Call for Papers: Play the Game 2017 – Riding waves of change

N.B. Please note that the abstract submission deadline has been extended to 7 August 2017

It is make or break for organised sport these days. At the highest global level, sports organisations struggle to restore their credibility in the wake of seemingly endless corruption and doping scandals. Everywhere reform is on top of the agenda, but will it become more than window dressing?

At the very local level, clubs and associations are struggling to keep their members who may rather see themselves as costumers in the private sector or choose the virtual community available 24/7 on the mobile app.

Can a sector as tradition-bound and conservative as sport meet the demands of a world in disruption? How do we ride the waves of political, social, cultural and technological change?

Play the Game 2017 opens its doors for all stakeholders in sport to help find innovative solutions for sport as entertainment, sport as a potential bearer of high ethical values, sport as a daily practice, sport as a contributor to a well-functioning society. In short:

Sport and physical activity as a common cultural good and a fundamental right for everybody.

We invite academics, journalists, sports officials and other stakeholders to contribute with your knowledge, experience and opinions at Play the Game 2017 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, from 26-30 November – the tenth edition of a conference that has become a world leader in the international sports debate.

Whether as an academic, journalist, a sports official or in any other function your engagement is essential in order to find the solutions that society needs for sport and physical activity:

• Academics can play a key role by bringing comprehensive data, scientific methods and analytical skills into the process.
• Journalists have a special responsibility as they are often a part of the sporting environment, and they exercise strong influence on which issues that appear on the political agenda.
• Sports officials face the double-edged duty of providing economic growth and increased participation, while at the same time ensuring more ethical governance, strict anti-doping measures and social sustainability.

Conference themes

For 20 years, Play the Game has been cutting edge in the international sports debate, thanks to our insightful, creative and courageous speakers.

Though no issue is excluded in advance, we have selected some themes we expect to have special relevance. We invite you to share your expertise and experience with leading stakeholders by submitting an abstract/storyline with relevance to one of these themes:

• Governance in sport: Change or be changed?

• The global fight against doping: Facing a breakthrough or a breakdown?

• Mega-events and public rights: An intensifying battle

• Disrupting sport: Winners and losers in the era of technology

• The sports market: A crime scene with impunity?

• Who will guard the guardians? Whistleblowers and media under pressure

• Sexual abuse: Is sport a special danger zone?

Read a more detailed description of the themes

If you are unsure if there is room for your area of expertise in the conference programme, do not hesitate to contact us (details below).

Open Forum

An Open Forum is also available to speakers:

• who address issues not covered by the main themes
• whose abstracts are not accepted in the peer review process
• who offer interventions/investigations of a more personal character
• who submit last-minute registrations
• In the Open Forum, speakers are given a seven minute timeslot to present their main points.

Abstracts/storylines will be peer reviewed by leading academics, journalists and managers from the 2017 conference Programme Committee.

Academic abstracts will be peer reviewed by academics in a double-blind process.

Deadline for abstract/storyline submission is Monday 7 August 2017.

Submit your abstract/storylineThe online submission system is managed by Ektimo I/S (Manuscript Manager).

Notifications on approval of abstracts will be sent by e-mail no later than 31 July 2017 for those who have submitted an abstract by the first deadline 6 June 2017.

Please note that the registration price for abstract submitters will be calculated as of the day of the abstract submission. More on conference prices.

International launch of research projects

If you are preparing a major research project or a campaign, Play the Game 2017 invites you to use our conference to launch your project internationally.

Play the Game expects the participation of more than 100 journalists representing media across the globe and is an ideal platform for reaching a worldwide audience and building lasting working relations.

Please contact Play the Game’s international director Jens Sejer Andersen (details below) to discuss how coordinated action can be taken.

We thank you in advance for any help in distributing this message to friends, colleagues and others who share the goals of Play the Game: To promote democracy, transparency and freedom of expression in world sport.

Questions and contact:

Help for abstract submission: Communications officer Stine Alvad, stine@playthegame.org or direct office line +45 87 48 20 22.

Programme issues: International director Jens Sejer Andersen, jens@playthegame.org or cell phone +45 20 71 07 01.