Nominees Named for ITTF Star Awards -- Conferences and Conventions

(ATR) The nominees for the fourth edition of the ITTF Awards have been announced. The award ceremony, held at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha, Qatar will celebrate the achievements of table tennis players around the world.

"On behalf of QTTA, I am excited to be hosting the celebrations for the world's best table tennis players in Doha, Qatar. QTTA have very elaborate plans for the 2016 ITTF Star Awards and everyone in attendance and fans around the world watching on TV will surely enjoy the show we have planned to honor the most important people in our sport, the athlete's and their achievements in 2016" Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA) President Khalil Al-Mohannadi said in a statement.

Nominees for the Male Table Tennis Star are the first ever African Olympic Games quarterfinalist Quadri Aruna, the 2016 Men's World Cup champion Fan Zhendong, the 2016 World Team Champion Ma Long and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games singles bronze medalist Jun Mizutani.

Take a look at the Men's nomination video here.

Nominees for the Female Table Tennis Star include the Rio 2016 Olympic Games singles champion Ding Ning, 2016 Women's World Cup champion Miu Hirano, the youngest ever table tennis Olympic medalist Mima Ito, and the 2016 ITTF World Tour Pyongyang Open Champion Kim Song-I.

Take a look at the Female nomination video here.

The nominees for the six other awards to be handed out at the ceremony including Table Tennis Star Coach and Breakthrough Start will be announced in the coming weeks.

Fans now have the opportunity to vote on their favorite male and female table tennis stars on the event website. Voting will end on Nov. 13.

World Rugby ConfEx offers discounted tickets

Tickets for the World Rugby ConfEx are now 15 percent off if you are an Around the Rings subscriber.

Select ‘ConfEx Delegate’ and add the code MEDIA15OFF when purchasing to receive the 15 percent discount.

The conference is being held at the Hilton London Metropole from Nov. 14-15 and seeks to bring together the global rugby community to share knowledge and forge connections.

The theme of the conference is analyzing the future of rugby and determining ways the federation can excel in the ever-changing landscape of the Olympic Movement. The conference will also discuss the impact of rugby’s return to the Olympics in Rio and its efforts to be a mainstay on the Olympic program.

The 2016 edition of the event will be preceded by the World Rugby Awards for the first time.

"World Rugby ConfEx 2016 is shaping up to be our best yet with more participants, a vibrant and engaging exhibition space and a varied and insightful agenda," said World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper.

Peace and Sport Forum fast approaching

The ninth edition of the Peace and Sport International Forum is set to take place in Monaco from Nov. 23-25.

The three-day forum will bring together more than 500 leaders in the international sports movement, politics and the private sector to discuss opportunities to spread peace through sport.

Speakers include the founder of the European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) Tale Heydarov, Chairman of the Walk for Peace Foundation Lady Xuelin Bates, IOC Member and head of EU's Sports Diplomacy Advisory group H.E. Pal Schmitt and many more.

This year’s edition of the Peace and Sport Awards, one of the most highly anticipated events of the forum, will take place on Nov. 24.

ANOC Awards shines spotlight on Rio Games

Achievements made at the Rio 2016 Olympics will be recognized during an awards ceremony at the annual Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly in Doha, Qatar.

During the ceremony the best male, female, and team of Rio 2016 in addition to the best NOC will be rewarded with a trophy.

The ANOC Award for the most Inspirational Performance, Inspiring Hope through Sport, Outstanding Contribution to the Olympic Movement and Outstanding Lifetime Achievement will be awarded as well.

The jury will consist of a member of each of the continental associations along with the ANOC athletes commission & secretary general, ASOIF president and personalities of the sports and media industries.

The awards ceremony will be taking place at the Qatar National Convention Centre during the ANOC General Assembly on Nov. 15-16.

"We always look forward to the ANOC Awards because it provides us with an opportunity to give NOCs and their athletes the recognition they deserve. They dedicate themselves to the Olympic Movement 365 days a year and the ANOC Awards is a chance to honour them and provide them with an evening to enjoy," ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah said in a statement.

"There were so many spectacular athletic performances at Rio 2016 that the ANOC Jury must have had a very difficult job in selecting the winners. Rio 2016 truly was a Games which showcased the exceptional talents of the world’s athletes and provided so many special moments which inspired us all. The ANOC Awards 2016 will be a fantastic opportunity to celebrate these moments and honour the NOCs without whom it would not have been possible."

TSE Consulting hosts "The Academy" conference

TSE Consulting has opened the registration for "The Academy "conference. The 2017 edition of this program will take place at the Olympic Museum in the Olympic capital- Lausanne, Switzerland.

Over the course of two days participants will have the opportunity to enjoy speaker presentations, master classes with key leaders in sport as well as workshops, Q&A’s and more. Speakers of the conference are soon to be announced.

"The Academy" plans to provide insight on ways sport organizations can gain potential revenue sources, discuss new forms of promotion and ways to spread influence to othersthrough three main themes- Revenue, Promotion and Influence.

TSE Consulting will also host a cocktail party at the Movenpick Hotel to open the program along with a Gala Dinner at the Chateau d’Ouchy.

"We are looking forward to having The Academy make its return for 2017. Sport continues to evolve at a rapid pace, and The Academy offers the ideal platform for ambitious leaders working in the industry to gain new insights and take away practical tools which can be applies to overcome challenges and help them be successful," Managing Director of TSE Consulting Lars Haue-Pedersen said in a statement.

The program will begin on June 7, 2017 and end the following day.

Conference Schedule

ANOC General Assembly: Nov 13-16

World Rugby Conference and Exhibition: Nov. 14-15

Host City 2016: Nov. 21-22

Peace and Sport International Forum: Nov. 23-25

FINA World Aquatics Convention: Dec. 3-5

International Sports Convention:Dec. 7-8

SportAccord: April. 2-7

IPC Vista Conference: Sep. 19-22, 2017

Written by Courtney Colquitt

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