Delegates to descend on city for sports summit

A GLOBAL sporting conference is heading to Birmingham next month.

The International Conference Centre will welcome the 18th edition of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit from April 7 to 11.

Around 1,500 delegates from 120 sporting federations, including basketball, tennis and triathlon, are due to descend on the city.

The summit will feature panel events, evening networking sessions and a keynote speech during the opening ceremony from International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.

This year’s event will focus on the theme of the power of sport, with a guest list featuring Olympic cyclist and campaigner Chris Boardman, secretary general of the World Union of Olympic Cities Melanie Duparc and chief executive of the Global Esports Federation Paul Foster.

Delegates will be shown the region’s cultural, tourism and sporting credentials via an excursion programme taking in the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire and Shakespeare’s birthplace and theatre in Stratford alongside visits to Villa Park and Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham.

The conference will also give companies, brands, products, services and destinations the chance to showcase their offer as part of a dedicated exhibition, running in parallel with the summit at the ICC. The summit is being held less than two years after Birmingham and the wider West Midlands welcomed the world to the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

West Midlands mayor Andy Street said: “The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit offers a huge opportunity for the West Midlands’ people, venues and suppliers to come together and put on a great show for international sports leaders, continuing the positive buzz and legacy of the Commonwealth Games.

“Our region has world-class sporting infrastructure, unrivalled connectivity and a passion and knowledge for hosting major events.

“We will be showing to visiting officials and senior delegates why the West Midlands deserves to sit at sport’s top table when they are picking the destination for their next championships, conference or business event, which will provide a welcome boost for our local businesses and communities.”