The Convention is due to take place from May 26 until 31, with more than 2,000 leading figures from international sport attending.

As part of the new partnership, PwC will be performing an economic impact study of the event as well as contributing content ideas and dissemination of key learnings taken from the various meetings and conference sessions.

The partnership is designed to demonstrate PwC's commitment to the global sports industry at a time when it is playing an integral role in the delivery of major events in Russia, including the Kazan 2013 Universiade and Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

"SportAccord Convention is the leading international sports industry event in the world, gathering together a who's who from the sports movement and I have been impressed with the quality and content of the event over the years," said the PwC Global Sports Mega-Events Centre of Excellence director Bob Gruman.

"In visiting Russia, where PwC is extensively involved in delivering mega-events, it is the perfect platform for us to profile our credentials and the newly formed Global Sports Mega-Events Centre of Excellence.

"The SportAccord Convention mission is to drive positive change internationally by bringing together the different stakeholders in world sport.

"This is in perfect alignment with PwC as we are committed to serving the global sports industry and creating positive change.

"We're looking forward to welcoming the world of sport to St Petersburg in May."


PwC's Sports Mega-Events Centre of Excellence pulls together industry specialists from across its global network and SportAccord Convention managing director Nis Hatt has welcomed the new deal.

"With SportAccord Convention taking place in Russia, host of many mega-events over the next six years, we are very excited to partner with a company that has such a significant footprint in Russia and which is so integral to the delivery of many of these events," he said.

"The PwC Global Sports Mega-Events Centre of Excellence provides us with access to an incredibly broad range of global experts and expertise, which is best demonstrated by their considerable work for the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee.

"It is a pleasure to welcome Bob Gruman and his team and we look forward to working alongside them."

PwC has participated in SportAccord Convention before, most recently in Québec City last year where Gruman signed a cooperation agreement with the Lev Belousov, the head of the Russian International Olympic University (RIOU).

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