The 2026 International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE) Executive Board Meeting was recently held at Beijing Sport University (BSU). Bringing together ICCE Executive Board members, experts and scholars from more than 10 countries and regions, the meeting featured in-depth discussions on upgrading global coaching education systems, developing professional standards and cultivating elite sports talent. It fostered international consensus on sports coaching and laid a stronger foundation for cross-border collaboration.
Opening Ceremony
Wang Xinzhai, deputy director of the Department of Science and Education of the General Administration of Sport of China; Fan Zhanbei, Party secretary of BSU; ICCE President Lorraine Lafrenière; ICCE Secretary-General Ladislav Petrovic; and Wang Ronghui, Vice President of BSU, attended the opening ceremony.
In his speech, Wang Xinzhai highlighted the central role of coaches in the development of competitive sports. He noted that, as an ICCE Category A member, China will continue to actively participate in the council’s core activities, share its experience in coach development and sports talent cultivation, draw on advanced international approaches, and deepen practical cooperation in sports to support the coordinated development of coaching education worldwide.
Fan Zhanbei reviewed the more than two decades of cooperation between BSU and ICCE since the university joined the council in 2005. He noted that the signing of a memorandum of understanding last year marked a new stage of institutionalized and regular cooperation in coach education and training, talent development and academic research. He added that the Coaching Academy of the General Administration of Sport of China has trained approximately 100,000 coaches and is transforming into a national platform integrating education and training, academic research, standards development, technological empowerment and international cooperation.
Lorraine Lafrenière highlighted BSU’s strong foundation in coach education, sports talent development and international exchange. She said the meeting provided an important platform for deepening collaboration and advancing global coaching development, and expressed her hope that it would serve as a new starting point for international cooperation in coaching education, research and practice.
Academic Presentations
The meeting featured a series of high-level academic presentations, offering BSU faculty and students valuable insights into global coaching trends and international training systems. Sergio Lara-Bercial, Jon Grydeland and Frédéric Sadys shared developments in global coach development and introduced coaching systems in countries including Norway and France. Chris Clements and Wiebke Fabinski discussed coach support mechanisms in the US Olympic and Paralympic systems and Germany’s standardized coaching education system, respectively.
Sergio Lara-Bercial, Professor of Sport Coaching and Youth Sport at Leeds Beckett University and Vice President of ICCE, delivered a lecture titled "Global Trends in Coach Development and the Evolution of the Role of Coach Developers".
Jon Grydeland, Senior Advisor for Coach Development at the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports, and ICCE Executive Committee member, delivered a lecture titled "Norway's Coach Development and Olympic Coaching Practices: Lessons and Insights".
Frédéric Sadys, Head of High-Level Coach Education at the French National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (INSEP) and ICCE Executive Committee member, delivered a lecture titled "High-Level Coach Development in France: The Mission of INSEP's High-Level Sports Projects and Continuous Professional Development".
Chris Clements, Director of Coach Affairs at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and ICCE Executive Committee member, delivered a lecture titled "Coach Support in High-Level Sports: Practices of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee".
Wiebke Fabinski, Head of Coach Education and Licensing at the German Olympic Sports Confederation, delivered a lecture titled "The German Coach Education System".
Workshops
During the thematic research workshops, experts and scholars from China and abroad engaged in focused discussions on coaching science and professional standards. Hu Bin, Director of the Institute of Development Studies at the Coaching Academy of the General Administration of Sport of China, shared research findings and developments in coaching science and coach education in China. Christine Nash, Chair of the ICCE Research Committee, provided guidance on conference abstract writing, review standards and peer-review mechanisms. Andy Rogers introduced the preparations and key arrangements for the 2027 Global Coach Conference, contributing to the professionalization and standardization of coaching research in China and internationally.
Hu Bin, Dean of the Development Research Institute of the National Coaches Academy, shared a presentation titled "Coaching Research and Coach Education in China".
Christine Nash, Chair of the ICCE Research Committee, conducted professional guidance on writing and reviewing meeting papers.
Andy Rogers, ICCE Sports Development Manager (Coaching), introduced the preparation arrangements for the 2027 Global Coaches Conference.
Launch of a Chinese Edition of the ICCE Guide
During the meeting, the Chinese edition of the International Coach Developer Frame Work was officially released. The guide establishes a valuable connection between international standards for coach development and the development of China’s coaching sector, providing an authoritative international reference for the professionalization, standardization and institutionalization of coach development in China.
The successful meeting marked an important step by BSU and the Coaching Academy of the General Administration of Sport of China toward engaging in global sports governance and supporting China’s national strategy of building a leading sports nation. Looking ahead, BSU will continue to deepen international cooperation in coaching science, integrate high-quality global sports education resources, and advance coach development, academic research and standards building to contribute to the high-quality development of coaching worldwide.
