Embracing diversity: Lessons from the field
Sports play an essential and unique role in our society. Sports bring people together, creating positive dynamics as well as offering opportunities such as physical activities, community building, employment but also entertainment. One of the most amazing factors about sport is that it is universal and is experienced everywhere, thus uniting individuals beyond their differences. You just need to look at the Olympic Charter and one of its fundamental principles: “The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”
But if, on paper, this universal language has the power to bring people together and be a means of expression for society, does it really reflect reality when it is supposed to be a motor of integration and living better together?
This is the question we tried to answer at AMOS London during our masterclass: Diversity and Inclusion in the Sport Industry. Jamie Love (CEO Monumental Marketing) hosted the discussion around diversity in sports with four special guests who supported this talk and shared their stories, to express their point of view on the perspectives of their perspectives on diversity and inclusion in sports.
Jamie Love: CEO of Monumental Marketing, a digital marketing and PR agency and Lecturer at AMOS London. Jamie is also an influencer and a public figure for the LGBT community as well as Marketing, PR & Entertainment Director of Pride Edinburgh.
Ryan Atkins: Professional football referee and senior manager within the railway industry. He has operated on the EFL Championship and Leagues 1 and 2. In August 2017, he decided to come out, making him the only out gay man in professional football on the pitch. Ryan has used his role to open dialogues within the world of football and to drive change. He can often be seen in the media campaigning for LGBT equality in sport.
Jon Holmes: Digital media editor and journalist. As part of the team at Sky Sports Digital, he manages and maintain the SkySports.com website, their apps and other products, and perform a variety of editorial tasks. He is passionate about LGBT+ inclusion in sport. At Sky Sports, he co-ordinates and writes content relating to the media’s support of the Stonewall's award-winning Rainbow Laces campaign. He is also the founder and lead of Sports Media LGBT+ - a network, advocacy and consultancy group that is helping both his industry media and sport in general to become more welcoming and inclusive. He is also a committee member for both InterMediaUK and the Sports Journalists’ Association.
Claire Danson: Paraplegic Triathlete - She had an accident just over a year ago when she was competing at a high level as a Triathlete and she is now working her way back as a paraplegic athlete.
Jamie Bowie: Scottish track and field athlete who won a silver medal at the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships as part of the Great Britain’s 4 × 400m Relay.
The Masterclass revolved around several topics about diversity and inclusion, with a focus mainly on disability and LGBTQ+, feeding with the experiences of the guests. But before going further, it is important to give a definition of the different areas of the subject discussed that day:
What is diversity? What is inclusion?
If we refer to the Cambridge dictionary, diversity is “when there is variety or things or people are included in something, or in a range of different things or people”. And inclusion stands for “the act of including someone or something as part of a group, list, etc., or a person or thing that is included”.
Diversity aims to recognise, understand, and value the individual differences of everybody. As we can see diversity exists everywhere, we are all different. Age, gender, education, social background, race… we have all our inherent differences. There are no two of the same women or men. But even though diversity does exist, the fact is: inclusion is not yet integrated in our society.
The first part of the conference was a reflection on how to organise the discussion and a perception of our speakers over the last few years. This involved an inventory on: what is diversity and inclusion in the world of sports today and what are the different changes across the industry?
Diversity in sport has been a driver of positive social change for years. Even if customs are changing, and we are seeing more and more success stories on diversity in sport at different levels, there is still a long way to go so before the world of sport becomes more inclusive. Sport mirrors how we behave in society. When looking at the sports coverage, the media is sometimes far from reflecting social and cultural diversity which indicates that there is still no fair representation for all.
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair. Sport speaks to people in a language they can understand.” – Nelson Mandela
Four main points emerged from the discussion:
An educational approach can help to negate many fears that people have when it comes to addressing diversity; “I think if we can educate people who have not thought about the importance of diversity, and get them on board as well, so it does become all inclusive.” Claire Danson.
