Sport for Life Brings Expertise to Bahrain’s IPLC 2024
In November 2024, Sport for Life was invited to Bahrain to lead the International Physical Literacy Conference (IPLC) and deliver impactful presentations tailored to the region’s sports systems and development needs. This initiative reflects Sport for Life’s ongoing commitment to improving the quality of sport and physical activity on a global scale.
Transforming Competition Structures
Our team, led by Richard Way and Tom Jones, delivered sessions on Meaningful Competition and Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity (LTD), sharing actionable strategies for creating athlete-centered competition systems. These sessions underscored the importance of aligning competition structures with LTD principles to ensure safe, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate environments for athletes at all stages. Specific focus areas included addressing issues like overemphasis on early specialization and fostering equity and accessibility in competition design.
Knowledge Sharing and Strategic Frameworks
Sport for Life’s expertise in physical literacy and athlete development was at the forefront of the conference. Our presentations integrated Canadian best practices and global insights, adapted to the unique needs of Bahrain’s sports ecosystem. Key highlights included:
- Implementing LTAD-aligned competition pathways for athletes from grassroots to elite levels.
- Advocating for cultural shifts towards development-focused and inclusive sport systems.
- Leveraging Sport for Life’s renowned Physical Literacy and LTAD frameworks to improve athlete retention and development.
Collaborative Impact
By fostering dialogue among key stakeholders in Bahrain, including the Bahrain Olympic Committee and National Sports Federations, Sport for Life emphasized the importance of system alignment and stakeholder collaboration. Our sessions also featured interactive activities, such as stakeholder role-playing and designing ‘meaningful competition’ formats, equipping participants with practical tools to enact change in their organizations.
Moving Forward
The conference served as a catalyst for advancing physical literacy and competition structures in Bahrain. As a global leader in quality sport initiatives, Sport for Life continues to support countries in enhancing their sports systems, ensuring that physical activity is accessible, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate for all.
Through initiatives like IPLC, we aim to inspire systemic changes that resonate far beyond the conference, driving lasting improvements in the quality of sport globally.
