World Championships to Imola is excellent news, my thoughts also go to the Aigle-Martigny organising committee whom I sincerely thank for its commitment and the quality of our collaboration over the last two years.

“The award of the UCI Road World Championships in Italy this year is of great symbolic value for the UCI: in a country that suffered enormously from the Covid-19 pandemic but was able to confront it effectively and with courage, the staging of our leading annual event will, in its own way, be a sign of a return to normal in a region where the health situation is now under control.

“I am convinced that the 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Imola will allow us all, despite the difficult current situation, to witness a great sporting festival. I invite you all to follow this event in Italy, true cycling territory, on one of the most challenging circuits in the history of the UCI Road World Championships. I look forward to watching these races which promise to be m

[Source: EventScotland] In three years, Glasgow and Scotland will open its arms and welcome the whole of the cycling world to its shores for the biggest single global cycling event in history – the inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

The vision of UCI President, David Lappartient, this historic and innovative event will bring together 13 existing individual World Championship cycling disciplines into one mega event for the first time.

However, the Championships is more than just an event and to mark the three-year milestone, a video showcasing the ambition and vision of the event has been released celebrating the unique power of the bike and all it can bring to our lives.

The humble bike has the power to help with so many aspects of everyday life, whether it’s physical and mental health, easing congestion on the road to help the environment, or simply making it easier for people to get around.

The video celebrates the uniqueness of the bike by showing cycling is not only a sport but also a leisure activity and a mode of transport; making it something that everyone can watch and enjoy but also participate in – whatever their age or motivation.

Underpinned by four key policy drivers – participation, transport, tourism and economy - the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be a catalyst for behavioural change across Scotland from now until long after the event. By working in collaboration with cycling and wider partners to amplify and unify their existing work and activity, it will give everyone the opportunity to experience the freedom riding a bike can bring to your life. 

Paul Bush OBE, Chair of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “On behalf of all the partners – Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life, UK Sport and British Cycling – I am excited to share our vision and ambition for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships as we mark the three-year milestone until the event.

“From the outset, we knew we wanted to turn the traditional event delivery model on its head and put our policy ambitions for cycling in Scotland at the centre of our decision-making process alongside event delivery.

“By working in collaboration with cycling and wider partners to champion the unique power of the bike, the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will not only be a great event that reinforces Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for events, it will also be a catalyst for significant change and progress in Scotland – continuing to transform the nation and make cycling part of the normal, everyday lives of everyone.”

Since the event was awarded to Glasgow and Scotland last year, the world has united to face the threat and huge disruption of COVID-19 and while we continue to deal with the global pandemic and the tragedies that have unfolded, the increased use of bikes during the lockdown, has provided a vision of a future where the bike can provide solutions to issues such as congestion, pollution, health and fitness, and mobility.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “It’s testament to our reputation in staging major events that Scotland will host the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, the biggest global cycling event in history. This new event gives us a great opportunity to use the power of the bike to help meet our transport, health and environmental aims, as well as supporting the events industry through its recovery.

“As part of Scotland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen thousands of people embrace the benefits of cycling, and I hope that the excitement generated as we build up to this major event will encourage even more people to get active on their bikes.”

The release of the video also reaffirms the commitment of the key partners – UCI, Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life, UK Sport, British Cycling, and VisitScotland together with its EventScotland team – to create a blueprint for how future events can be delivered taking policy led approach.

UCI President David Lappartient said: “This unique project for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships carries with it the values of unity, sharing and openness, which are particularly relevant in the current troubled period due to the global health situation. Three years out from this mega event, which will bring together athletes from all disciplines in front of a large and enthusiastic audience from Scotland (Great Britain) and further afield, the UCI joins the organisers in celebrating this significant date in the countdown to what promises to be a one-of-a-kind cycling festival.”

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council said: “As a top five sporting city and world-leading festival and events destination, Glasgow is looking forward to welcoming thousands of athletes, participants, and spectators to our incredible city in three years’ time.

“The inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will allow us to once again showcase Glasgow and Scotland on a global stage, further cementing our position as the perfect location for major events. However, more importantly, the event will also provide local cycling activation and a range of programmes for people to get involved in cycling and celebrate the power of the bike.

“We’re looking forward to the journey with all event partners over the next three years as we prepare to welcome the first-ever 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.”

Simon Morton, COO of UK Sport, said: “We are proud of our role in helping to bring major sporting events to the UK and I’m excited that our position as a destination of choice for world class competitions is continuing with what will undoubtedly prove an exciting spectacle for fans at home and abroad.

