SportAccord - GAISF Assembly - Berlin, Germany - April 18 to 20, 2005

Josef Willmerdinger and Tiffany Granfors at 2005 SportAccord - GASIF in Berlin, Germany.

One of 2005 SportAccord - GASIF workshop in session.

2005 SportAccord - GASIF Booth
2005 SportAccord - GASIF booth. Here, WADA and two of the candidate host cities (Moscow and London) for 2012 Games of the XXX Olympiad.
2005 SportAccord - GASIF

2005 SportAccord - GASIF General Assembly meeting.

The time we spent in Berlin was very interesting and productive for Tiffany and me. On April 18th and 19th we attended the SportAccord conference workshops and on April 20th the GAISF general assembly. Tiffany and I attended as delegate representatives for the Deaflympics since our organization is a member of GAISF, therefore it was necessary to attend the GAISF Assembly representing our organization.
 
SportAccord is a big international sports conference bringing more than 100 international sports federations every year. There are three major group of key players; GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations), ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations), and AIOWF (Association of the International Olympic Winter Sports Federations) also there are many other people attending the conference such as sponsors, architects, sports lawyers, broadcasters and other specialists to discuss the key issues facing the sports industry. The conference includes open conference sessions, workshops, seminars, scheduled networking opportunities and exhibition booths. It was at the same time the IOC held their Executive Board meeting.

Tiffany and I received a lot of information about different subjects including the following issues:

"The development of sport",
"The broadcasting of sport events",
"Sport and education",
"Sport and media",
"Sport equipment and safety",
"Sport and television" and
"Sport and volunteers".

Thanks to Tiffany, I got to meet and network with some new people within the sports world.

There were a lot of interesting stands in the exhibition area:

  1. The five candidate cities London, Madrid, Moscow, New York and Paris applying for the Olympic Games in 2012. Tiffany and I are of the same opinion that the presentation of Paris was the best and we think that Paris will make it. Let's wait and see whether we are right or not. (Editor's note: London was just selected on 6 July 2005)
  2. WADA (World Anti Doping Association). They are the main contribution to the anti-doping policy and efforts in the sports world. We must work together with WADA.
  3. The representation of : IEC in Sports, contemporary groups, GL events, Jack Morton Public Events, firstwave Sports, AON, FIBA, icon Look, AGFIS GAISF Magazine, sport business, sportcal.com, sportcentric, sport cities venues, sportsmedia, SPORT Strategies, sportandtechnology, United Nations Sport 2005 (www.un.org/sport2005) etc.
  4. For further information about SpordAccord please have a look at the website www.sportaccord.com.

The next GAISF Assembly will take place in Seoul, South Korea, from April 3rd – April 7th, 2006. 

All things considered I was very impressed by the whole SportAccord event. It is indeed very important for us to continue attending these kinds of events. It allows us to be always be up to date within the world of Sports. The GAISF members are very supportive towards the Deaflympics.

I thank the Deaflympics organization for having given me the opportunity to take part in the GAISF conference as one of the delegates representing the Deaflympics.

Josef Willmerdinger
Sport Director