Key staff members leaving Play the Game

In the course of a few months, Play the Game will see three of our highly valued staffers clear their desks and explore new horizons in their work life.

In late May, our communications officer, Stine Alvad, left after managing our news service and website for more than 11 years. A few weeks ago, the editor of the Danish Institute for Sports Studies since 2005, Søren Bang, announced that he will leave his position by 31 August. And most recently, our international policy advisor since 2017, Christina Friis Johansen, has decided to seek new pathways in her career, too, with full effect after the Play the Game 2019 conference in October.

“Although we part ways in friendship and full mutual understanding, it is of course a blow to a small organisation to lose such a huge amount of experience and competences within a short time interval – not to mention the loss of their inspiring and trustful company,” says Jens Sejer Andersen, Play the Game’s international director, who expresses his deep gratitude to all three for their engagement over the years.

The overall strategy of the Danish Institute for Sports Studies/Play the Game – including the communication – is facing a long-planned review over the next few months.

In order to minimize the short-term impact of the departures, a contingency plan for the rest of the year is under construction.

Until then, our communications is managed by communications officer Katja Høiriis, and by a very positive recruitment to our team, Stanis Elsborg. Stanis holds a Master of Science in Humanities and Social Sport Sciences from the University of Copenhagen specialising in the field of sports, politics and national identity. He has lectured for a number of years as a high school teacher and guest lecturer at the University of Copenhagen. He is also the founder of www.idraetshistorie.dk  – a Danish website with articles and podcasts about sport.