Educating people around diversity and inclusivity, needs to come from the top and also people coming from more popular backgrounds need to use their voices, get out there to champion themselves and it takes a lot of confidence. As Jon Holmes mentioned: “We need to have people with the confidence to talk about their experiences in sport. More and more people understand the impact they can have and be prepared to use that platform and use their voices more not just to raise their own profile but also to raise the profile of their sports.”
“if we get more diversity in boards and in governance, where people shape the sport and lead certain decisions, with people who really understand what the challenges are it will help to push the snowball up the hill. If we get to that point, then it will help the ball to roll down the hill.” Jamie Bowie.
If we wish to create equal opportunities for all, the next step is not just to move on about diversity it is also about inclusivity and bringing everyone together under one banner. Diversity and inclusion need to work in synergy to achieve this.
There is still a great deal that can be done for sports to be more inclusive, and this is something everyone involved in sports, at all levels, can contribute towards achieving it.
This is how this conversation ends, the guest speakers shared with our students some tips and career advice to use in their future careers, to be more diverse and inclusive:
“Be the change you want to see”, this is the main idea that stands out. Whatever role you decide to take in sport and if you want to move forward in your career, there is an opportunity for you to change sports, you have the opportunity to make a difference. Regardless of what level you end up in sport, you can still influence the pathway of sport and make it more equal and inclusive.
“It is not just about yourself; it is allowing other people to talk about their journeys as well. That is something everyone in the panel was able to do, inspiring others. People need to understand today, they have influence and can use their positions and allow people to trust them, and it will help them to flourish too.” – Jon Holmes
“And remember that sport is such a powerful tool to make an inclusive community. I think if we can get sport to be truly inclusive and have that diversity, it will run through in all areas of life and then in the roles you end up in; you actually have an important place in society to bring people together, to educate people, to enable people to feel part of a community. And I think for mental health it is vital. So…Your role to include people is ever so important.” – Claire Danson
You are the next generation of individuals coming into sport and you really do have power to drive change and whatever role or aspect you are moving into. If you keep remembering the power of sport, then you would not want to deprive any individuals no matter their differences.
But if, on paper, this universal language has the power to bring people together and be a means of expression for society, does it really reflect reality when it is supposed to be a motor of integration and living better together?
This is the question we tried to answer at AMOS London during our masterclass: Diversity and Inclusion in the Sport Industry. Jamie Love (CEO Monumental Marketing) hosted the discussion around diversity in sports with four special guests who supported this talk and shared their stories, to express their point of view on the perspectives of their perspectives on diversity and inclusion in sports.
Jamie Love: CEO of Monumental Marketing, a digital marketing and PR agency and Lecturer at AMOS London. Jamie is also an influencer and a public figure for the LGBT community as well as Marketing, PR & Entertainment Director of Pride Edinburgh.
Ryan Atkins: Professional football referee and senior manager within the railway industry. He has operated on the EFL Championship and Leagues 1 and 2. In August 2017, he decided to come out, making him the only out gay man in professional football on the pitch. Ryan has used his role to open dialogues within the world of football and to drive change. He can often be seen in the media campaigning for LGBT equality in sport.
Jon Holmes: Digital media editor and journalist. As part of the team at Sky Sports Digital, he manages and maintain the SkySports.com website, their apps and other products, and perform a variety of editorial tasks. He is passionate about LGBT+ inclusion in sport. At Sky Sports, he co-ordinates and writes content relating to the media’s support of the Stonewall's award-winning Rainbow Laces campaign. He is also the founder and lead of Sports Media LGBT+ - a network, advocacy and consultancy group that is helping both his industry media and sport in general to become more welcoming and inclusive. He is also a committee member for both InterMediaUK and the Sports Journalists’ Association.
Claire Danson: Paraplegic Triathlete - She had an accident just over a year ago when she was competing at a high level as a Triathlete and she is now working her way back as a paraplegic athlete.
Jamie Bowie: Scottish track and field athlete who won a silver medal at the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships as part of the Great Britain’s 4 × 400m Relay.
