Honourable Minister Poutala, delegates of the Ministry of Education and Culture, dear organisers of this seminar, international guests, advocates of sport and society – and above all, all of you who have come here to Tampere to engage in a vital discussion about fair play.
It is a great honour for me to warmly welcome you to Play the Game seminar here in Tampere, the most active Finnish city in worldwide sport events.
First, let me extend my sincere gratitude to the Ministry and its dedicated staff. ThankS to YOUR support and commitment, this event has gained national significance and appeal. Thank you for recognising the ethical questions of sport and fair play, and for making the promotion of integrity in sport part of broader societal development.
We in Tampere are proud to host this conference. This is no coincidence: Tampere has a long tradition of organising sporting events, but above all, Tampere aims to build long-term quality, responsibility, and openness around sport.
Sport is more than competition or top performance – it is about community, education, identity, and human values. But in order for sport to truly fulfil these roles, it needs clear ethical rules of fair play – and the commitment to uphold them.
From the city’s perspective, engaging in the ethical debate around sport is not symbolic. It means concrete actions:
We must support initiatives that strengthen transparency, accountability, and trust in sport. We must ensure that local clubs, event organisers, and sports bodies have the tools to manage risks: doping, match-fixing, AI, bribery, conflicts of interest – challenges that cannot be ignored. We must be ready to set ethical requirements in all contexts where the city is involved or provides funding for sport.
We must listen to voices on the field that may not have been heard enough – athletes, whistleblowers and grassroots organisations – and provide channels and protection for those who speak out against malpractice. In this work, we cannot and should not act alone. We need cooperation with the Ministry, with national organisations, with research institutes, with international actors, and with the media.
At this seminar, we have the opportunity to learn best practices, to face difficult experiences, but also to create shared visions of how democracy, responsibility, and integrity can be the true foundation of sport.
Dear participants, you come here from across the world – as professionals, researchers, insiders and outsiders of sport – and all of you play a crucial role in the mission of fair play. I hope that during these four days you will generate inspiring ideas, courageous perspectives, and concrete practices that will live on – in Tampere, in Finland, and internationally.
I believe Tampere can be, NOT ONLY a stage for events, but also an active contributor to the ethical development of sport. That AS a city, we can help foster a culture where respect, transparency, and fairness walk hand in hand with sport.
On behalf of the City of Tampere, i wish you all a rewarding seminar. And once again, a warm welcome to Tampere. Thank you.