First names confirmed for Play the Game 2009

With the first invitations just out, 25 speakers have already signed up to speak at Play the Game 2009 in Coventry. The list includes some of the world's leading sports journalists, authors, academics, businessmen and administrators, for instance IOC member and former WADA president Richard W. Pound, WADA Director General David Howman, sports economist Wladimir Andreff and online betting agency Betfair's managing director, Mark Davies.

Other confirmed speakers include Hai Ren, Director of the Olympic Studies Centre at Beijing University and Fan Hong, Director of the Irish Institute for Chinese Studies at the University of Cork, both of whom will shed light on the legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, perhaps the most significant event in recent sports history. Acclaimed journalists and authors David Goldblatt and Declan Hill will also be among the speakers in Coventry next June, offering insights into the world of football off the field of play.

Play the Game will also welcome back Mario Goijman, the Argentinean volleyball leader who blew the whistle on a number of serious corruption issues at the heart of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). Goijman received the Play the Game Award in 2005 in recognition of his efforts to halt corruption and many will look forward to hearing his evaluation of the situation in volleyball after this year’s retirement of the Mexican FIVB-president Ruben Acosta.

Over the coming months Play the Game will continue to invite some of the top names from the World of sport to Coventry.To keep up to date with the latest list of speakers at Play the Game 2009, visit the conference homepage and click on speakers.

To learn more about how to submit an abstract or storyline to present at the conference, click here.

Play the Game 2009: Visions for sport in times of crisis

Coventry, UK | 8 - 12 June 2008 | www.playthegame.org/2009

Play the Game 2009, co-hosted with the Centre for the International Business of Sport at Coventry University, will bring together leading journalists, authors, academics, officials and other stakeholders to discuss pressing issues for the world of sport. To learn more about the conference visit the homepage at www.playthegame.org/2009