Sport for all: a source of tolerance, social cohesion, and commitment
The Masterclass revolved around several topics about diversity and inclusion, with a focus mainly on disability and LGBTQ+, feeding with the experiences of the guests. But before going further, it is important to give a definition of the different areas of the subject discussed that day:
What is diversity? What is inclusion?
If we refer to the Cambridge dictionary, diversity is “when there is variety or things or people are included in something, or in a range of different things or people”. And inclusion stands for “the act of including someone or something as part of a group, list, etc., or a person or thing that is included”.
Diversity aims to recognise, understand, and value the individual differences of everybody. As we can see diversity exists everywhere, we are all different. Age, gender, education, social background, race… we have all our inherent differences. There are no two of the same women or men. But even though diversity does exist, the fact is: inclusion is not yet integrated in our society.
Back to some of the highlights
The first part of the conference was a reflection on how to organise the discussion and a perception of our speakers over the last few years. This involved an inventory on: what is diversity and inclusion in the world of sports today and what are the different changes across the industry?
Diversity in sport has been a driver of positive social change for years. Even if customs are changing, and we are seeing more and more success stories on diversity in sport at different levels, there is still a long way to go so before the world of sport becomes more inclusive. Sport mirrors how we behave in society. When looking at the sports coverage, the media is sometimes far from reflecting social and cultural diversity which indicates that there is still no fair representation for all.
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair. Sport speaks to people in a language they can understand.” – Nelson Mandela
So, what can be done to achieve more diversity?
Four main points emerged from the discussion:
- Educating from the top to grassroot level
- Using media and platforms to raise profiles, sports, and groups they represent
- Emphasizing on inclusivity and diversity
- Community support
An educational approach can help to negate many fears that people have when it comes to addressing diversity; “I think if we can educate people who have not thought about the importance of diversity, and get them on board as well, so it does become all inclusive.” Claire Danson.
Educating people around diversity and inclusivity, needs to come from the top and also people coming from more popular backgrounds need to use their voices, get out there to champion themselves and it takes a lot of confidence. As Jon Holmes mentioned: “We need to have people with the confidence to talk about their experiences in sport. More and more people understand the impact they can have and be prepared to use that platform and use their voices more not just to raise their own profile but also to raise the profile of their sports.”
“if we get more diversity in boards and in governance, where people shape the sport and lead certain decisions, with people who really understand what the challenges are it will help to push the snowball up the hill. If we get to that point, then it will help the ball to roll down the hill.” Jamie Bowie.
If we wish to create equal opportunities for all, the next step is not just to move on about diversity it is also about inclusivity and bringing everyone together under one banner. Diversity and inclusion need to work in synergy to achieve this.
There is still a great deal that can be done for sports to be more inclusive, and this is something everyone involved in sports, at all levels, can contribute towards achieving it.
This is how this conversation ends, the guest speakers shared with our students some tips and career advice to use in their future careers, to be more diverse and inclusive:
“Be the change you want to see”, this is the main idea that stands out. Whatever role you decide to take in sport and if you want to move forward in your career, there is an opportunity for you to change sports, you have the opportunity to make a difference. Regardless of what level you end up in sport, you can still influence the pathway of sport and make it more equal and inclusive.
“It is not just about yourself; it is allowing other people to talk about their journeys as well. That is something everyone in the panel was able to do, inspiring others. People need to understand today, they have influence and can use their positions and allow people to trust them, and it will help them to flourish too.” – Jon Holmes
“And remember that sport is such a powerful tool to make an inclusive community. I think if we can get sport to be truly inclusive and have that diversity, it will run through in all areas of life and then in the roles you end up in; you actually have an important place in society to bring people together, to educate people, to enable people to feel part of a community. And I think for mental health it is vital. So…Your role to include people is ever so important.” – Claire Danson
You are the next generation of individuals coming into sport and you really do have power to drive change and whatever role or aspect you are moving into. If you keep remembering the power of sport, then you would not want to deprive any individuals no matter their differences.
