Contact Us

The How and Why
of AI in Sport

A two-day executive program for leaders in international sport business and governance.
Hosted by the SportAI Foundation

Date
Q1 2027
dates to be announced
Location
Lausanne (CH)
venue confirmed at enrolment
Program fee
€1,995 per delegate
course only, two days
Apply
Apply for this course

Why this program exists

Sport is being reshaped by artificial intelligence faster than its governance frameworks are being updated. Decisions taken by federations, leagues and sport ministries over the next twenty-four months, on athlete data, officiating, broadcast, integrity and participation, will lock in choices that are very hard to unwind later.

Very few of those decisions are technical. They are governance decisions, made under uncertainty, by leaders whose careers were shaped before AI was on the agenda. The question this program answers is not "what is AI?": that answer is available anywhere. The question is what the leader of a federation, a league or a sport agency needs to understand about AI to lead the organisation through the next five years without being led, unknowingly, by the technology itself.

Redesigned for decisions that cross borders

This program was first developed and delivered in Utrecht in May 2026 for the executive leadership of Dutch sport. The Lausanne edition is redesigned for an international audience: leaders whose decisions are taken across borders, in the language of the IOC, WADA, the EU AI Act and the Council of Europe AI Convention, and whose organisations sit at the top of the sport pyramid rather than inside one country's system.

You leave with a roadmap for your own organisation

After two days, delegates hold:

  • A working understanding of AI in the sport context. Not the vendor pitch and not the doom pitch: the actual picture.
  • A clear view of where the opportunities and the risks sit inside their own organisation.
  • A first, concrete AI adoption roadmap for their federation or agency.
  • A working framework for the governance questions not yet resolved at IF level, including the one that matters most: who owns the data, and on what terms?
  • Peer connections with counterparts across international sport who face the same questions in the same year.

A senior room, mixed on purpose

The program is designed for presidents, secretaries-general, chief executives, integrity directors, performance directors and heads of digital of:

  • International sport federations headquartered in Lausanne, Zurich, Monaco and elsewhere
  • National sport federations in the Olympic and Paralympic movement
  • Professional leagues and clubs operating at continental and global level
  • Government agencies responsible for sport, integrity, doping, safeguarding and elite performance
  • Multi-sport organisations, including NOCs, continental associations and the IOC family

The mix is deliberate. The most valuable governance conversations about AI in sport happen across the boundaries between federations, governments, leagues and integrity bodies. The program is built to hold those conversations, not avoid them.

Cohort
Capped at about twenty-five delegates, on purpose. The value of the room is in the peer dialogue as much as in the faculty sessions, and above twenty-five that dialogue stops working.
Enrolment
By application, to preserve the mix and seniority of the room. Places are held for confirmed applicants once the fee is received.

Two days, from understanding to a roadmap

Day 1

Foundations, domains, and the world of AI in sport

Day 1 builds a shared, senior-level understanding of AI in sport. The morning covers the core concepts and recent developments, the commercial dynamics behind model development, and the world map of AI: how the United States, China, Europe and emerging regions differ in innovation, regulation and adoption, and what that means for international sport. Faculty then work through five strategic domains: performance and integrity; commerce, broadcast and IP; participation and access; policy and governance; ethics, athlete welfare and safeguarding.

The afternoon turns to power: Big Tech, start-ups, governments and open source, and where sport is becoming dependent on their platforms. Every delegate works hands-on with a large language model. Hans Westerbeek then sets out how value is created in sport business in the age of AI, and working groups turn one domain into a concrete use case.

What you'll leave with:

A shared vocabulary to lead the conversation about AI without being led by it, a clear view of who holds power in the AI ecosystem, and a first use case for one domain.

Day 2

Application, responsibility, and building the roadmap

Day 2 turns understanding into action. A guest speaker from an international federation or the IOC family opens with case studies of AI in practice: opportunity, bias, privacy, transparency and human control, and the challenges specific to sport, from athlete data and minors to safeguarding and integrity.

Delegates then take two parallel workshops in turn. The strategic workshop produces a first-draft AI opportunity and risk map for their organisation. The applied workshop tackles athlete-facing AI at IF scale: welfare, monitoring, consent and officiating. The capstone brings it together: priority use cases, capabilities, governance including responsible AI, a short-term and mid-term implementation path, and KPIs.

What you'll leave with:

An AI opportunity and risk map, a framework for athlete-facing AI, and a written AI adoption roadmap for your own organisation.

Apply for this course Get more information first

Program outline

Day 1: Foundations, domains, and the world of AI in sport

Time Session Program instructor(s) Focus & Learning Outcomes

09:00 - 09:30

Opening and positioning

Introductions. Program overview. Objectives and intended outcomes.

09:30 - 10:15

Core concepts and recent developments in AI, part 1

Maurits Hendriks, Wesley Romeijnders

A brief and honest history of AI. The high-performance sport context. Models, systems and the vocabulary you need to lead a conversation about AI without being led by it.

