Deadline for abstract submission extended

A very promising opening round for abstract submissions has led the Play the Game 2015 programme organisers to extend the call for papers.

At Play the Game 2015, key personalities in the field gather for the ninth time to address vital issues for the future of sport.

Play the Game strongly urges academics, journalists and other professionals in the sports sector to join the debates at Play the Game 2015 by sending in their contribution to the conference, which will run 25-29 October 2015 in Aarhus, Denmark.

We are fast approaching 100 invited speakers and abstract submissions, but we have room for even more.

The new abstract submission deadline will be 15 June 2015 and you can read the Call for Papers here.

Please note that all professions and positions, also non-academics, are most welcome to submit abstracts/storylines.

Academic abstracts will be reviewed by highly esteemed academics in our Programme committee, whereas other abstracts/storylines will be reviewed on the basis of their information value for the sports political debate.

All abstracts entered before June 15 will be guaranteed that their authors can enjoy the early bird rates even if the acceptance procedure crosses the deadline for the most favourable price. Please understand that the summer holiday season will cause some delay in the review procedure.

After June 15, the Programme committee will continue to receive abstracts in a rolling review procedure, but then we cannot guarantee an optimum time slot in the programme.

Read more about how to submit an abstract here

Conference themes

The 2015 conference will operate under the sub-heading 'Global sport: Reform or revolution’.

Conference presentations are requested for the following main themes:

• The revolt against global events: A perfect storm for sport?
• Governments vs. fixers: Will the rule of law beat the law of the jungle?
• Good governance in sport: Setting standards, raising bars
• A new World Code against doping: Anybody willing to comply?
• The deadly disease of inactivity: Is the world ready for a cure?
• Transfers and trafficking: The human cost of broken dreams
• College sport in the USA: Unprotected amateurs in a billion-dollar business

There will also be an open forum for accepted presentation suggestions that do not fall under the main conference themes. Read an extended description of the themes. Why attend? As an academic, journalist or sports practitioner your contribution is vital because:

Academics can play a key role by bringing comprehensive data, scientific methods and analytical skills into the process.

Journalists have a special responsibility, partly because the media are an integral part of the environment of sport, and partly because the media strongly influence which issues that are raised in public and which that are not.

Sports practitioners must balance a series of demands, some of which are crucial for the credibility of sport. Not only are they expected to provide economic growth, increased membership and bigger audiences, they must also guarantee ethical governance, strict anti-doping measures and social responsibility.

International launch of research projects

If you are preparing a major research project or a campaign, why not use Play the Game 2015 to launch the 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 at info@playthegame.org to discuss how coordinated action can be taken.