Written by Victoria Chacon, Communications and Events Officer AMOS London
Plus d'actus :
09 Feb 2023
GSBM student interview Maxime, a strong passion for NFL
The Super Bowl is coming...
This 12th of February, 11:30pm, is the kick-off of one of the most anticipated sporting event of the year: the Super Bowl. This mega event which was viewed by over 200 million people last year will oppose the Chiefs to the Eagles, at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona. Many of our students are fan of American sports, and this is the case for Maxime Jos - a Global Sport Business Master - 1st year student, from the London campus.A strong Passion for NFL
« I discovered American Football when I was a teenager by watching movies such as Maxi Papa and Always America. There is a fighting spirit in this sport that I love. I started to play when I moved to Lille, where I played for 2 years as a line backer, it was a dream. The number of strategies that go into one game has always fascinated me. » Maxime Jos Currently, he does not have the opportunity to play... « I am focusing on martial arts, notably boxing, which I practice a few times a week, but hopefully in the years to come I will get back into it. » Maxime Jos « When I was at PACE University, New York City, I went to watch the homecoming game of my university. It was an interesting experience. As I had been playing this sport for the last 2 years, I understood the several aspects of the games. » Maxime Jos
Thankfully for Maxime, this opportunity presented itself again, in his new city, London. For the past 15 years, the NFL London, has made a lot of efforts to make the « American Games » popular beyond the United States.
In 2017, Roger Goodell, who was the league commissioner at the time, implemented the International Series. Since then, NFL teams have come to play in the UK on a yearly basis (apart from 2020 because of Covid 19).
« Since the UK attracts NFL teams to come and play on their territory, I had the chance to go to Wembley to see an NFL game a few months ago. There was a great atmosphere, a great spirit. » Maxime Jos
Working experience for an NFL agency
During the third year of the Bachelor programme, our students have the occasion to travel overseas and study for a semester in a partner university. Maxime took this option and fulfilled his dream by heading to the US. Maxime went to PACE University (New York City), and, thanks to the J1 Visa, he was able to work for companies on the American soil once his semester was over. An opportunity that he seized, to discover a new market and to develop his NFL passion and knowledge. « I did work for an NFL agency in New-Jersey. It was a great experience, I earned a lot about marketing, branding and prospecting. The job, at the time, was prospecting brands for the players. Players have their own interests, and they want to represent brands they feel comfortable with, so our job was to find these companies and negotiate for them. If I had the opportunity to do it again, I would seize the chance again, of course! » Maxime Jos
While pursuing his studies, Maxime keeps an eye on the NFL, and will, obviously, be focusing on the Superbowl on the 12th of February...
« I’ll be in front of my TV, same as every year, watching it with a lot of frenzy! » Maxime Jos
Written by Guillaume Faure, Communication Officer AMOS London09 Feb 2023
GSBM student interview Maxime, a strong passion for NFL
The Super Bowl is coming...
This 12th of February, 11:30pm, is the kick-off of one of the most anticipated sporting event of the year: the Super Bowl. This mega event which was viewed by over 200 million people last year will oppose the Chiefs to the Eagles, at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona. Many of our students are fan of American sports, and this is the case for Maxime Jos - a Global Sport Business Master - 1st year student, from the London campus.A strong Passion for NFL
« I discovered American Football when I was a teenager by watching movies such as Maxi Papa and Always America. There is a fighting spirit in this sport that I love. I started to play when I moved to Lille, where I played for 2 years as a line backer, it was a dream. The number of strategies that go into one game has always fascinated me. » Maxime Jos Currently, he does not have the opportunity to play... « I am focusing on martial arts, notably boxing, which I practice a few times a week, but hopefully in the years to come I will get back into it. » Maxime Jos « When I was at PACE University, New York City, I went to watch the homecoming game of my university. It was an interesting experience. As I had been playing this sport for the last 2 years, I understood the several aspects of the games. » Maxime Jos
Thankfully for Maxime, this opportunity presented itself again, in his new city, London. For the past 15 years, the NFL London, has made a lot of efforts to make the « American Games » popular beyond the United States.
