The New Leaders Forum took place in Helsinki, Finland between 18-20 November 2019 as the closing event of the New Leaders Sport Leadership Programme.

The Programme was organised by the Finnish Olympic Committee in cooperation with the International Olympic Committee and the European Olympic Committees, and it is also a legacy of Ms Birgitta Kervinen, the winner of the 2017 IOC Women and Sport World Trophy.

For the one-year New Leaders Programme, 30 Game-Changers have been selected and worked together with their mentors to implement the IOC Gender Equality Recommendations into actions that contribute to positive changes in the world of sport in terms of gender equality, good governance and responsibility. The aim of the Forum was to inspire, activate and equip Game-Changers and sport leaders to act in support of gender equality.



The framework of the Forum was set according to the IOC Gender Equality Review Project. The Forum covered topics such as the link between good governance and gender equality, what business advantages equality can bring on and off the field of play, how concrete actions can change the game, how equal playing fields and decision-making can create better opportunities, how working together leads to best results and what the future of European Sports 2020 and beyond hold. It was an invitation-only event and was attended by IOC President Mr Thomas Bach, EOC President Mr Janez Kocijancic, as well as over 200 sport leaders and experts from the around the world.

Present as a participant at the Forum was EUSA Student Commission Chair Ms Anna Edes.



The event started with a welcome reception in the National Museum of Finland, and the Forum was officially opened by Mr Thomas Bach and Mr Timo Ritakallio, President of the Finnish Olympic Committee. After the keynote speeches, dialogues and panel discussions, four break-out sessions were held simultaneously, where participants could get involved more actively and share their ideas and best experiences in the following fields:

1. Prevention of harassment and abuse in sport: How to Develop Policies and Procedures
2. Balanced Leadership, Better Leadership, Better Governance
3. Tackling Gender Bias in the Portrayal of Athletes
4. Overcoming Bias to build an Inclusive Organisation

The second day of the Forum was concluded with the Closing remarks after panel discussions and keynote speeches. The Game-Changers were actively involved in the Forum as moderators and speakers as well.



Participants had the opportunity to learn through sharing best practices and discussions about what is already being done in the field and what can be done in the future to ensure equal opportunities in sport.