10:15 - 11:00

Core concepts and recent developments in AI, part 2

Peter Sprenger, Hans Westerbeek

Commercial dynamics and model development. Safety and governance. Frontier technology and the pace of change.

11:00 - 11:30

Break

Informal networking

11:30 - 12:15

The world map of AI

Maurits Hendriks, Hans Westerbeek

Global developments in the United States, China, Europe and emerging regions. Differences in innovation, regulation and adoption. The specific implications for international sport.

12:15 - 13:15

AI in sport: five strategic domains

Peter Sprenger, Maurits Hendriks, Hans Westerbeek

Performance and integrity. Commerce, broadcast and IP. Participation, access and the global-South question. Policy and governance. Ethics, athlete welfare and safeguarding.

13:15 - 14:15

Lunch

Networking lunch

14:15 - 15:15

Power, ecosystems, and the tools that shape sport

Peter Sprenger, Wesley Romeijnders

Big Tech, start-ups, governments and the open-source landscape. The tools of power: data, compute, models and distribution. Platformisation and dependencies in sport. A practical hands-on session with large language models: every delegate leaves having used one.

15:15 - 15:30

Break

Informal networking

15:30 - 16:30

Value creation in sport business in the age of AI

Hans Westerbeek

Drawing on his recent paper "Value creation in sport business in the age of AI: a multidimensional framework", Hans Westerbeek sets out the context of value creation in sport, in preparation for the applied session that follows.

16:30 - 17:15

Applied session: from concept to sport practice

Working groups select one domain, identify the AI concepts that apply, and outline a concrete use case: application, value, risks and prerequisites.

17:15 - 17:30

Close of day one

Reflection. Preparation for day two.

Day 2: Application, responsibility, and building the roadmap

Time Session Program instructor(s) Focus & Learning Outcomes

09:00 - 09:15

Coffee and recap

Reflection on day one. Positioning for day two.

09:15 - 10:45

Case studies of AI in sport: from principles to practice

Guest speaker

What AI in practice actually means: opportunity, bias, privacy, transparency, human control. The specific challenges in sport: athlete data, minors, safeguarding, integrity. A case study of AI at IF, NOC and agency level.

10:45 - 11:00

Break

Informal networking

11:00 - 12:30

Parallel workshop A, strategic: the AI opportunity and risk map for your federation

Delegates choose workshop A or B and switch after lunch. Identify AI opportunities and risks. Apply them to the five domains. Prioritise on impact and feasibility. Output: a first-draft AI opportunity and risk map for your organisation.

11:00 - 12:30

Parallel workshop B, applied: athlete-facing AI at IF scale

Welfare, monitoring, consent and officiating. Where the tension between performance value and athlete rights actually lives. Consent frameworks that work at IF scale. The integrity and officiating question. How the leading federations are handling this now.

12:30 - 13:15

Lunch

Networking lunch

13:15 - 14:45

Parallel workshops, second session

Delegates take the workshop they did not attend in the morning, so that everyone leaves with both an opportunity and risk map and an athlete-facing framework.

14:45 - 15:00

Break

Informal networking

15:00 - 16:30

Capstone: the rails and the train

What infrastructure (the rails) is needed to build an AI adoption roadmap (the train). Priority use cases. Capabilities: data, technology, skills. Governance, including responsible AI. Implementation path, short-term and mid-term. KPIs and impact measurement. Each delegate leaves with a written roadmap for their own organisation.

16:30 - 17:00

Close of program

Presentation of selected roadmaps. Individual action points. Next steps and cohort connections.

Program outline

Day 1: Foundations, domains, and the world of AI in sport

  • 09:00 - 09:30 | Opening and positioning

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Introductions. Program overview. Objectives and intended outcomes.

  • 09:30 - 10:15 | Core concepts and recent developments in AI, part 1

    Program instructor(s):
    Maurits Hendriks, Wesley Romeijnders

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    A brief and honest history of AI. The high-performance sport context. Models, systems and the vocabulary you need to lead a conversation about AI without being led by it.

  • 10:15 - 11:00 | Core concepts and recent developments in AI, part 2

    Program instructor(s):
    Peter Sprenger, Hans Westerbeek

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Commercial dynamics and model development. Safety and governance. Frontier technology and the pace of change.

  • 11:00 - 11:30 | Break

    Informal networking

  • 11:30 - 12:15 | The world map of AI

    Program instructor(s):
    Maurits Hendriks, Hans Westerbeek

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Global developments in the United States, China, Europe and emerging regions. Differences in innovation, regulation and adoption. The specific implications for international sport.

  • 12:15 - 13:15 | AI in sport: five strategic domains

    Program instructor(s):
    Peter Sprenger, Maurits Hendriks, Hans Westerbeek

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Performance and integrity. Commerce, broadcast and IP. Participation, access and the global-South question. Policy and governance. Ethics, athlete welfare and safeguarding.

