adminRicky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Premier Soccer League has extended an olive branch to other sporting codes, encouraging them to attend the inaugural Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League International Football Symposium whose objective is to transform the local sports industry.
High-profile international speakers have been invited to make presentations at the inaugural Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League International Football Symposium that will be held in Victoria Falls from Thursday, October 10 to Saturday, October 12.
PSL spokesperson Kudzai Bare said the topics that have been lined up for the symposium will seek to unlock the economic value of the sport industry and promote governance.
“The Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League International Football Symposium is a big sporting expo that is not only confined to football, but to all sports bodies that are run along business lines. We did send out invites to other sporting codes so that they can come and tap into the wealth of knowledge and experience that the international presenters will share.
“Besides being open to all sporting codes, previous, current and potential sports sponsors, security organisations, academics, administrators, supporters and business people are also welcome to attend the conference. You will note that the symposium has been designed for everyone, so that we open up and debate current issues that affect the sports industry and work the way forward,” said Bare.
All the 18 PSL clubs are expected to attend the conference, as well as ambitious First Division clubs who believe they are within the reach of securing a topflight ticket.
Sports bodies like athletics, basketball, cricket and rugby who have been regular features at some of sports indabas, notably the Sports Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe (Sliz) organized events.
Sliz are expected to join bodies like the parent football body Zifa and the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) at the conference.
World soccer governing body, Fifa’s safety and security manager, Lee Davidson headlines the cast that has chief legal officer of the Swiss Football League, Marc Juillerat, Michael Murphy who is the general legal counsel for the South African Premier Soccer League, World Leagues Forum (WLF) secretary-general Jerome Perlemuter, the La Liga Global Network Delegate in South Africa, Enrique Suay and Cameron Calder, marketing director at Hype Sport.
Davidson, a qualified stadium safety and security manager and licensed security officer, will make a presentation on managing safety and security and sporting events at the conference that is open to football clubs, players, fans, financial institutions, media, sponsors and other stakeholders.
Davidson has experience in managing high profile domestic and international sports events including the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup.
Prior to joining Fifa, Davidson worked in sports ground safety and security in both operational stadium management and strategic policy roles in cricket and football.
Suay will present on “Internationalisation of sports sponsorship: how can football and its partners realise the full commercial potential? A case study of LaLiga.”
Suay has worked in strategic and marketing positions in different sectors including mass consumption products, digital e-commerce platforms and advertising agencies across Europe.
Perlemuter will deliver a piece on sport corporate governance and development, while Murphy will present on sports disputes resolution procedures.
Before joining the WLF, Perlemuter served as the general counsel of the French Professional football league where he was also in charge of Public and International Affairs.
He is also a judge of the Fifa Dispute Resolution Chamber and a member of the Ethics Committee of the French Football Federation.
Murphy is a lawyer and director with over 30 years experience having specialised in all aspects of employment law with a particular interest in constitutional matters, sport and entertainment.
Calder will present on driving fan management through digital technology platforms. — @ZililoR
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