4.11.2022
As part of the Road Towards Innovative Governance of NOCs and Grassroot Sport Organisations (RINGS) project led by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) EU Office and co-funded by Erasmus+ sport, a workshop featuring 28 of Türkiye’s Olympic National Federations (NFs) was held on Thursday 3 November at the Olympic House.
The Turkish Olympic Committee (TOC) is one of 10 European National Olympic Committees (NOCs) involved in the RINGS project which aims to develop and modernise the strategic management of NOCs and grassroots sports.
TOC Secretary General Neşe Gündoğan opened the workshop with a speech focused on strategic planning, change management and the challenges ahead for sports organisations, particularly for NFs, stating:
"The RINGS project has been ongoing for two years with the NOCs of Türkiye, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Cyprus, Slovakia and Greece."
“In today's world of constant and rapid change, I believe that sports organizations can only remain sustainable by adopting and implementing innovative strategic management principles. In December of next year, the outputs generated from the data obtained within the scope of the scientific studies will be published on an online platform for all sports organizations to benefit from, free of charge. It is only by meeting together, sharing ideas and learning from each other that can we come up with faster and easier solutions."
Eva Rebmann, on behalf of the EOC EU Office, then presented the general outline of the RINGS project, the Strategic Management Handbook, the Public Relations Manual, the Stakeholder Tool and the online platform.
Following Rebmann's presentation, Prof. Dr Holger Preuss continued the workshop with his presentations on "Guide to Strategic Management of Olympic Sports Federations" and "The Importance of Strategic Planning / Change Management and Challenges”. He explained to the participants how to use the tools based on the scientific data collected within the scope of the RINGS project, how the guide and handbook will help sports organisations and what should be considered when creating a change management strategy.
Additionally, he highlighted the risks that may be encountered during this process and the measures to be taken. During his presentation, Prof. Preuss also discussed with the NFs the effects of changes and developments in social change, politics, global warming, the refugee crisis, pandemics, wars, artificial intelligence, the digital world, and health on global sport.
After the presentation, Prof. Preuss answered questions from the participating NF representatives and said: "I have participated in much theoretical research both as an academician and for the IOC and International Federations. You should see the work we have done today not as a seminar that you should listen to, but as a user manual that you should think about."
Prof. Preuss concluded his speech with the following words:
"Strategic plans and risk plans waiting on shelves and tables are of no importance. The sports world is open to changes, and we must adapt to them. In fact, you have initiated this change by coming here."