In 2017, Roger Goodell, who was the league commissioner at the time, implemented the International Series. Since then, NFL teams have come to play in the UK on a yearly basis (apart from 2020 because of Covid 19).
« Since the UK attracts NFL teams to come and play on their territory, I had the chance to go to Wembley to see an NFL game a few months ago. There was a great atmosphere, a great spirit. » Maxime Jos
Working experience for an NFL agency
During the third year of the Bachelor programme, our students have the occasion to travel overseas and study for a semester in a partner university. Maxime took this option and fulfilled his dream by heading to the US. Maxime went to PACE University (New York City), and, thanks to the J1 Visa, he was able to work for companies on the American soil once his semester was over. An opportunity that he seized, to discover a new market and to develop his NFL passion and knowledge. « I did work for an NFL agency in New-Jersey. It was a great experience, I earned a lot about marketing, branding and prospecting. The job, at the time, was prospecting brands for the players. Players have their own interests, and they want to represent brands they feel comfortable with, so our job was to find these companies and negotiate for them. If I had the opportunity to do it again, I would seize the chance again, of course! » Maxime Jos
While pursuing his studies, Maxime keeps an eye on the NFL, and will, obviously, be focusing on the Superbowl on the 12th of February...
« I’ll be in front of my TV, same as every year, watching it with a lot of frenzy! » Maxime Jos
Written by Guillaume Faure, Communication Officer AMOS London26 Jan 2023
GSBM alumni interview Nathalie, FIFA 2022 World Cup
The view of an insider on how things went in Doha
On the 18th of December 2022, at the Lusail Stadium, the 22nd Men Football World Cup ended on a dramatic final, which saw Lionel Messi and his teammates winning the most desired trophy. Never in history, the attribution and the preparation of a World Cup had provoked this many reactions from governments, organisations, newspapers, and people all around the world. It was, within this tense climate, a little over a month ago, that our alumni Nathalie Deutsch, Workforce Operations Manager at TMS, was getting ready to live the biggest experience of her young career. A month later, we are reaching back to her, to have the view of an insider on how things went in Doha - Capital of the Qatari Peninsula. For our former Global Sport Business Master student, the general mood around the World Cup changed when the competition started. « A lot of people have criticized the competition, wanted to boycott, and they had their reasons for it. As a member of the staff, we did not agree with everything that happened here, however, at our level, we made sure to deliver everything ethically, and in a way, it was successful ».
The competition was a success, as soon as Daniele Orsato (referee who officiated the first game of the tournament) blew the start of the first match, fans were once again enthusiastic. Focusing on the performances of their team, people were cheering all around the world and the polemics were put aside, leaving us with what a World Cup is meant to be: a moment in which the whole world comes together to share vivid emotions.
Fan experience
Over the past 4 months, I had the chance to write a couple of articles on her adventures, which taught us a lot about the organisation of such an event, notably the fact that changes are made up to the very last minute, and the result is never guaranteed. However, the hard work and dedication of the teams paid off as the fan experience received great feedback. « I had the opportunity to see a few games, especially the semi-finals and the final, and I have to say, apart from a few things that you will always have in this kind of competition (queueing to get into the stadium, customer service that could be improved...), the services were great. Overall, it was super easy to get around and there was a great atmosphere ». Regarding the games she attended, one obviously stuck to her: the final! « 80% of the stadium was filled with Argentinian fans, they were good fun! Every time Messi touched the ball, the whole stadium was like… wow! It was special moment ».
Collaboration between multiple stakeholders
Organising a Global Sporting Event is about finding a way to successfully collaborate with multiple stakeholders. And we have known from previous interviews and the international press that it is not an easy process. Multiple newspapers relayed the difficult relations between FIFA and the Qatari Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy during the build-up of the competition. However, according to Nathalie, once the competition started, the momentum took over and everyone found a way to work together. « When the operations come live, the collaboration between stakeholders gets better. We have meetings, and every time there is a problem, a representative of each entity is present to discuss it and find a solution. Everyone came together and worked closely to get things done. The approaches are sometimes different from a stakeholder to another, but the end goal is the same, having a wonderful competition. I think that the World Cup brought the best out of Qatar, and that is what everyone saw, whether they were there or in front of their television ».
