Terre en vue! The FIFA Master has landed in Neuchâtel

Picture: The FIFA Master class poses with a selection of FIFA Master alumni and other FIFA employees. In the midst of all: Fatma Samoura (middle row, 2nd from left) and Gianni Infantino (middle row, 3rd from left).

In this latest article, the two class representatives for the Law Module review the FIFA Master 19th Edition’s first five weeks in Neuchâtel. Read here why law and an open mind complement each other perfectly, how Gianni Infantino made the class move closer together; and what Frank Zappa has to do with the FIFA Master.

“The mind is like a parachute“, said Neuchâtel’s city councillor Thomas Facchinetti, as he officially welcomed the FIFA Master class to the beautiful town hall. He added,“It doesn’t work unless it’s open“ Frank Zappa’s words used by Monsieur le Conseiller are words to live by. And they are words perfectly suitable to recount a very special chapter in our FIFA Master journey so far. Ciao Milano, bienvenue en Suisse!

Firstly, governing a modern sports organization requires an open mind, overview and vision. After a thorough introduction by Prof. T. Probst and Prof. Denis Oswald into Swiss law in a sports context, it was guest lecturer James Carr (ASOIF) who helped us to go one-step beyond and to understand how sophisticated it is to govern the international sports complex from a macro perspective. Highly reputable guest speakers  from organizations such as FIFA, UEFA, ECA, IIHF and the NBA then expanded on specific topics such as stakeholder relationships, clubs’ structure and management, comparative sport financing models as well as on events and liabilities. Also, David Cipullo from Infront showed us the reality of working in a dynamic sporting environment, both from an organizational and a personal perspective. This was followed by German Paralympic idol, Matthias Berg, who gave us the opportunity to remind ourselves of the wider significance of sport – and how the Paralympic movement  has kept on adapting to the complex reality seen today.

Secondly, being a modern sport manager means having an open mind for breaking new ground. For our class, this was impressively demonstrated by three field visits to UCI, FIFA and FIBA. On the one hand, the International Cycling Federation (UCI) forced us out of our comfort zone in order to explore disciplines that were new to a large majority of the class. At their headquarters in Aigle we had the unique opportunity to try out BMX and Track Cycling. Additionally, the world governing bodies of Basketball (FIBA) and Football (FIFA) explained to  us how they are constantly reinventing themselves. Be it FIBA which is creating the new 3x3 competition, or FIFA, with its whole FIFA 2.0 reform package.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, our open minds, in the sense of a willingness to listen to and to accept different ideas and opinions, have enabled our group to have a very special cohesion. Encouraged by twice weekly football sessions, joint hiking trips and lively birthday celebrations, our class has grown from ever closer unions since we all first met. It is this closeness – and our proximity to the beautiful Lac de Neuchâtel – which provides the fertile ground in order to keep our minds open: Also in Switzerland, the FIFA Master class keeps on discovering! Be it by visiting a Swiss Ice Hockey game or be it by diving into Swiss football. Our cohesion and our open minds both contribute to a unique spirit. A spirit beautifully demonstrated during one of the course’s highlights: A special football game in Zurich against a selection of FIFA employees, captained by President Gianni Infantino, Deputy Secretary General Zvonimir Boban and cheered on by Secretary General, Fatma Samoura. Our 4:3 victory fades into the background, as the memory of such an unforgettable experience at the Home of FIFA remains at the forefront of our minds.

In the remaining ten weeks, there are still a few highlights left. Field trips to the IOC, to the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and to the Maison du Sport International (MSI) all still await us. Also, self-organized activities such as the participation at the GP de Berne or the attendance at the Tour de Romandie in Neuchâtel will give us the opportunity to get in touch with other cities’ and sporting cultures. Indeed, it is about time to enjoy the ride!  Because the question after the real parachute slowly rises is: What are we all going to do after our FIFA Master journey ends?

Kathy Dufour and Silvan Haenni, Université de Neuchâtel module representatives.

 

FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked No.1 Course in Europe 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 by the SportBusiness International global rankings.

Organised by CIES in partnership with De Montfort University (United Kingdom), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).