Hosting Play the Game 2009: Calling interested partners

Play the Game 2009 is expected to gather 300-400 leading media professionals, academics, sports officials, sports business executives and students from 40-50 countries worldwide. It is envisaged that the conference will take place over five days between May and September 2009.

The independent institution Play the Game aims to strengthen the basic ethical values of sport and encourage democracy, transparency and freedom of expression in world sport. Over the past 11 years, the conference has achieved a unique status as the only platform in international sport where qualified observers and high-ranking sports officials engage in unrestricted and constructive debates about the main challenges to modern sport.

The task for 2009 is to further develop the form, content and legacy of the conference which in its previous editions has been met with enthusiasm by the participants, leaving a mark on their professional future and on the international sports agenda.

Co-organisers will be represented on the Programme Committee and be closely involved in all aspects of the conference planning.

The conference attracts worldwide media attention and contributes to identify the host city and country with high ethical standards in sport and sports administration. It offers opportunities to raise international issues of relevance for the host country, and it helps local journalists, academics and sports officials to increase their impact and strengthen their network on a global scale.

A co-organiser can be a sports organisation, a city, a media company, a university/education centre, a sports club or a combination of all. Also, well-organised groups of interested individuals will be considered.

As a first step in the selection process we kindly ask possible co-organisers to send us a non-binding declaration of interest no later than Monday 18 February 2008 at 12:00 CET.

The declarations of interest will be followed up by a clarifying dialogue and a joint specification of the practical and financial requirements.

It is likely that future co-organisers must accept costs in the realm of 200,000 euros, depending on national cost level etc.

In the declaration of interest, candidates are kindly asked to give a brief summary of how they intend to raise the necessary funding which is needed to cover the below mentioned expenses among others:

• rental of appropriate conference venue and technical equipment
• air transportation for 40-50 invited speakers
• hotel and meals for invited speakers and Play the Game representatives (board, staff, Programme Committee)
• social and cultural programme
• travel subsidies for participants from less privileged countries

Also, ideas about specific conference venues and further organisational partnerships in the city/region/country are welcomed.

Please submit your declaration of interest to:

Play the GameAtt. Director Jens Sejer Andersenjens@playthegame.org

Written material, CDs or likewise can be posted to:

Play the Gamec/o Danish School of Media and JournalismOlof Palmes Allé 11DK-8200 Aarhus NDenmark

Play the Game wishes to express its gratitude for the interest shown so far in hosting our 2009 conference, and we look forward to hearing from all candidate co-organisers before Monday 18 February.