Solid backing for Play the Game 2013

The declared purpose of the Play the Game conference to provide a home for the homeless questions in sport among journalists, researchers and sports professionals from all over the world often encounters passive or even blatant opposition.

It is therefore an added pleasure for the organisers of the eighth Play the Game conference taking place in Aarhus, Denmark on 28-31 October that several Danish partners have given substantial contributions to the conference that will be hosting almost 150 speakers and more than 300 participants in Denmark for the first time since 2005.

The Play the Game initiative has since 2011 been an integrated part of the Danish Institute of Sports Studies, which receives an annual basic grant of 5.5 million DKK (around 737,000 Euro) from the Danish Ministry of Culture. Moreover, the institute receives a permanent grant from the Danish Gymnastics and Sports Associations (DGI) of 500,000 DKK (around 67,000 Euro) for Play the Game’s international work.

On top of the permanent grants, this year’s conference at the Helnan Marselis Hotel has received economic support from a number of partners amounting to 700,000 DKK (93,850 Euro) out of the conference’s total budget of 1.6 million DKK (214,500 Euro).

The remainder of the money is raised via participants’ fees and Play the Game and the Danish Institute for Sports Studies’ basic grant.

Several partnerships

In the host city, the conference has entered into a partnership with Aarhus - European Capital of Culture 2017, Sport Aarhus Events and the City of Aarhus.

Among the Danish sports organisations, the conference has on top of the permanent DGI grant received economic support from the Foundation for Culture and Sport Facilities, the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark, Team Denmark, the Danish Federation for Company Sports and Anti-Doping Denmark.

Among media organisations, Play the Game has received support from the Nordic Journalist Centre, the Norwegian Union of Journalists, the Danish Sports Journalist Association and Aarhus Stiftstidende’s foundation.

Some of these funds go towards ensuring the participation at the conference of foreign journalists from less privileged countries.Play the Game has moreover established a partnership with the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) for coverage and live streaming of the plenary sessions and with the Danish School of Media and Journalism for the use of Play the Game 2013 as a special student project providing massive coverage of the conference on different media platforms (including taking over Play the Game’s Twitter and Facebook accounts).

The conference programme is also planned along with a number of partners. The Nordic Sports Law Conference with a focus on match-fixing will form an integrated part of the conference programme along with a partner session hosted by the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE) and excursions to “Motorikhallen” (Hall of Motor Skills) and the multisport facility DGI-huset.

The final conference dinner will take place at NRGi Park & Arena, home ground of Aarhus’ popular local football team AGF.

“Unfortunately, the ability of Play the Game to put important sports political questions on the international agenda does not automatically ensure a sound economy. This is why we are particularly grateful for the economical and moral support from our long list of partners. Play the Game has developed into a necessary voice of democracy in the international sports debate, but without the generous support from our partners, it would not have been possible to carry out the conference in Denmark” says international director for Play the Game, Jens Sejer Andersen.

See the complete list of partners