“Seeing the world’s elite cyclists competing in Scotland so soon after a hugely successful World Championships in Yorkshire last year will be a very special moment. I am convinced this event will provide a huge boost to cycling as a sport while also helping to create sporting moments which allow us to reach, inspire and unite more people across Scotland and beyond.” 

British Cycling Chair, Frank Slevin, said: “At British Cycling we know that major events provide a wonderful platform from which we can inspire so many more people to get on their bikes, whether that’s to race, ride with friends or simply get around. With just three years to go until the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, we are looking forward to working with our fellow event partners to ensure that the energy, enthusiasm and legacy of the Championships is felt all across Scotland for many years to come.”

[Source: Badminton Denmark] Denmark is going to host three big badminton events when the international Championships and World Tour-tournaments restart after Covid-19. Besides the fact that Denmark is going to host the world championships for men’s and women’s national teams, TOTAL BWF Thomas & Uber Cup, and DANISA DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR, Badminton Denmark has also been given the task to host another major badminton event.

Since March where the All England was played, in which Viktor Axelsen came out victorious in the men’s singles category, the international top badminton calendar has been cleared due to the Covid-19 situation. But from October 3 to October 25, there will once again be badminton tournaments and championships to look forward to. But in a whole new way and on Danish soil.

The TOTAL BWF Thomas & Uber Cup will be held as scheduled from October 3 to October 11 in Aarhus, Denmark. The world championships will then be followed up by the World Tour Super 750-tournament DANISA DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR in Odense, Denmark, which will take place from the October 13-18. In the following week from October 20-25, the city of Odense will be hosting another big international tournament as the Super 750-tournament French Open will be moved to Denmark and hosted as Denmark Open II.

This is due to the fact that by Denmark holding all three events, the players and their teams don’t have to cross more borders than most necessary, but also because The Badminton World Federation, BWF, considers Denmark to be able to hold all three events safely.

“We are very pleased about the fact that Denmark is going to be the place where international top badminton restarts after the Covid-19,” Bo Jensen, Director of Badminton Denmark says.

“It is history. It is huge that we are going to host both the Thomas & Uber Cup in Aarhus and two times Denmark Open in Odense. We have been working for a long time to create guidelines and recommendations together with authorities, BWF, and our partners so that we could be able to hold these three big events healthily and responsibly. We are doing everything we can to minimize the risk of infection for the players, audience, judges, volunteers, and others involved.”

Some of those initiatives that will help minimize the risk of infection will be by making different colour zones so that different groups will be separated the most. Badminton Denmark will also make area divisions for the audience, unidirectional walkways, place sanitizer everywhere as well as making temperature scanning’s before entering the hall

Furthermore, will everyone in the green colour zone (players, judges, official, tournament management, etc.) be Covid-19 tested continuously throughout the three weeks. Badminton Denmark collaborates with KMD for the purpose and has also bought test kits and two machines for test development, which will make us able to test key actors and get the result within 20 minutes.

In addition to this, general recommendations from the authorities and guidelines will be complied with. All audience will before these events receive practical information about this. For example, concerning toilet facilities, purchase of food, traffic information, and recommendations concerning mouthpieces and the stop-infection-app.

“We have been given a unique and historical opportunity to become the first European country to host the Thomas & Uber Cup and to hold two World Tour tournaments in a row,” says Jensen. “It will take a huge effort from my staff to lift this task. It is a task that we are very humble towards and we wish to do our absolute best to solve it at the highest level as possible so that our audience can feel safe at these events. Therefore, we introduce several initiatives, which will help all of us to enjoy world-class badminton.”

BWF’s Secretary General, Thomas Lund, is pleased about the fact that months of work soon will bear fruit at respectively Ceres Park & Arena, Aarhus, and Odense Idrætshal, Odense.

“Managing travel logistics between different territories where different entry and safety restrictions apply has been the biggest challenge. Therefore, an adjusted tournament calendar was developed. We look forward to the return of international badminton and we thank all parties and participants involved in the planning process,” he says.

Exactly how many spectators which will be able to watch the TOTAL BWF Thomas & Uber Cup and DANISA DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR-tournaments depends on the political negotiations, which are going on these days. Badminton Denmark will send out more information this when the political parties have a conclusion.

[Source: Birmingham 2022] The new campus model will see 1,600 athletes and officials housed at the NEC Hotel Campus, 1,900 at The University of Warwick, and the principal village with 2,800 at The University of Birmingham.

The decision to move away from the single site athletes’ village in the Perry Barr area of the city has been made by the Games Partnership with just under two years to go, after reviewing the impact of the global health pandemic.  It follows an assessment by the project delivery team, who has been working with the construction supply chain, as well as independent experts, on how they could de-risk Games delivery. With a shorter than normal timeframe for delivery of the Birmingham 2022 Games, the new build accommodation site was under continued review from the outset, with expert consultation throughout, and had very little scope to withstand the impact COVID-19 has had on construction.

