LAUSANNE, Switzerland – The eighth annual SportAccord Convention will take place in Dubai from April 25-30, 2010 at the Atlantis Palm Resort. It is the first edition of the SportAccord Convention to be held in the Middle East.

“The SportAccord Convention in Dubai is taking place at a time when the Middle East is emerging as an important destination for international events and reaching out as an important influence in sport elsewhere in the world,” said Anna Hellman, Executive Director of the SportAccord Convention.  “The Convention will bring the rightsholders of literally hundreds of international sporting events to Dubai, some of them coming to the region for the first time. Our conference programme aims to help them and all of our delegates better understand and appreciate the importance of sport and its growth in this fast-changing part of the world.”

During the sessions, business trends and developments on this issue will be analysed by experts in the region such as:
• Romy Gai, CEO of the UAE Football League
• Peter Hutton, COO of Ten Sports
• Salah Tahlak, Tournament Director, Barclays ATP Dubai Tennis Championships.
These speakers (and others who will be announced shortly) will share their viewpoint on the rise of the Middle East as one of the main actors of world sport.

Upswing in Middle East sport events
Indeed, SportAccord Convention’s 2010 edition coincides with a big increase in major sporting events in the region, notably in the Gulf states, which will be hosting world championship events in athletics and swimming for the first time in 2010:
• The IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha (Qatar) in March
• The FINA World Swimming Championships (25 metres) in December
• The FINA World Swimming Championships in 2013.

Last year marked a new high point in international events in the region with two football championships in the UAE, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai and the FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, and the first Formula One race in Abu Dhabi in 2009. F1 moved into the Middle East in 2004 with the Bahrain Grand Prix and the region now has two events on the circuit.

Dubai and Doha both host multiple tennis events every year on the ATP/WTA calendars well as annual European Tour and Ladies Tour golf events. The Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens is a showcase event on the International Rugby Board’s annual calendar.  Dubai is also now the home of the International Cricket Council.

Since 2005 states in the Gulf region have hosted or are scheduled to host events in a wide range of their sports, including motorcycling, table tennis, volleyball, squash, taekwondo, judo, archery and fencing. The Gulf is the number one location on the international powerboating calendar. The AFC Asian Football Championship will be in Qatar in 2011.

Every year SportAccord Week features a dynamic exhibition, numerous networking receptions and top-level conference sessions, including the City Forum, as well as the annual general meetings of the Sports Governing Bodies. The Convention attracts over 1,500 leading representatives of international sport.

About the SportAccord Convention

The SportAccord Convention annually brings representatives from the 100 international sports federations and organisations affiliated to SportAccord/GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations), ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations) and AIOWF (Association of the International Olympic Winter Sports Federations), as well as the International Olympic Committee Executive Board, together with sponsors, bidding and host cities, architects, sports lawyers, broadcasters, games organising committees, rights holders and other specialists to discuss the key issues facing the sports industry.

Owned by SportAccord/GAISF, ASOIF and AIOWF, the SportAccord Convention encompasses the annual Congress and General Assembly of each association, while offering the sports community a powerful opportunity to come together in an exclusive and authoritative networking environment to build relationships, exchange knowledge and develop ideas.