Play the Game

Play the Game is a Denmark-based international initiative focused on improving the ethical and democratic foundations of sport. It operates under the auspices of the Danish Institute for Sports Studies and is best known for its recurring international conferences, investigative and analytical work, professional networks, and advocacy concerning governance and integrity in sport. The initiative addresses subjects including corruption, doping, match-fixing, conflicts of interest, athlete rights, sports journalism, institutional accountability and freedom of expression. The project began in 1997, when the Danish Gymnastics and Sports Associations marked the centenary of its sports-policy magazine Ungdom & Idræt by organizing an international seminar titled “Sport, Media and Civil Society.” The event brought together journalists, athletes, administrators and other observers of sport. Its legacy included the Sports Intelligence Unit, an international network that operated until 2004. Play the Game was then established as an independent institution with support from Denmark’s major domestic sports organizations and the Danish Ministry of Culture. Its creation coincided with growing public awareness of doping and corruption in professional sport, particularly cycling. Rather than functioning as a conventional commercial sports brand, Play the Game acts as a convening and knowledge-sharing platform. Its conferences provide space for open debate among researchers, journalists, athletes, administrators, civil-society groups and policymakers. The events have been held in Denmark and other countries, including Iceland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States. Conferences have generally featured more than 100 speakers and have examined the structure and governance of international sports bodies as well as wider questions of participation and sporting culture. Play the Game also participates in international policy discussions. It has been represented in the European Union’s Expert Group on Good Governance in Sport and in the Council of Europe’s Consultative Committee of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport. It has provided testimony or expert input to bodies including the German Parliament, the European Parliament and the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport. The organization also contributes lectures and seminars for universities, anti-corruption forums, sports-management associations and sports organizations around the world. Since 2012, Play the Game has coordinated Action for Good Governance in International Sports Organisations, or AGGIS, with a consortium of European universities and specialist institutions. The project extends the initiative’s work from public discussion toward research and practical recommendations on governance standards. The Play the Game Award, established in 2002, recognizes individuals or groups demonstrating personal courage and sustained commitment to improving the sporting community. Recipients have included investigative journalists, anti-doping advocates, whistleblowers, researchers and community-based sports organizations. The award reinforces the initiative’s emphasis on independent scrutiny and ethical leadership. In January 2011, Play the Game merged with the Danish Institute for Sports Studies, an independent institution established by Denmark’s Ministry of Culture. The initiative remains headquartered in Aarhus and is supported through annual grants from the Danish Ministry of Culture via the institute. As of 2025, Stanis Elsborg heads Play the Game, while Søren Ørgaard directs the Danish Institute for Sports Studies.

Play the Game originated in Denmark in 1997 as an international media and sports-policy seminar. The event, organized by the Danish Gymnastics and Sports Associations to mark the centenary of its magazine Ungdom & Idræt, was titled “Sport, Media and Civil Society.” It brought together people concerned with the relationship between sport, journalism and civil society at a time when professional sport was facing increasing scrutiny over doping, corruption and institutional secrecy. The seminar led to the creation of the Sports Intelligence Unit, a cross-border network of journalists, athletes and sports administrators. The network served as an early foundation for international discussion of sports governance, but it was dissolved in 2004. In the same period, Play the Game developed into an independent institution supported by Denmark’s principal domestic sports organizations and the Ministry of Culture. Its remit centered on strengthening sport’s ethical basis and encouraging more transparent, democratic and open decision-making. Play the Game’s principal public activity has been its international conference. Beginning with the 1997 seminar, the event has subsequently been organized in Copenhagen, Reykjavík, Coventry, Cologne, Aarhus, Eindhoven, Colorado Springs and Odense. The conferences bring together investigative journalists, academics, athletes, sports officials, anti-doping specialists, policymakers and civil-society representatives. Their subject matter has included corruption, doping, match-fixing, sports management, athlete participation, media independence and the accountability of international federations. The format emphasizes unrestricted discussion rather than formal promotion of a particular governing body or commercial interest. The initiative has also built an international profile through expert testimony, lectures and partnerships. It has participated in European policy groups on good governance in sport and in Council of Europe sports structures. It has been invited to address the German Parliament, the European Parliament and the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport. Its educational activities have included seminars and lectures in Europe, Latin America, Asia and other regions, including events connected with universities, sports-management bodies and anti-corruption conferences. In 2002, Play the Game introduced an award honoring people or organizations that show unusual courage and commitment to improving sport. The award has recognized investigative reporting, anti-doping work, whistleblowing and community sports initiatives. Notable recipients have included Laura Robinson, Mario Goijman, Alessandro Donati, Declan Hill, Andrew Jennings, Jens Weinreich, Richard W. Pound, Bob Munro, Mathare Youth Sports Association, Yulia and Vitaly Stepanov, Hajo Seppelt and Nancy Hogshead-Makar. A major institutional change occurred in January 2011, when Play the Game merged with the Danish Institute for Sports Studies. The institute had been created as an independent body under Denmark’s Ministry of Culture. The merger gave Play the Game an institutional home while preserving its international focus on integrity and governance. The initiative receives annual grants from the ministry through the institute and is headquartered in Aarhus. From 2012, Play the Game coordinated Action for Good Governance in International Sports Organisations, known as AGGIS. The project involved Loughborough University, Utrecht University, the University of Leuven, German Sport University Cologne, IDHEAP Lausanne, the University of Ljubljana and the European Journalism Centre in Maastricht. AGGIS reflected a shift toward combining public advocacy with structured research and practical governance recommendations. Play the Game’s later conference history includes events in Colorado Springs in 2019 and Odense in 2022. As of 2025, Stanis Elsborg is identified as head of Play the Game, and Søren Ørgaard is director of the Danish Institute for Sports Studies. The initiative continues to operate as a non-commercial international platform focused on the ethical, democratic and transparent administration of sport.

