Category: News

Last month WSF president Dominic Kuhn represented the WSF in Porto (POR) at the 18^th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers Responsible for Sport as a consultive member.

“A Call for the future of the sport”

Sport makes our societies better by making us more active, respectful, caring and inclusive: it unites us through values. For sport to thrive, more collaborative governing and good governance are key. Collaborative governing and good governance in sport were at the core of the 18th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers Responsible for Sport that took place on 9 October in Porto (Portugal), organised by the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) in co-operation with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ).

Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, opened the event together with Pedro Duarte, Portuguese Minister for Parliamentary Affairs responsible for Sport, and Linda Hofstad Helleland, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media.

Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee and Olympic Champion in Fencing, delivered a video address at the opening of the spotlight session on the European Sports Charter. Speakers included Pedro Duarte,Raymon Blondel, President of the European Paralympic Committee, Benny Bonsu, Director of Daily Content at Olympic Channel Services, Morten Schmidt, Director of Programmes at the Laureus Sport4Good Foundation, and Gévrise Emane, Olympic Champion in Judo and Lifestyle Athletes Manager at the French National Institute for Sport, Expertise and Performance (INSEP).

The Conference brought together representatives from over 40 countries as well as representatives of the member organisations of the EPAS Consultative Committee. This year’s edition also included a group of youth delegates as part of a specific youth initiative.

Two focus sessions took place on 10 October on leadership through gender equality in sport and dual career. Gianluca Esposito, Council of Europe Director General for Human Rights and the Rule of Law, and Pedro Dias, Portuguese Secretary of State for Sport, opened the sessions. Speakers in the gender equality session included Annamarie Phelps, Chair of the UK Secretariat and Co-Chair of the Global Executive at the International Working Group on Women & Sport (IWG), and Ticha Penicheiro, former professional American basketball player. Speakers in the dual career session included Vitor Pardal, National Coordinator of the Portuguese High-Performance Sports Units in School, and Gévrise Emane.

The Conference was preceded on 8 October by an event marking the 10th Anniversary of the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (Macolin Convention). André Villas Boas, President of FC Porto, delivered an opening statement. Three panel discussions covered the Convention’s major achievements over the past decade, challenges faced and overcome, as well as future perspectives.

For more information, head to https://www.coe.int/en/web/sport/18th-conference-of-ministers

Photo-Credit: (c) Dominic Kuhn

Historic Airshow: With jumps by Noah Vicktor (snowboard) and Muriel Mohr (ski), a new era begins for freestyle winter sports. After a four-month construction period, the first Landing Bag facility in Germany has been inaugurated in September at the federal training center in Berchtesgaden.

Andreas Scheid gazes in disbelief at the take-off hill. The first athletes have just started on the newly constructed Landing Bag facility at CJD Christophorusschulen Berchtesgaden (Bavaria) in front of numerous spectators – showing off their first tricks. “This is surreal,” says Andreas Scheid, Sports Director at Snowboard Germany. After all, it’s been nearly seven years since he, along with President Prof. Michael Hölz and many others, launched the project. Scheid tirelessly approached authorities and sponsors, secured a location, and convinced everyone of his vision. Recently, he, along with his fellow coaches and athletes, even pitched in on the construction site in the weeks leading up to the opening. “From the start, we said this would be a game-changer for freestyle sports in Germany – we all needed to pitch in. And I stand by that,” Scheid adds. “Now, athletes have the opportunity to practice their tricks nearly year-round, alongside their athletic and trampoline training – without even needing to travel by car. This is a quantum leap.”

Additionally, the Landing Bag provides extra safety. Thanks to an air cushion in the landing area, athletes can learn new tricks safely and with a reduced risk of injury. The training facility can be used almost year-round by athletes from the German Ski Association and Snowboard Germany.

Premier Jumps by Noah Vicktor and Muriel Mohr – To the sound of fanfares, World Cup athletes Noah Vicktor on a snowboard and Muriel Mohr on skis were the first to take on the new facility at the opening. “An incredible feeling,” confirms the current top SNBGER slopestyle rider, who even helped with the construction. Following them, young athletes demonstrated to the many guests what is possible on the training facility.

Officially, Scheid, along with other key figures such as Petra Densborn (CJD Board Chair), Bernhard Kern (District Administrator of Berchtesgaden), Florian Ott (Head of CJD Bavaria), Sebastian Waldherr (Project Leader, CJD), and Carola Splitt (BMI), cut a red ribbon – officially declaring the facility open.

Prof. Michael Hölz, President of SNBGER: “We can train better; we can train safer. It was worth turning over every stone to fund the project. Together, we have created a network on-site where everyone is pulling together. This will benefit us in the future.”

Dr. Olaf Tabor, Director of Competitive Sports at DOSB: “Germany is a world-class nation in winter sports, and this project helps ensure it stays that way. We need specialized sports facilities like this. It not only fills a gap in freestyle sports but also aligns us with world-class nations in terms of infrastructure.”

Landing Bag Complements Training Infrastructure for Freestyle Disciplines – The Landing Bag facility has been constructed at the federal training center in Berchtesgaden, right next to the trampoline hall and a skate park. All facilities are within walking distance of the boarding school, where the young athletes live. This ensemble offers ideal training infrastructure for Big Air, Slopestyle, and Halfpipe disciplines.

The project was financed with 40% from federal funds and 40% from state funds. The remaining 20% of the nearly €2.5 million construction cost was covered by the CJD Children’s and Youth Foundation, Siegerchance DOSB, Glücksspirale, the municipality of Schönau am Königssee, Berchtesgaden State Foundation, Sparkassen Giroverband, Sparkassen Bürgerstiftung, and other local supporters.

Find out more.

Foto-Credit: (c) Snowboard Germany