Alan Lawson’s Post

Today I’ve been doing some reflections on why Paralympic athletics is struggling to gain any momentum. We’re stuck in a vicious cycle. To get financial support from meets and brands we need to be in high profile competitions in the main schedule. The issue is, mainstream agents refuse to take on Para athletes - I have first hand experience in several occasions. When we get an event at a World Tour / Diamond League we often don’t have the strongest line up - because the top Para athletes don’t have mainstream agents to get them in to the race. Because of this, we can’t grow. Low quality race = meet organisers not willing to support the following year. If we’re not in high profile races, Para athletes can’t get exposure. If we can’t get exposure, brands don’t want to support us. The cycle continues. Agents, competition organisers, media, brands, we all have to pull together and grow the sport collectively. If the chain breaks, it’s the athletes who suffer. For clarity, I’m sponsored by Puma and they’re great. This post isn’t for personal gain. I’m very passionate about the sport and I want to help drive it forward. We have to work together and not be selfish.

Toyota begins deliveries of vehicles to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, marking a milestone in more inclusive and sustainable mobility || TORONTO, Ontario (March 4, 2024) – Toyota, as the worldwide mobility partner of the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, has started making the first deliveries of vehicles to support the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, underscoring its commitment to making Paris 2024 an innovative showcase of inclusive and sustainable mobility. It starts by making sure that athletes, stakeholders, staff, volunteers, and spectators can all move around safely with a reduced environmental impact. READ MORE: https://loom.ly/u0zuIck

This Mock ad by Zed Anwar has been generating a lot of debate on Linkedin between the camp that loves and those that don't. On one hand you can point to how it does a brilliant job at representing Mercedes brand in a clear and simple way reflecting what Mercedes always champion ' the best or nothing'. Others say that it is just a cool image with no relevance or strategy behind it for Mercedes. Furthermore it is clearly edited as Simone doesn't actually do rhythmic gymnastics. But the takeaway we can all take is how we should all try to stay up to date on what is culturally relevant and happening in the news. We should try find ways to tie our brands and businesses into what is happening to help keep us relevant and at the top of our customers minds, But and this is a big but only when it makes sense for our business and aligns with our values. Where do you sit on it?

I couldn’t help but be inspired by Arisa Trew’s incredible performance at the Paris Olympics. At just 14, she won gold in skateboarding with an infectious joy! Arisa’s attitude is a powerful lesson for us all, especially those of us leading teams and running businesses. She approached her competition with a refreshing perspective—treating it as a chance to have fun with friends and push her limits, rather than succumbing to the pressure. As leaders, it's easy to get caught up in the grind and lose sight of the joy that brought us to this point. Just like Arisa, we need to embrace our passion for what we do and celebrate the journey, not just the milestones. Here are a few takeaways from Arisa’s gold medal moment that resonate with me: 💘 Stay Passionate: Approach your work with the same enthusiasm and love that Arisa shows for skateboarding. It’s infectious and drives results. 🙌 Embrace the Journey: Success is about more than just outcomes. Enjoy the process, learn from each challenge, and celebrate the small victories along the way. 🤸♀️ Keep It Fun: Find joy in your work and bring that positivity to your team. It creates a motivated and engaged workforce that’s excited to tackle any challenge. Let’s bring a bit of Arisa’s joy into our own work. After all, when we love what we do! #Leadership #Recruitment #BusinessSuccess #JoyInWork #Inspiration #WoodfordeGroup

🏃♂️Throwback to 2016: Me, the racetrack, and Darmstadt! Kept riding until "the big one" in 2018 when a major race crash that took me off the competitive track. 🚴♂️Now, I happily #cycle for leisure and fitness - not chasing medals but chasing horizon instead. Having aced in 🎾 tennis, 🏉 Rugby, and numerous cycling disciplines, I am well-versed in the power of #efficienttraining and #healthylifestyle. Plus, being a bit of a sports gear nerd, sustainable athletic apparel 👟🎽 and quality rest are my jam. BUT don't be fooled - I still bleed marketing! 💼 Passionate about revving up new or heritage brands, with a dash of sporting spirit! 🏆 Having been approached by some interesting players in the sports & fitness industry recently, I felt it was time to highlight this unique blend of skills and experience. 🎯 🖐️ #SportsMarketing #BrandDevelopment #CareerStory

"Sports not only build athletes, but they also shape character and inspire dreams. Happy National Sports Day!" #national_sports_day #india #fitness #lifestyle #sportslover #sportstraining #athlete #sportsblog #sportsvideos #athletes #TheERPHUb #sportsperformance #sportslife #outdoorsgames #baroda #sportforlife #SterSoftSolutions #erp_solutions_in_india

Delighted to have collaborated with Zoë Stainton on our latest article about the empowering partnership between Charlotte Tilbury and the F1 Academy, championing female drivers and transforming sponsorship norms in motorsports! Check it out for the full story. #WomenInSports #DiversityAndInclusion #Empowerment"

Hidden Hurdles: Understanding the Financial Challenges of Paralympic Athletes https://buff.ly/3KvCWpB #sfla #sports #financialchallenges #paralympic #athletes

The New Wave: Inspiring Tales of Young Sports Phenoms In the current sports landscape, a wave of talented young athletes is making headlines and reshaping the norms of their respective disciplines. These rising stars go beyond just playing—they're catalysts for change, revolutionising the world of sports. Whether it's on the track, or field, in the ring, or on the pitch, these individuals embody excellence, serving as sources of inspiration on a global scale. Let's delve into their extraordinary journeys, celebrating their accomplishments, unwavering determination, and envisioning a dynamic future for sports worldwide. #sports #tycoonworld https://lnkd.in/g2idDkkd

𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 🏅 Join us on Monday, June 17, for an insightful discussion on classification and performance in Paralympic sports, hosted in collaboration with Paralympic Science Support NL. 🤝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 💯 Emma Beckman: 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝 – 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭? Evidence-based classification in sports is crucial but complex to implement globally. This talk highlights balancing best practices with evidence-based methods. 💭 David Mann 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 New evidence-based classification systems for Para sports are emerging. But how should they be implemented in practice? 🏉 Thomas Rietveld: 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 Wheelchair rugby uses a point system for different impairments. This session examines the fairness of giving female players an extra 0.5-point by analyzing their strength and sprint performance.   🎾 Rienk van der Slikke: 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 - 𝐔𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐤 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲. Rienk examines the effect of upper body strength on wheelchair mobility in elite tennis athletes by assessing the trunk function of 55 players. 🚲 Ingrid Kouwijzer: 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚-𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 Para-cycling includes cycling, tricycling, and handcycling. Ingrid discusses classification guidelines with practical handcycling examples. 👉 For more information: https://lnkd.in/eP-ucyzW 👉 Reserve yourself a seat here: https://lnkd.in/eGDKSNmh Thomas Janssen Eline Blaauw Vera Dekkers Jasmijn F.M. Holla Sonja de Groot