The International Advisory Board (IAB) was established in 2009 to advise and support the work of WAoS.
The IAB consists of influential persons coming from international sport and education. The work undertaken with WAoS makes a significant contribution in the form of expert advice, knowledge and direction.
The IAB is chaired by Mr François Carrard, former Director General of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and is made up of various leaders from the international sport, education, government and industry sectors and is representative of the WAoS partners including athlete representation. Such support continues to underline the international importance of activities undertaken by WAoS and the importance with which our sporting and educational partners place on the needs for tailored industry education.
The key objectives of the Board are:
Name | Title |
Senior Partner Carrard & Associés, Chair World Academy of Sport | |
![]() | |
Sir Philip Craven | President, International Paralympic Committee |
![]() Sir Philip represented Great Britain in wheelchair basketball at five Paralympic Games, from 1972 to 1988. He also competed in track and field athletics and swimming at the 1972 Games. In 1988, Sir Philip was elected Chairperson of the Wheelchair Basketball Section of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF), the first athlete to lead the sport worldwide. Sir Phillip’s striving for self-determination and self-government paved the way for the establishment of wheelchair basketball as an independent federation, when it gave up its previous identification as a basketball section of the ISMGF to become the independent, self-governing International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) in 1993. Honours and Awards: Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by HM Queen Elizabeth II for services to Wheelchair Basketball in 1991; induction into the Stoke Mandeville Hall of Fame in 2003; Knight Bachelor by HM Queen Elizabeth II for services to Paralympic Sport in 2005. | |
Member, International Olympic Committee (IOC) | |
![]() | |
President, International Skiing Federation (FIS) | |
![]() | |
Director IB Africa/Europe/Middle East | |
![]() | |
Principal, Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) | |
![]() | |
Chief Executive Officer, International Cricket Council | |
![]() | |
Mike Miller | Chief Executive Officer, World Olympians Association |
![]() He has worked in newspapers, radio, television and the electronic media, becoming the Head of Sport at Channel 4 UK and then the Controller of Television Sport at the BBC. At both organisations he was responsible for all sports editorial output and for all sports rights negotiations. He was also a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Sports Group Executive Bureau. Mike's experience outside sport includes three years as Channel 4's Commissioning Editor for the Big Breakfast (their morning general entertainment and news programme) and three years as Channel 4's Commissioning Editor for the Internet. Mike is the former Secretary General of the IRB | |
Paralympic Gold Medallist and Public Health Specialist, IPC | |
![]() | |
President, International Netball Federation (INF) | |
![]() | |
Chris Solly | Director, World Academy of Sport |
![]() In 1999 Chris was instrumental in the conception and creation of Olympic Games Knowledge Services (OGKS), a joint venture with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Chris was a member of this company board until late 2004 when the IOC acquired the joint venture company shareholding which he represented. Prior to this Chris was the inaugural Chief Executive of the Australian Ski Institute as the forerunner to the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, an internationally recognised high performance centre of athletic excellence. In addition, he has represented Australia at five Winter Universiades, on four occasions holding the position of Chief de Mission. He has also held prominent roles in the University sporting world on the board of directors of Australian University Sport for a number of years during his academic career. Based in Switzerland, Chris holds a BSc (Hons) and is regularly working with many of the International Sporting Federations on their athlete and executive education programmes. He was an executive committee member of the 2004 and 2008 Australian Prime Minister's Olympic Dinner Committee. | |
Florian Wanninger | Director of the International Basketball Foundation |
![]() Florian joined FIBA in 1990 to head their communication policy and his latest projects with FIBA included the re-launch of fiba.com and the launch of a new FIBA brand. In May 2011 he was appointed Director of the International Basketball Foundation. Florian’s main project is currently the construction of the ‘House of Basketball’, FIBA’s new headquarters in Mies, Switzerland. | |
Dean Gosper | Chairman, Ski and Snowboard Australia |
![]() Dean has previously served as member of the FIS Snowboard and FIS Legal & Safety Committees and has chaired the Organising Committee for a number of Freestyle Aerials World Cups at Mt Buller, Australia. He is a self-employed investor, educated and trained as a Lawyer and holds a second degree, Bachelor of Economics. Dean has spent considerable amounts of time living and travelling in North America and Europe. His commercial experience includes over 11 years in corporate banking with a leading International investment bank providing corporate and financial advice to major corporations. He has also partnered in the establishment of a substantial manufacturing business which today remains a high profile fresh food brand. | |
Head of Technical Services, World Rugby | |
![]() | |
Secretary General, World Archery | |
![]() | |
Chief Operating Officer (COO), International Tennis Federation | |
![]() | |
President, Badminton World Federation | |
![]() | |
Vice President, United World Wrestling | |
![]() |