The Future of Sport: Event #1
In conversation with Lord Sebastian Coe KBE and John Bertrand AO
In 2020, Victoria University partnered with Loughborough University to present the first event of the Future of Sport Series. In what should have been an Olympic and Paralympic year, this event centred around the topic of the Olympics in the current climate.
The conversation is moderated by Professor Corinne Reid of Victoria University (Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research) and Professor Tony Edwards of Loughborough University (Dean). They’re joined by:
Lord Sebastian Coe KBE: Chancellor of Loughborough University, as well as a British two-time gold medal-winning Olympian (1500m at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics), President of World Athletics and accomplished politician.
John Bertrand AO: Chair of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, President of Swimming Australia, multiple world champion (sailing), Australia II America’s Cup skipper and Australian bronze medal-winning Olympian (Finn Class at the 1976 Olympics).
Cate Campbell OAM: Australian Olympic Gold Medallist (4 × 100m freestyle team at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics).
Montez Blair: USA track athlete and Loughborough University Alumnus.
Between the experiences of each of these individuals as both administrators and/or athletes, each of these guests discuss the impact which COVID-19 is having on the preparation for the Tokyo Olympics.
The topics of discussion include:
1. The scale of the preparations that goes into an event such as the Olympics, and the considerations taken into account in delaying/canceling an event of this size [00:11:10]
2. What adaptations will there need to be to the delivery of the Olympics if the vaccine for COVID-19 is not fully in place [00:20:38]
3. The role the Olympics has in providing hope during the global pandemic. Both for athletes and sport, as well as society and nations [00:29:48]
4. Sport as a powerful driver of social change and social advocacy [00:38:00]
5. The role of athletes as role models during the COVID-19 pandemic [00:46:01]
6. How the COVID-19 pandemic might change the administration of sport to ensure it is more sustainable [00:57:05]
7. How athletes are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and the delay to the Tokyo Olympics [01:03:25]
8. In the pursuit of a winning edge, are sports doing enough to protect overall athlete wellbeing? [00:57:05]
9. The impact COVID-19 has had on athlete’s appetite to make a broader contribution to society, beyond their role as a competitor [01:20:42]
10. The disproportionate effect COVID-19 has had on different communities, and how this is going to impact selection processes [01:24:42]