The World Cup Legacy
According to the Qatari’s ambassador in Russia, the total cost of the world cup is around $200bn, which is according to Sky Sports, « many times higher than any budget spent on similar events in history ». Qatar has built 8 stadia, over 100 hotels to host the teams and the fans, as well as a brand-new underground for the crowd to navigate easily. With all these news infrastructures, the question that is yet to be answered is the one about the legacy. For Nathalie, everything was planned. « In terms of transport, the metro is something that was needed, whether international competitions are happening or not, it will still be of great use for the locals and tourists ». « Regarding the stadia, from what we know, they will have a capacity reduction and will be used for local or international events » (as mentioned in the previous articles, Qatar will host the upcoming international Asian Games as well as the Asian Football Cup AFC). The Education City stadium will become part of the wider Qatar Foundation facilities for university students.
« The stadium made up of ship containers (Stadium 974) will be dismantled and repurposed. Obviously, Qatar is not going to be as busy as some other countries, which have an all year long sporting calendars, but they will still use the vast majority of the infrastructures that were built for the World Cup ».
« All in all, Qatar proved that they were able to create and manage a mega event, and it will probably bring many opportunities for this country in the years to come ».
Post World Cup Duty
In the mind of most spectators, once the final is over everything ends and their lives go back to normal, and the only things remaining are memories. But for the managers on the field, it is another story. The work there isn’t quite finished, it is even the beginning of a new adventure. The first two weeks after the competition consisted of sending her staff home, and since the new year Nathalie has been focusing on a legacy job. « I am currently busy compiling information and data from the competition, then writing action reports, preparing handovers for whoever wants to know about the event, because there are other events coming up, and even if my team will not be there, someone will need to use what we built to deliver the future events ».
Nathalie will be staying in Qatar until the end of March, ensuring that all reporting is done, before heading back to London where she will have some well-deserved holidays! After that she will be looking for a new job, whether in Workforce or any other part of the sporting event industry!
There is no doubt that the future of this promising young lady will be bright as well as for the companies who will have the chance to have her on their team. And we will, of course, keep following her in her next adventures!
Written by Guillaume Faure, Communication Officer AMOS London26 Jan 2023
GSBM alumni interview Nathalie, FIFA 2022 World Cup
The view of an insider on how things went in Doha
On the 18th of December 2022, at the Lusail Stadium, the 22nd Men Football World Cup ended on a dramatic final, which saw Lionel Messi and his teammates winning the most desired trophy. Never in history, the attribution and the preparation of a World Cup had provoked this many reactions from governments, organisations, newspapers, and people all around the world. It was, within this tense climate, a little over a month ago, that our alumni Nathalie Deutsch, Workforce Operations Manager at TMS, was getting ready to live the biggest experience of her young career. A month later, we are reaching back to her, to have the view of an insider on how things went in Doha - Capital of the Qatari Peninsula. For our former Global Sport Business Master student, the general mood around the World Cup changed when the competition started. « A lot of people have criticized the competition, wanted to boycott, and they had their reasons for it. As a member of the staff, we did not agree with everything that happened here, however, at our level, we made sure to deliver everything ethically, and in a way, it was successful ».
The competition was a success, as soon as Daniele Orsato (referee who officiated the first game of the tournament) blew the start of the first match, fans were once again enthusiastic. Focusing on the performances of their team, people were cheering all around the world and the polemics were put aside, leaving us with what a World Cup is meant to be: a moment in which the whole world comes together to share vivid emotions.