The Perry Barr Regeneration Scheme, with new housing and transport infrastructure, will still be delivered.  This council-led residential scheme has been accelerated due to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and has been made possible with additional investment from central government.

The new three-site campus model for Birmingham 2022 athlete accommodation will be delivered within the overall Games budget of £778 million, with the Games remaining on track to be delivered on time and on budget.

The decision to move to three campus villages across the West Midlands has the support of  athlete representatives and Commonwealth Games Associations across the world who have been told of the new plans.

Ian Reid, CEO of Birmingham 2022 said: “These are challenging times for all of us and delivering a major multi sports event during this period has meant we have needed to collaborate effectively, be pragmatic to change, and remain realistic about the challenges we face.

We recognise that this new model is a move away from the historic norm and we are grateful for the support shown by our partners across the Commonwealth Games Associations.

Birmingham and the West Midlands is extremely fortunate to have superb alternate facilities and we are making this decision now, with two years to go, to de-risk the project, ensure delivery for athletes and teams and secure the legacy of new housing and transport infrastructure in Perry Barr.

This is the sensible and pragmatic thing to do for the Games, the athletes and for the people of Birmingham. It enables Birmingham City Council to focus on the delivery of the Perry Barr Regeneration Scheme and gives us enough time to plan essential Games services like transport and security. Furthermore, it offers athletes and teams the assurance of a warm welcome and a superb Games experience in their homes-from-home across the West Midlands”.

Alistair Brownlee, Commonwealth Games England’s nominee and vice-chair of the Birmingham 2022 Athlete Advisory Committee said: “Making this decision with just under two years to go until the Games, means there is early clarity for team officials and athletes about where they will be staying during Birmingham 2022. As an athlete, we want to know that there are certain aspects of events that are guaranteed – accommodation is one of them.  This early decision, during uncertain times, provides reassurance to athletes as they prepare to compete at their best in Birmingham.”

Craig Phillips, Chief Executive Officer, of Commonwealth Games Australia said: “While a single Games Village is the norm, we know these aren’t normal times and accept that, despite the best of efforts by the B2022 Organising Committee, this will not be possible for Birmingham.

“Commonwealth Games Australia thanks the B2022 Organising Committee for their openness in sharing the changes to the Games Village solution.  We will remain flexible in our planning to ensure we achieve our two overriding objectives for the Games – that our athletes are able to achieve their best possible performances, and they have the best possible Games experience.  This remains our focus.”

At a time when the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games would have just been launching the opening ceremony, IOC President Thomas Bach gave an upbeat prognosis for the delayed mega event via a video message.

"It can and will be the great comeback festival of sport to the international scene,” he said.

"These Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020 in 2021, can, should and will be the light at the end of the tunnel that all humankind is in at this moment.

"We are living a period of great uncertainty. Then at the end of this very difficult period for humankind, the Olympic Games can be a great symbol of hope, of optimism, of solidarity and of unity in all of our diversity.

The disruption caused by Covid-19 creates unique challenges for all event organisers and staging the Olympic Games will be a challenge even with an additional year of preparation time.

"This is a mammoth task because we cannot prepare Olympic Games as we are used to. In fact, we have to prepare for multiple scenarios of Olympic Games. We have to take all of this into account – what could happen, what may happen.”

Safeguarding health

The safety of athletes is the guiding principle in the delivery of the Games, Bach said.

"This is the top priority – the Olympic Games will respect and safeguard the health of all of the participants.

"We want to prepare these Games, adapt it to the circumstances of the crisis at the time, while ensuring for everybody the Olympic spirit, because this is what makes the Olympic Games so unique, uniting the entire world. This spirit has to be and will be reflected.

"All the adaptations we may have to make will not affect venues, sports or the athletes, so we can give the athletes the stage to shine that they deserve.”

Tokyo 2020 as a post-Covid role model

Toshiro Muto, CEO of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee also gave a video message, in which he suggested that this dark cloud might have a silver lining.

“It is rather difficult for us to expect that the coronavirus pandemic will be contained, but if we can deliver the Tokyo Games and Paralympics ‘with coronavirus’ I think the Tokyo Games will become a role model for the next Olympic Games or other various international events,” he said.

“I strongly hope that this will make a mark – this will become a legacy for the history of mankind.”

