Coraaj was proud to be invited to the Hosts & Federations Summit 2025 in Lausanne, where one message stood out: the future of sports hosting will be defined not by size or spectacle, but by sustainability, inclusivity, and long-term impact.
From city planners to federations of emerging sports, participants echoed a shared belief—hosting must evolve from being an elite privilege to a bold platform for progress.
1️⃣ A Community Shouldn’t Serve an Event – the Event Should Serve the Community
Christophe Dubi, Executive Director of the IOC, opened the summit with a powerful reminder: legacy starts at the grassroots. Recalling children in Paris creating their own Olympic anthem, Dubi emphasized how events must uplift local voices not just boost global image. The IOC is lowering barriers to entry, embedding AI in planning, and shifting focus from infrastructure to long-term community development. Cities are no longer asked how many hotels they have but what future they envision.
2️⃣ Maybe We Shouldn’t Do What Everyone Else Does
Densign White, CEO of IMMAF, is steering mixed martial arts toward global legitimacy—with integrity. With over 140 national federations, IMMAF is reshaping amateur sport: livestreaming every bout, prioritizing medical safety, and setting a new standard for athlete welfare. Recognition remains a challenge, but White’s governance-first approach is redefining how niche sports scale responsibly.
3️⃣ If You Want to Talk About a Climate Issue, We’ll Race There
Extreme E’s James Taylor is reimagining motorsport as a climate-conscious enterprise. Racing hydrogen SUVs in remote, vulnerable ecosystems, each race includes a local legacy project from wildfire detection systems to marine conservation. With gender-equal teams and plans for Antarctica, Extreme E is blending innovation, equality, and action.
4️⃣ We’re a Small Country. We Need to Be Here
Finland’s Jani Backman emphasized that sustainability isn’t a feature it’s a foundation. From Lahti to Lapland, Finnish cities are positioning themselves as outdoor, tech-enabled destinations where nature-first values drive event design. In a field dominated by larger nations, Finland is showing that purpose can outshine scale.
5️⃣ The Moment You Step Off the Plane, We Want You to Feel It
Terry Hasseltine of the Maryland Sports Commission highlighted how events can shape identity. With over $1.7B in economic impact, his initiatives like “Football for Peace” are proof that community-centered planning builds more than stadiums it builds pride.
Final Word: What’s the Real Business of Hosting?
For Coraaj, Lausanne reinforced what we believe: hosting is no longer just about scale it’s about purpose. The next generation of events will be judged by what they leave behind, not just what they deliver in the moment.
At Coraaj, we’re enabling this shift supporting host cities and federations with smarter tools, AI-driven insights, and community-first strategies. From building inclusive bids to planning sustainable legacies, we help turn bold visions into real-world impact.
Because in the end, the true measure of success isn’t the size of the stage it’s the strength of the legacy. That’s where Coraaj leads.
