Events and Reports
These questions, plus a fair number of others, are tackled in the latest edition of the Leaders Podcast with IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell, who spoke to James Emmett over a jasmine tea in a hotel lobby in Beijing, hours before the final round of the Infiniti 2017 Air and Style Beijing FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup event.
McConnell worked on the organising committee for the Sydney Olympics in 2000, moving to Switzerland thereafter to take a role in the sports department at the IOC. He joined rugby’s global governing body, then the International Rugby Board, in 2002, and was Rugby World Cup Tournament Director for 11 years, before rejoining the IOC in 2013 as Sports Director.
McConnell is a key modernising force within the Olympic movement, tasked with integrating new, youth-oriented sports and disciplines into the programme. Golf and rugby joined the programme for the Rio Games in 2016, but there will be five new sports at Tokyo 2020, as well as host of new disciplines in existing sports, and a new mixed relay events too.
Listen to the episode below, and subscribe to the Leaders Podcast on your chosen podcast platform.
Events and Reports
17 Aug 2021 • Report
Leaders Special Report – The super aggregators: sports IP pirates have gone OTT
25 Feb 2019 • Report
Leaders Special Report: Opportunity and challenge in betting and integrity
30 Nov 2018 • Report
Leaders Special Report: VC & investment in sport
6 Sep 2018 • Report
Skillsets to supercharge the fan experience
2 Feb 2018 • Report
Leaders Special Report: The Next Generation Stadium
27 Sep 2017 • Report
Leaders Special Report: Data-driven decision making
15 Jun 2017 • Report
Leaders Special Report: Fan Engagement
16 Nov 2016 • Report
Leaders Special Report: Sport in China
2 Sep 2016 • Report
Leaders Special Report: eSports
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