The old Elsinore Theater in Aarhus provided an ambient setting when two FIFA presidential candidates presented their vision for the football body in a broader panel discussing the future of FIFA in front of Play the Game 2015 delegates.

More than a decade after the establishment of WADA and World Anti-Doping Code, the biggest challenge in the fight against doping is no longer the lack of rules and formal political support, but countries and sports that do not effectively comply. The challenge must be addressed step-by-step, a debate on doping concluded.

The growing recognition of governance failures and corruption within organisations that govern international sports fuelled a sharp debate during the first plenary session at the main conference venue of Play the Game 2015, with many calling for the International Olympic Committee to take more responsibility for improvement.

Baku 2015, the first-ever European Games, represented a deliberate attempt to re-invent Azerbaijan’s public image. But did the plan backfire?

Created in 1999, the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) has made great strides in unifying the fight against drugs in sports. A revised code, which took effect at the start of 2015, doubles the sanctions for first offences but allows for more lenient punishments in special cases. Will WADA’s revamped code make a difference, or does sport’s primary anti-doping organisation need more radical reform?

Watch author of the Sports Governance Observer 2015 report, Arnout Geeraert, speak about what international sports organisations can do to improve their governance standards.

The second half of the opening session of Play the Game 2015 focused on FIFA reform and the ongoing criminal enquiry into corruption at the organisation.

More than 350 delegates are participating in the ninth Play the Game conference, taking place in Aarhus, Denmark. The conference opened with calls for more reforms and stronger dialogue in international sport.