The video messages were shared on 23^rd July 2020. Credit: IOC, via sources: https://sportstar.thehindu.com/videos/tokyo-olympics-symbol-of-hope-covid-19-pandemic-thomas-bach-toshiro-muto/article32169344.ece# and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkzI8NeG3bY

[Source: SportAccord] The agreement strengthens FITEQ’s presence at the global sports industry’s most influential annual gathering, with SportAccord 2021 taking place from 23-28 May next year at the IEC Ekaterinburg-Expo in a dynamic and stunning sporting city situated at a crossroads between Europe and Asia.

FITEQ, which was founded in 2017, was a Gold Partner of the 2018 SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit in Bangkok before serving as a Bronze Partner for the inaugural Regional SportAccord Pan America in Fort Lauderdale last year.

The governing body of Teqball – a football-based sport that is growing rapidly worldwide and is practised by some of world top footballers and teams – was granted Observer Status by the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) Council in January. FITEQ was also previously recognised by the Olympic Council of Asia in 2018 and the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) in 2019.

FITEQ, based in the Olympic Capital of Lausanne, Switzerland, will be able to use its SportAccord 2021 Gold Partnership as a platform to build on its primary mission – to develop Teqball globally by supporting the establishment of national federations and uniting the sport’s international community.

SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt said: “We are delighted to have this Gold Partnership with FITEQ, the governing body of a sport that is widely regarded as among the most forward-thinking and innovative in our industry today.

“In a short space of time, FITEQ has already made tremendous progress in establishing itself, and the exciting sport of Teqball, at the heart of the international sports movement. We are looking forward to working with FITEQ in the coming months as preparations accelerate ahead of what will be an unmissable SportAccord 2021 in Ekaterinburg.”

FITEQ General Secretary Marius Vizer Jr said: “Our partnerships with SportAccord in the past have been highly successful and a Gold Partnership in Ekaterinburg will further enhance our efforts to connect with sports leaders from around the world and form strategic alliances that will support the global development of teqball. SportAccord is one of the most important events in the sports calendar for FITEQ, as it enables us to meet with stakeholders from across the global sports industry and share our vision for the most exciting and fastest growing sport in the world! Russia is also a key growth market for teqball and being a Gold Partner in Ekaterinburg will also give us the opportunity to connect with key stakeholders in Russian sport.”

The annual World Sport & Business Summit is a six-day event attended by leaders of the global sports community. As the only global sports industry event attended by all International Sport Federations and their stakeholders, SportAccord also brings together organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, as well as top-level experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

Registration is open for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg, the 19^th edition of SportAccord’s flagship annual event. Organisations interested in becoming an official partner or exhibitor can contact SportAccord to discuss these investment opportunities by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport, with SportAccord also offering an interactive exhibition floorplan and 3-D flyover of the SportAccord 2021 exhibition space.

You can follow SportAccord’s portfolio of events via Twitter @sportaccord or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.

[Source: IAEH] During the 2020 IAEH AGM, held virtually on 8th July, members discussed how the 'new normal' is going to look like for major event hosts.

The discussions happened in 5 breakout rooms moderated by IAEH directors. The conversations were around how members expect the processes of bidding for and hosting major events to change after the pandemic. The IAEH offered members the opportunity to speak and share insights aiming to understand how the Association can help members address the challenges imposed by COVID-19 in the short-term future.

The key points below summarise the discussions.

→ Focus on domestic events

Members see a change in focus towards building the industry with local, domestic/national before moving to regional/international events. In addition to that, members also see value in promoting hybrid events in the short-term future to be able to engage international audiences.

→ Sharing financial risk

Members expect a movement towards a more equal approach to sharing the financial risk between rights holders and host destinations. There is also a need to review the current contracts which may reflect in the way these contracts will be made in the future.

→ Bespoke approach

It is necessary to take a bespoke approach to events and conduct case-by-case analysis in order to find the right applicable solution to COVID-19 imposed challenges for each specific event.

→ Protect what you have

When it comes to bidding and hosting, members are focused on events they have already committed to host and on delivering those events in the best way possible considering the current restrictions – “It’s all about protecting what you have”.

→ Percentage budget cut

The percentage cut in members budget for the following 12 months varies between 0 and 65%. Some members reported that there may be an increase in budget to help comply with new COVID-19 imposed regulations and stimulate economic recovery.

→ Milestone payments

Members see milestone payment systems as a potential solution to dealing with bidding and hosting fees moving forward.

→ Information sharing is key

Members are highly interested in training, information sharing and interaction with other IAEH members, especially on ‘new normal functioning’ e.g. best practice on health protocols for events and digital event impact measurement.

 → Shift in priorities

Residents’ sentiments and community value are rising up in members’ priorities when bidding for and hosting an event.