Hoppala, das ist doch mal eine überraschende Nachricht. Richard Pound nimmt im Juni 2009 nicht nur erneut an der Konferenz Play the Game teil, er steigt sogar richtig in die Organisation ein. Angesichts der Tatsache, dass die Kommunikation zwischen Play the Game und Organisationen wie IOC oder Fifa zeitweise eingefroren war, ist das eine kleine Sensation. Ein Ãœberraschungscoup von Jens Sejer Andersen. Die Fifa hatte Play the Game über die Jahre boykottiert und zweimal nur Spione geschickt. IOC-Mitglieder waren eigentlich immer zugegen, aber zuletzt auf eigene Faust – wie eben Pound 2007 in Reykjavik -, und nicht mit Unterstützung der IOC-Führung. Weshalb in den vergangenen Jahren auch einige eigentlich recht hoffnungsvolle Kontakte im Nichts endeten. Aus Sicht von Fifa, IOC, FIVB und anderen war Play the Game der Feind; wenn ich mich recht erinnere, hat Acostas Verband (FIVB) sogar mal versucht, sämtliche Board-Mitglieder von PTG zu verklagen, weil der unvergleichliche Mario Goijman (Volleygate) eingeladen und geehrt worden war.

Richard Pound hat 2007 nach entsprechenden Anfragen von Journalisten erstmals darüber gesprochen, dass ihm die Idee einer Welt-Anti-Korruptions-Agentur (WACA) analog zur WADA durchaus gefällt. Ich habe seit Jahren über so eine WACA fabuliert. Mal sehen, was geht. Mal sehen, wie das Establishment auf Pounds unorthodoxe Aktion reagiert.

Die taufrische Pressemitteilung von Play the Game aus London, wo heute eine Veranstaltung u. a. mit Declan Hill stattfand, der ebenfalls zu den Stammkräften von Play the Game zählt.

(Und als disclosure flink noch der Hinweis, dass ich seit 2006 im Programmkomitee von Play the Game mitarbeite.)

IOC member and former President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Richard W. Pound, is to head Play the Game’s new Advisory Board.

Play the Game’s commitment to democracy, transparency and freedom of expression in world sport made Pound team up with the sports communication organisation. The award-winning transparency in sports advocate also stressed the importance of Play the Game as an independent platform for dialogue on the future of sport.

„Sport is confronted with a number of serious challenges, ranging from corruption and doping to the changes in people’s lifestyle around the world,“ says Pound. „More than ever we need to face these challenges with full transparency and readiness to involve the public in finding solutions, and Play the Game plays an important part in this process.“

„It is the only international platform that creates open dialogue between the leaders who manage sport and those media people and academics that analyse or criticise it, and both sides can benefit a lot from sharing knowledge and experiences.“

„Therefore I am pleased to accept the invitation to preside over this new Advisory Board and assist Play the Game in developing its role in the global debate on sport,“ says Pound.

Pound is renowned for his open and direct battle against corruption is sports. His impact is such that in 2005 he was named to Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world for his relentless efforts to rid sport of performance-enhancing drugs.

Pound’s appointment was announced by Play the Game chairman Jens Brinch in London at a press launch for Play the Game 2009, the sixth world communication conference on sport and society, which will be held in the British city of Coventry from 8-12 June 2009.

„We are honoured to count on the cooperation of Richard Pound, who like no other international sports leader in the last decade has embodied the values of Play the Game: democracy, transparency and freedom of expression,“ says Brinch of Pound’s appointment.

„At high political risk, he has devoted all his efforts to eradicating corruption and doping in sport. This has earned him many enemies in world sport, but also a lot of friends and admirers. Moreover, as the first WADA President, he has from the beginning set new standards for openness and transparency in a global institution’s communication with the world public,“ says Brinch.

Over the coming months, Pound together with the governing Board of Play the Game, will agree on a structure for the Advisory Board as well as suitable candidates to sit on it. The Advisory Board will provide the governing board and staff of Play the Game with guidance for the future development of the institution.

Further details of the Advisory Board will be confirmed during the course of Play the Game 2009 in Coventry this June.

Hier noch ein bisschen Lesestoff, ich hatte das alles schon mal verlinkt und hochgeladen:

• The Pulse, Play the Game 2007
• Magazin 2007 (pdf, 1,3 mb)
• Magazin 2005 (pdf, 2,4 mb)
• Magazin 2002 (pdf, 2,7 mb)
• Magazin 2000 (pdf, 4,6 mb)