  • 13:15 - 14:15 | Lunch

    Networking lunch

  • 14:15 - 15:15 | Power, ecosystems, and the tools that shape sport

    Program instructor(s):
    Peter Sprenger, Wesley Romeijnders

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Big Tech, start-ups, governments and the open-source landscape. The tools of power: data, compute, models and distribution. Platformisation and dependencies in sport. A practical hands-on session with large language models: every delegate leaves having used one.

  • 15:15 - 15:30 | Break

    Informal networking

  • 15:30 - 16:30 | Value creation in sport business in the age of AI

    Program instructor(s):
    Hans Westerbeek

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Drawing on his recent paper "Value creation in sport business in the age of AI: a multidimensional framework", Hans Westerbeek sets out the context of value creation in sport, in preparation for the applied session that follows.

  • 16:30 - 17:15 | Applied session: from concept to sport practice

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Working groups select one domain, identify the AI concepts that apply, and outline a concrete use case: application, value, risks and prerequisites.

  • 17:15 - 17:30 | Close of day one

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Reflection. Preparation for day two.

Day 2: Application, responsibility, and building the roadmap

  • 09:00 - 09:15 | Coffee and recap

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Reflection on day one. Positioning for day two.

  • 09:15 - 10:45 | Case studies of AI in sport: from principles to practice

    Program instructor(s):
    Guest speaker

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    What AI in practice actually means: opportunity, bias, privacy, transparency, human control. The specific challenges in sport: athlete data, minors, safeguarding, integrity. A case study of AI at IF, NOC and agency level.

  • 10:45 - 11:00 | Break

    Informal networking

  • 11:00 - 12:30 | Parallel workshop A, strategic: the AI opportunity and risk map for your federation

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Delegates choose workshop A or B and switch after lunch. Identify AI opportunities and risks. Apply them to the five domains. Prioritise on impact and feasibility. Output: a first-draft AI opportunity and risk map for your organisation.

  • 11:00 - 12:30 | Parallel workshop B, applied: athlete-facing AI at IF scale

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Welfare, monitoring, consent and officiating. Where the tension between performance value and athlete rights actually lives. Consent frameworks that work at IF scale. The integrity and officiating question. How the leading federations are handling this now.

  • 12:30 - 13:15 | Lunch

    Networking lunch

  • 13:15 - 14:45 | Parallel workshops, second session

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Delegates take the workshop they did not attend in the morning, so that everyone leaves with both an opportunity and risk map and an athlete-facing framework.

  • 14:45 - 15:00 | Break

    Informal networking

  • 15:00 - 16:30 | Capstone: the rails and the train

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    What infrastructure (the rails) is needed to build an AI adoption roadmap (the train). Priority use cases. Capabilities: data, technology, skills. Governance, including responsible AI. Implementation path, short-term and mid-term. KPIs and impact measurement. Each delegate leaves with a written roadmap for their own organisation.

  • 16:30 - 17:00 | Close of program

    Focus & Learning Outcomes:
    Presentation of selected roadmaps. Individual action points. Next steps and cohort connections.

What the fee covers

Program fee
€1,995 per delegate.
Included
The full two-day program, all teaching sessions, workshop materials, the hands-on session with large language models, the capstone roadmap template, and coffee breaks and lunches on both days.
Not included
Travel, accommodation and dinner. Delegates make their own arrangements. The SportAI Foundation is happy to suggest partner hotels within walking distance of the venue.
Dates
Q1 2027. The exact dates are to be announced.
Venue
Lausanne, in a venue suited to a senior international sport audience. The venue is confirmed at enrolment.
Language
The program is delivered entirely in English.
Apply for this course Get more information first

Faculty

The program is delivered by a faculty whose members have shaped policy, high-performance sport, sport technology and responsible AI at IF, NOC and government level across four continents.

Maurits Hendriks

Olympic gold medalist as coach, Sydney 2000.
Former Technical Director, NOC*NSF.
Chef de Mission, London 2012, Sochi 2014 and Rio de Janeiro 2016.

Hans Westerbeek

Professor of Sport, Business and AI, Victoria University Melbourne.
Board Member, SportAI Foundation.
Adviser to the Australia-India Council and the Government of India on sport development.

Peter Sprenger

Founder and Chairman, Techonomy.
President, Dutch Volleyball Association.
Chair, FIVB Sport Technology Committee.

Guest speaker

Guest speaker from an international federation or the IOC family, to be announced.

Guest speaker

A second guest voice, chosen to differ from the first: for example, one from the performance side and one from the governance side.
To be announced.

Wesley Romeijnders

Techonomy.
Leading practitioner in applied AI systems in sport: hands-on integration of large language models and analytical AI in operational settings.

Application

Enrolment is by application, to keep the room senior and mixed. Once your application is confirmed, payment is arranged by invoice, and your place is held when the fee is received. If you would like more information or a short personal call first, contact us at explore@sportaifoundation.com.