• 2022

  Conference held in Odense

  [1]Play the Game (NGO), Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  Odense hosted a subsequent Play the Game international conference.

• 2019

  Conference held in Colorado Springs

  [1]Play the Game (NGO), Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  The international conference was held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, continuing the organization’s global conference series.

• 2012

  AGGIS coordination begins

  [1]Play the Game (NGO), Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  Play the Game became coordinator of Action for Good Governance in International Sports Organisations, a multinational academic and policy collaboration.

• 2011

  Merger with the Danish Institute for Sports Studies

  [1]Play the Game (NGO), Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  Play the Game merged with the Danish Institute for Sports Studies, an independent institution established under Denmark’s Ministry of Culture.

• 2004

  Sports Intelligence Unit dissolved

  [1]Play the Game (NGO), Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  The original international network of journalists, athletes and sports administrators was dissolved as Play the Game operated as an independent institution.

• 2002

  Play the Game Award established

  [1]Play the Game (NGO), Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  The initiative began recognizing individuals and organizations demonstrating courage and commitment to improving the sports community.

• 1997

  Founding seminar on sport, media and civil society

  [1]Play the Game (NGO), Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  The Danish Gymnastics and Sports Associations organized the international seminar that gave rise to Play the Game and its early Sports Intelligence Unit network.

An independent-minded watchdog, conference organizer and knowledge platform for ethical, transparent and democratic sport.

• Conference and public debate platform · 1997

  Play the Game international conference

  A recurring international conference bringing together journalists, researchers, athletes, sports administrators, policymakers and civil-society participants. Sessions address ethical and governance challenges in sport, including corruption, doping, match-fixing, transparency, sports journalism and participation. The conference is designed to encourage open and critical discussion rather than closed institutional communication.

• Integrity award · 2002

  Play the Game Award

  An award recognizing a person or organization for notable courage and commitment to creating a better sports community. Since its introduction in 2002, it has highlighted investigative journalists, anti-doping advocates, whistleblowers and community sports organizations whose work supports accountability and ethical conduct.

• Governance research and policy initiative · 2012

  Action for Good Governance in International Sports Organisations

  Known as AGGIS, this initiative combines Play the Game’s advocacy work with research and policy expertise from universities and specialist institutions in Europe. Its purpose is to advance practical approaches to good governance in international sports organizations.

• 2012Action for Good Governance in International Sports Organisations

  Europe · International sports organizations

  Play the Game coordinated AGGIS in cooperation with universities and sports-governance institutions from several European countries. The initiative focused on improving governance standards and accountability in international sport.

  Outcome. It established a collaborative research and policy framework linking sports-governance experts, academic institutions and public debate.

  Source

• 2011

  Merger with the Danish Institute for Sports StudiesM&A

  Background

  Play the Game had developed as an independent initiative devoted to sports ethics, transparency and democratic debate.

  Action taken

  In January 2011, it merged with the Danish Institute for Sports Studies, an independent institution established by Denmark’s Ministry of Culture.

  Aftermath

  The merger provided an institutional base for Play the Game and linked its international activities to a Danish sports-research organization supported by government grants.

  Source

1. 1Play the Game (NGO), Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Play the Game official websiteplaythegame.org