Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed colleagues, dear friends,
It is a great honor to welcome you all to Helsinki and to this gathering of the international network of ASPC training centers. Today we stand together not only as representatives of our own institutions, but as members of a global community that shares the same mission: to serve athletes and coaches, to strengthen their journeys, and to advance the values of sport.
Our network has a vital role in shaping the future of highperformance sport. Each center carries its own unique expertise, facilities, and culture, but it is when we connect, collaborate, and share knowledge that we truly unleash our potential. Together, we are more than the sum of our parts. Together, we can help athletes and coaches reach levels that would be impossible in isolation.
In the coming years, the road to the Olympic Games in Milano- Cortina 2026 and Los Angeles 2028 will challenge us all. National teams, federations, and individual athletes look to us for guidance, for support, and for innovation. Our responsibility is to create the conditions where dreams can be realized – where preparation is world-class, where coaching is cutting-edge, and where collaboration transcends borders and disciplines.
But our mission extends far beyond medals. Sport is also about values, about people, and about the legacy we leave. This network has the strength to tackle the big questions facing sport today:
• Responsibility and integrity: Let’ s ensuring that sport vremains a safe environment, protecting athletes’ rights and well-being.
• Dual careers: Let’ s supporting athletes not only in competition, but also in education, work, and life beyond sport.
• Digitalization; Let’ s leading the transformation of our industry by taking advantage of modern technology and data.
• Sustainability: Let’ s making our operations environmentally responsible and future-proof.
• Coaching excellence: Let’ s developing coaches as leaders, educators, and innovators.
• Leadership in sport: Let’ s building governance and management practices that are transparent, modern, and inclusive.
These are not small ambitions. Yet our network has already shown that when centers cooperate, when colleagues share their knowledge generously, and when we align our efforts with the needs of athletes and federations, we can achieve remarkable things. Let us use this forum to deepen our relationships, to explore new forms of collaboration, and to inspire one another. Let us look honestly at the challenges ahead, but also confidently at the opportunities we hold in our hands.
The future of sport will not be written by any one center or nation alone. It will be written by the collective strength of communities like this – committed, visionary, and united by purpose.
I invite you all to take full part in the discussions, to bring your ideas to the table, and to leave this gathering with renewed energy and shared determination. Together, we will continue to serve athletes and coaches in the best possible way, and together, we will shape a better future for sport.
Welcome to Helsinki this ASPC Forum!
Tapio Korjus
President