ATHLETICS: Future Leaders Forum Ready for Rome 2024 – Sports Press Agency
The European Forum of Future Athletics Leaders 2024, in partnership with Deloitte, is set to take place during the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, bringing together the current generation of sports leaders with many young individuals from across Europe who are on their way to leadership roles in athletics in the years to come.
Dobromir Karamarinov, President of European Athletics, will kick off the conference, and World Athletics President, Lord Sebastian Coe, will welcome participants to this four-day event on June 9 at the Foro Italico complex, home to the Stadio Olimpico hosting the European Athletics Championships.
71 participants from 42 countries will attend the event to hear from some of the most influential leaders in sports and share their own ideas and visions for the future of athletics.
The theme of the opening day is “You as a Leader,” with the following two days dedicated to “Current Topics in Athletics,” and the final day focusing on “Managing the Future.” Speakers at the Future Leaders Forum include:
– Karin Grute Movin from Sweden, Vice President and Executive Committee Member of European Athletics, and Chair of the Development Committee
– Alessio Punzi, Head of Road Running at World Athletics, responsible for massive participation in various World Athletics Championships
– Former European gold medalist in the 400m hurdles, Swiss entrepreneur Lea Sprunger, who co-founded the company SMOVE with her sister Ellen, also an Olympic athlete
– Italian sprinter turned tech entrepreneur Alessio Gorla, founder of atletica.me and callroom.app
– Dutch Olympic sprinter Esther Akihary, Vice President of the Royal Dutch Athletics Federation
– Donna Fraser, four-time British Olympian, cancer survivor, and leader in equality, diversity, and inclusion in business and sports
– Scott Grace, National Youth Development Technical Lead for England Athletics and creator of the internationally renowned youth development program “Athletics 365”
– Sasho Belovski, an experienced sports industry professional who worked with RunCzech to develop the SuperHalfs concept
All participants will also have the opportunity to attend the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome and experience firsthand some of Europe’s premier athletics events alongside their peers.
European Athletics President, Dobromir Karamarinov, stated: “We thank Deloitte for their generous support of this year’s Future Leaders Forum edition. The success of our sport at all levels depends on its relevance and engagement with the youth.
“It is important that current and future generations of leaders have opportunities like this to learn from each other. Current generations possess valuable knowledge and experience, but we must also be open to innovation and ideas from the emerging voices in our sport in an ever-changing world.
“Athletics leadership is a continuous relay race. As leaders, we must run our legs as best we can, but also ensure the baton is safely passed on to future leaders so they have the best chance of success. We look forward to the success of the 2024 Future Leaders Forum in Rome.”
Fabio Pompei, CEO of Deloitte Italy, added: “We are proud to bring our expertise and knowledge to such a valuable event as the 2024 edition of the European Forum of Future Athletics Leaders.
“By creating a strong link to team up with sports institutions and athletes on a common path, we aim to inspire new generations to lead the sport by making it an engine for innovative change, starting with the healthiest values such as respect, diversity, and inclusion that underpin all competition.
“Through ongoing dialogue and a series of initiatives at the national and international levels, such as the Future Leaders Forum in partnership with European Athletics, we aim to be among the main actors in the full integration of the sports world into today’s society for the benefit of our youth’s future.”
SOURCE: European Athletics – May 2024 Newsletter.