Category Archives: MESGO IV

3rd session of MESGO IV: Amsterdam, here we go!

From Monday 30 January to 3 February 2017, the MESGO IV participants were in Amsterdam for the third session of the programme, which was dedicated to the design and regulation of competitions.

Organised by Sean Hamil, director of the Birkbeck Sport Business Centre, which has been an academic partner of the MESGO programme since its first edition in 2010, this third session was aimed at examining the external regulatory functions of sports governing bodies, particularly how they apply to the design and regulation of competitions.

Several different aspects were assessed, in particular:

  • the role of sports governing bodies/competition organisers
  • the specific role of licensing/financial fair play systems
  • the importance of the effective regulation of sports labour markets

The MESGO sessions were held in various locations including the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium, the FIFPRO house and the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) HQ where our MESGO III graduate – Jan Peter Dogge, Licensing Manager – took part to the session as speaker.

It had also been an opportunity for the participants to listen and discuss with two key representatives of two MESGO sport partners namely Michael Wiederer, EHF President & CEO and Horst Lichtner, IIHF General Secretary.

We would like also to thank all the speakers that came to Amsterdam. Having representatives from FIFA, UEFA, Premier League, FIBA, national federations as well as EPRC, IIHF, EHF, FIFPro, ECA and CIES was a key component of the week and allowed a powerful interaction with the MESGO participants.

The fourth MESGO session will be held in Brussels next month from 13 to 17 March and will be dedicated to the legal frameworks governing European sport.

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The MESGO IV participants at the Amsterdam ArenA

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Jonas Baer-Hoffmann
Director Policy at FIFPro, presenting the player union perspective within the international player transfer market

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Horst Lichtner
Secretary General of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and MESGO I graduate

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Michael Wiederer
President of the European Handball Federation (EHF)

MESGO IV Participants met at University of Lausanne in Switzerland for Session 2 !

MESGO IV: on the Agenda for Session 2: Governance of Sports Organizations with Professor Jean-Philippe Bonardi, Dean of HEC Lausanne and MESGO Session Director.

MESGO Director Jean-Philippe Bonardi

Lausanne region was the perfect place to gain insights and first-hand experience of sports organisations and their governance models. During one week, MESGO IV participants had the opportunity to go to the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), the International Motorcycle Federation (FIM), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and finally to the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to discuss corporate governance systems, decision-making processes and commercial revenue-generating activities through which sports governing bodies operationalise their missions and objectives. To conclude the week, the MESGO team went to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to tackle governance from another perspective.

Session 2 MESGO IV Participants UEFA

Overall, MESGO IV participants have been able to listen, discuss and share their views with senior leaders from various sports organisations, notably :

  • Steve Aeschlimann, Executive Director, Operations, International Motorcycling Federation (FIM);
  • Fabio Azevedo, General Director, International Volleyball Federation (FIVB);
  • Patrick Baumann, Secretary General, International Basketball Federation (FIBA);
  • François Carrard, Attorney at law, Partner of Kellerhals Carrard and President of the 2016 FIFA Reform Committee;
  • Martin Kallen, Chief Executive Officer, UEFA Events SA and
  • Jean-Louis Valentin, FIA Secretary of General for Motor Sport (FIA).

MESGO sessions are also an opportunity for participants to share special moments amongst them and with experienced professionals from the sport industry. Several team-building activities took place during the week, including cooking, wine testing and a football game.

Session 2 MESGO 4 Participants cooking

Session 2 MESGO IV Participants wine testing

Session 2 MESGO IV Participants football game

Next stop will take place in the Netherlands, in Amsterdam, from 30 January to 3 February 2017. “Competition Design and Regulation” will be the focus for this third session of MESGO IV.

Great start for the 4th MESGO edition in Paris!

The 26 MESGO participants, of 21 different nationalities, met in the City of Light. “Context of international sport” was the main focus of this first session.

The first session of this 4th MESGO edition took place from 19th to 23rd September 2016 in various locations across Paris: French Olympic Committee (CNOSF), the French Football Federation (FFF), the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) and the French Ministry of Urban Affairs, Youth and Sports.

The main topic, « Context of International Sport », was covered at institutional, legal and economic levels and integrated into the social,  technological and media contexts. Current challenges faced by the sports movement were addressed and potential solutions discussed.

During the week, the participants had the opportunity to interact with a large panel of experts in their field, such as:

 

MESGO 4th edition participants Paris

The 26 MESGO IV participants, with Anne Brasseur (Deputy, Council of Europe).

After their first day, the participants, the speakers and several graduates of the previous MESGO editions enjoyed a dinner at Le Chalet des Iles where they had the chance to taste the fine French cuisine.

Next stop will be in Lausanne and Nyon, Switzerland, from 31st October to 4th November. “Governance of Sports Organisations” will be the main focus for this second session of the 4th MESGO edition.