The second day of the IF Forum 2025, held at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, brought together leaders of international federations to discuss how global sport can adapt to a new reality defined by technological disruption, geopolitical shifts and audience fragmentation. Under the theme ‘Amid global disruption, IFs chart course to the future’, discussions focused on the relevance of federations in a constantly evolving landscape.
The day opened with a keynote address by Professor Simon Chadwick, who provided an overview of the major structural changes shaping the global sports ecosystem. He underlined the need for federations to remain trusted institutions by embracing agile governance models and strategies that respond to new patterns of consumption and participation.
Commercialisation and Connection with Audiences
The first panel of the day addressed the challenges of monetisation and audience engagement in a fragmented media environment. Speakers included Max Cobb (International Biathlon Union), Petra Sörling (International Table Tennis Federation), François Vergnol (Fédération Équestre Internationale) and Rob Rauch (World Flying Disc Federation). The panellists agreed that federations are not only event organisers but also creators of globally resonant content.
The discussion emphasised the importance of storytelling and authenticity to maintain audience connection. Personalised fan experiences, digital adaptation and collaboration with athlete ambassadors were identified as key strategies to sustain engagement in an increasingly competitive entertainment market.
Equality, visibility and leadership
The second session focused on the visibility and viability of women’s sport. Speakers included Fabio Azevedo (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball), triple Olympic medallist Pernille Blume, Midori Miyazaki (ISPS Handa), Dr Lombe Mwambwa (Global Observatory for Gender Equality and Sport) and Filip Suman (International Floorball Federation).
Moderator Ana Jelusic Black challenged the panel to move beyond numerical parity and focus on achieving structural equality.
Panellists stressed the need to increase the number of women coaches, ensure equal exposure in broadcast schedules and strengthen female representation in decision-making roles.
“Equality should not be limited to participation; it must also be reflected in management and visibility,” said Mwambwa.
The issue of gender eligibility regulations also prompted a lively debate. The session, moderated by Yannis Pitsiladis, member of the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission, gathered Dr Payoshni Mitra, Francine Niyonsaba, Dr Madeleine Pape, Jürgen Steinacker and Boris van der Vorst.
The discussion explored how to balance fairness, safety and inclusion within a robust scientific framework. Participants underlined that transparency and consistency in regulations are key to maintaining trust in international sports institutions.
A more prominent role for athletes
Another panel examined athletes’ expectations for the federations of tomorrow. It featured Cody Almond, Niccolò Campriani (from the Los Angeles 2028 Organising Committee) and Ana Jelusic Black, moderated by Kaveh Mehrabi, Director of the IOC Athletes’ Department. The discussion highlighted that developing athlete leaders is crucial to strengthen governance and ensure federations remain connected to the athletes’ perspective. Speakers agreed that institutional support is vital to empower athletes to contribute their expertise to decision-making. “Empowering athletes means investing in the future of every federation,” said Campriani.
The day concluded with updates from Milano Cortina 2026 and Los Angeles 2028, along with a preview of the SportAccord Convention 2026 in Baku. Forum partners — Marsh, Explore Edmonton and Dawson Andrews — presented solutions for risk management, event delivery and digital transformation across modern federations.
The IF Forum 2025 will continue on Tuesday with sessions dedicated to governance, digital transformation and inter-federation collaboration, as leaders seek shared approaches to secure the future of international sport.