Fan experience
Over the past 4 months, I had the chance to write a couple of articles on her adventures, which taught us a lot about the organisation of such an event, notably the fact that changes are made up to the very last minute, and the result is never guaranteed. However, the hard work and dedication of the teams paid off as the fan experience received great feedback. « I had the opportunity to see a few games, especially the semi-finals and the final, and I have to say, apart from a few things that you will always have in this kind of competition (queueing to get into the stadium, customer service that could be improved...), the services were great. Overall, it was super easy to get around and there was a great atmosphere ». Regarding the games she attended, one obviously stuck to her: the final! « 80% of the stadium was filled with Argentinian fans, they were good fun! Every time Messi touched the ball, the whole stadium was like… wow! It was special moment ».
Collaboration between multiple stakeholders
Organising a Global Sporting Event is about finding a way to successfully collaborate with multiple stakeholders. And we have known from previous interviews and the international press that it is not an easy process. Multiple newspapers relayed the difficult relations between FIFA and the Qatari Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy during the build-up of the competition. However, according to Nathalie, once the competition started, the momentum took over and everyone found a way to work together. « When the operations come live, the collaboration between stakeholders gets better. We have meetings, and every time there is a problem, a representative of each entity is present to discuss it and find a solution. Everyone came together and worked closely to get things done. The approaches are sometimes different from a stakeholder to another, but the end goal is the same, having a wonderful competition. I think that the World Cup brought the best out of Qatar, and that is what everyone saw, whether they were there or in front of their television ».
The World Cup Legacy
According to the Qatari’s ambassador in Russia, the total cost of the world cup is around $200bn, which is according to Sky Sports, « many times higher than any budget spent on similar events in history ». Qatar has built 8 stadia, over 100 hotels to host the teams and the fans, as well as a brand-new underground for the crowd to navigate easily. With all these news infrastructures, the question that is yet to be answered is the one about the legacy. For Nathalie, everything was planned. « In terms of transport, the metro is something that was needed, whether international competitions are happening or not, it will still be of great use for the locals and tourists ». « Regarding the stadia, from what we know, they will have a capacity reduction and will be used for local or international events » (as mentioned in the previous articles, Qatar will host the upcoming international Asian Games as well as the Asian Football Cup AFC). The Education City stadium will become part of the wider Qatar Foundation facilities for university students.
« The stadium made up of ship containers (Stadium 974) will be dismantled and repurposed. Obviously, Qatar is not going to be as busy as some other countries, which have an all year long sporting calendars, but they will still use the vast majority of the infrastructures that were built for the World Cup ».
« All in all, Qatar proved that they were able to create and manage a mega event, and it will probably bring many opportunities for this country in the years to come ».
Post World Cup Duty
In the mind of most spectators, once the final is over everything ends and their lives go back to normal, and the only things remaining are memories. But for the managers on the field, it is another story. The work there isn’t quite finished, it is even the beginning of a new adventure. The first two weeks after the competition consisted of sending her staff home, and since the new year Nathalie has been focusing on a legacy job. « I am currently busy compiling information and data from the competition, then writing action reports, preparing handovers for whoever wants to know about the event, because there are other events coming up, and even if my team will not be there, someone will need to use what we built to deliver the future events ».
Nathalie will be staying in Qatar until the end of March, ensuring that all reporting is done, before heading back to London where she will have some well-deserved holidays! After that she will be looking for a new job, whether in Workforce or any other part of the sporting event industry!
There is no doubt that the future of this promising young lady will be bright as well as for the companies who will have the chance to have her on their team. And we will, of course, keep following her in her next adventures!
Written by Guillaume Faure, Communication Officer AMOS London16 Jan 2023
Student Interview Joseph, Global Sport Business Master in Paris
21 years, 3 countries, 1 journey
H. Jackson Brown Jr. once said, « Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than the ones you did do », and if there was a student that embodied this mindset, it would be our Global Sport Business Master student Joseph Vincent De Perez, currently based in Paris. Born in Auxerre (France) from a Spanish dad and an English mother, Joseph grew up in London (where his mum was transferred to work) until he was 7 years old then moved to Spain where he did his primary and secondary school in an international campus. Perfectly fluent in 3 languages (French, English and Spanish) by the time he turned 18, Joseph decided to pursue his undergraduate studies in an international environment. Although tempted by the high standards and reputation of economic studies, Joseph followed his heart and went to Kent (England) to study a 3-year Sport Management Programme. With 300 hours of work placement and some solid knowledge about sports business, Joseph graduated from the British University, and decided to look for a Masters in which he could develop his international network as well as gain experience from high-end sports professionals.
