Yesterday saw the opening of the 2016 IF Forum in Lausanne Switzerland, the Olympic Capitol. The Power of Sport to Drive World Health is this year’s programme theme with content focusing on topics suggested by the Stakeholders. The aim of the IF Forum is to provide an inspirational environment for IF Members to discuss key challenges as well as gain insights from sport and industry leaders.

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The ceremony commenced with the welcome of BBC World Anchor and Journalist David Eades who again, as in years past took on the task of Master of Ceremonies. After a short welcome to all delegates to a somewhat cold and wet Lausanne, he introduced IOC President Dr. Thomas Bach to deliver his welcome address. Dr. Bach acknowledged the fact that this year’s topic was indeed a tall order and that it is a fantastic endeavour for all stakeholders to convene at the forum to exchange ideas and engage in knowledge sharing in order to unite in our efforts to create a positive change for society through the practice of sport. He shared his recent experience meeting the Pope when he was invited to the Vatican where they discussed the importance of faith and sport in society and the power they both have in the betterment of the human condition. He went on to encourage all International Federations to share one another’s models of best practice in order that all leading sport administrators would be able to continue to adapt to the latest standards in the fight against doping and our combined mission to protect the clean athlete. He further commented on the need to adapt to the times and take proper advantage of new media streams in the digital age in order to maintain and if possible to increase the relevance of sport. Particularly inspiring was when he mentioned that we, as International Federations and Stakeholders in sport are “..the amplifiers of the Olympic Values”.

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SportAccord President Patrick Baumann with AIMS President, SportAccord Vice President and IFMA General Secretary Stephan Fox

The Key Note address was delivered by Dr. Margo Mountjoy, Chair of the ASOIF Medical & Scientific Consultative Group. Her informative presentation was based on a report carried out by the group on the IF anti-doping processes and expenditure report compiled from data collected from the 28 ASOIF member IFs. The aims of the study were to establish the anti-doping processes amongst IFs, quantify the financial resources that IFs devoted to anti-doping in 2015, compare those resources to the situation in the 2010 report and learn best practices on how to better protect the clean athlete.

“Our athletes are our best asset… protecting the clean athletes is protecting sport…” – Dr. Margo Mountjoy, Keynote Speaker.