FINA World Water Polo Conference
Budapest 2018
Following the World Water Polo Conference in 2014 in Cancun, Mexico, the Water Polo community is uniting once again in Budapest, Hungary to focus on opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
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The proposed Conference Programme will engage the audience with international experts, address the major issues facing Water Polo and identify key opportunities for its global expansion.
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The conference is designed to be an open and healthy dialogue about the future development and growth of our sport around the world - all opinions are welcome. We will have multiple opportunities to exchange points of view, with a conference goal of identifying the various areas in need of improvement and agreeing on concrete solutions to address them.
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Objectives
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To review and discuss the current challenges of Water Polo
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To examine resources and concepts to address our current challenges and professionalize our sport in various areas
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To agree on recommendations, next steps and definitive action plans
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To discuss Water Polo rules and competition modernization
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To advance Water Polo by inspiring visionary thinking and innovation
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The conference will hear from a multitude of sport experts performing both inside and outside Water Polo. From development, media, technical, broadcasting and events, experts will weigh in on what it takes to succeed in each of these areas, helping Water Polo strive for more success in the future.
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Day One
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Welcome
Welcome address by FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglion
Theme 1: Water polo - 150 years of evolution
Yiannis Giannouris, Water Polo Coach
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Theme 2: Where we are now?
Cornel Marculescu, FINA CEO
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Theme 3: Where do we want to go?
Eric Van Heijningen, FINA Bureau Member
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Manuel Ibern, Chairman FINA Technical Water Polo Committee
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Andrey Kryukov, FINA Bureau Member & Water Polo Liaison
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Theme 4: Brand, Communication & Image
Terrence Burns, Executive Vice President Global Sport at Engine Shop Agency
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Matthias Lüfkens, Social Media Expert at Burson-Marsteller
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Theme 5: Water Polo Reform 21
Andrey Kryukov, FINA Bureau Member & Water Polo Liaison
Wim Keman, FINA Technical Water Polo Committee Honorary Secretary
Dragan Jovanovic, Director General at WWPCA
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Theme 6: Water Polo Rules
Yiannis Giannouris, Water Polo Expert
Manuel Ibern, Chairman FINA Technical Water Polo Committee
Bill Shaw, FINA Technical Water Polo Committee Member
Dragan Jovanovic, Director General at WWPCA
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Theme 7: Game officiating and refereeing matters
Mark Koganov, FINA Technical Water Polo Committee Vice Chairman
Wim Keman, FINA Technical Water Polo Committee Honorary Secretary
Boris Margeta, President of WWR
Danny Kurmann, IIHF
Istvan Gergely HUN
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Theme 8: Technology and Innovations
Takeshi Inoue, FINA Technical Water Polo Committee Member
Will Bastin, FINA Events & Services Manager
Alex Garcia, ERIC Sports
Theme 9: What coaches need
Adam Krikorian, FINA Coaches Committee
Prof. Yoji Omoto, Coach Japanese Men’s Team
Lance Rochester, Water Polo Coach Jamaica
Dénes Kemény, FINA Coach
Ratko Rudic, Star Coach
Theme 10: The athletes’ perspective
Margaret Steffens USA
Aaron Feltham CAN
Aaron Younger AUS
Kelsey White RSA
Istvan Gergely HUN
Day Two
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Theme 11: How to stage exciting events
Paola Bosio, sport presentation expert
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Theme 12: How to make the game more attractive?
Jochen Färber, Head of Olympic Channel Services
Peter Diamond, NBC Executive Vice President Programming
Marco Birri, LEN expert 11
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Theme 13: Water Polo and the Olympic Games – 100 years together
Pere Miro, Deputy Director General, International Olympic Committee
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Theme 14: Sponsorship, Marketing & Partnerships
Claude Ruibal, Director at Infront
Kristian Götsch, Two Circles
Richard Tattershaw, Sport Hit Factory
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Theme 15: Developing Water Polo – How to grow our sport beyond the Olympic footprint
Dale Neuburger, FINA Bureau Member
Yiannis Giannouris, Water Polo Coach
Ratko, Rudic, Star Coach
Bartolo Consolo, Grass roots expert
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Roundtable Discussion: Water Polo Rules
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Roundtable Discussion: How to expand our sport beyond the Olympic footprint
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Day Three
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Theme 16: New activities in Water Polo
Ken Kuroda, FINA Technical Water Polo Committee Member
Prof. Andy Hoepelman, FINA Technical Water Polo Committee Member
Haider Farman, Asian Games Director at Olympic Council of Asia
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Theme 17: Game improvement solution
External Experts
FINA Experts
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Theme 18: Game improvement solutions
Dr. Monica Brochero, FINA Technical Water Polo Committee Member
Manuel Ibern, FINA Technical Water Polo Committee Chairman
Mark Koganov, FINA Technical Water Polo Committee
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Theme 19: Key note speech – Embracing new ideas
Adam Krikorian
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Theme 20: What is the future of Water Polo?
Conference summary and closing by FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione
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