« Whilst in my last year as an undergraduate in Kent, I was actively looking for the best Masters degree in Europe, which is when I found AMOS Paris. The location was perfect as I never had the opportunity to live in the French Capital before. Learning from sports professionals, traveling the world to study diverse global markets was the perfect occasion to do so, and I almost thought that it was a scam. But no, so far AMOS delivered on what it has promised. On the first week of class, we had to do a presentation in front of the ex-directors of Nike France and Gucci, this is exactly what I had signed up for! »
His relationship with sports
Our polyglot student has always been a sports aficionado, « I started playing football in England when I was 4 years old and continued in every country I lived in. When I was in Spain, I was scouted to play for the Valencia Academy, which I did for a few years, but I was realistic, and I knew that a career as football player would be extremely difficult ». However, last year, while living in the UK, our AMOScian was scouted again, this time, to play 5-a-side in the first English division. « I was playing semi-professionally on BT Sport and travelling across the UK. Playing on a regular basis against the best players like the captain of Northern Ireland». A fantastic experience that he wishes to live again, in Paris this time, maybe?
Starting his international career
Although many students are attracted to sports clubs or event management, Joseph is targeting a career in management within worldwide organisations such as Nike, Puma, or Red Bull. But for now, his next challenge is to work for the Atlético Madrid Club as part of a summer job, and we wish him the very best in this fantastic opportunity. Written by Guillaume Faure, Communication Officer AMOS London16 Jan 2023
Student Interview Joseph, Global Sport Business Master in Paris
21 years, 3 countries, 1 journey
H. Jackson Brown Jr. once said, « Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than the ones you did do », and if there was a student that embodied this mindset, it would be our Global Sport Business Master student Joseph Vincent De Perez, currently based in Paris. Born in Auxerre (France) from a Spanish dad and an English mother, Joseph grew up in London (where his mum was transferred to work) until he was 7 years old then moved to Spain where he did his primary and secondary school in an international campus. Perfectly fluent in 3 languages (French, English and Spanish) by the time he turned 18, Joseph decided to pursue his undergraduate studies in an international environment. Although tempted by the high standards and reputation of economic studies, Joseph followed his heart and went to Kent (England) to study a 3-year Sport Management Programme. With 300 hours of work placement and some solid knowledge about sports business, Joseph graduated from the British University, and decided to look for a Masters in which he could develop his international network as well as gain experience from high-end sports professionals.
« Whilst in my last year as an undergraduate in Kent, I was actively looking for the best Masters degree in Europe, which is when I found AMOS Paris. The location was perfect as I never had the opportunity to live in the French Capital before. Learning from sports professionals, traveling the world to study diverse global markets was the perfect occasion to do so, and I almost thought that it was a scam. But no, so far AMOS delivered on what it has promised. On the first week of class, we had to do a presentation in front of the ex-directors of Nike France and Gucci, this is exactly what I had signed up for! »
His relationship with sports
Our polyglot student has always been a sports aficionado, « I started playing football in England when I was 4 years old and continued in every country I lived in. When I was in Spain, I was scouted to play for the Valencia Academy, which I did for a few years, but I was realistic, and I knew that a career as football player would be extremely difficult ». However, last year, while living in the UK, our AMOScian was scouted again, this time, to play 5-a-side in the first English division. « I was playing semi-professionally on BT Sport and travelling across the UK. Playing on a regular basis against the best players like the captain of Northern Ireland». A fantastic experience that he wishes to live again, in Paris this time, maybe?
