Bouma represents European Aquatics at high-level SIGA Europe debates on the future of sport

Andida Bouma, Treasurer of European Aquatics, recently took part in a high-level gathering of sports leaders, policymakers and governance experts at the SIGA Europe Cycle of Debates on the Future of Sport in Europe, held in Lisbon on 14 April.

The event was hosted by PwC Portugal at the Palacio Sotto Mayor, and brought together key stakeholders from a cross-section of the European sporting industry to examine the governance, regulatory and economic challenges shaping the future of sport. SIGA Europe positioned the event as a platform to strengthen collaboration and advance integrity, transparency and accountability across the sector.

Bouma was one of four panelists in the first of what were four debating sessions, which was titled: “The European Sports Model: Governance, Competition and Economic Sustainability in an Era of Global Disruption.” The discussion addressed increasing pressures on traditional sporting structures, including the impact of shifting investment models, evolving media landscapes and both the new and ongoing tensions around competition formats and regulation.

Speaking alongside some of the highest level figures in sport on the continent, Bouma contributed the perspective of aquatics on the European Sports Model, reinforcing the importance of both public and private sector investing in the sporting structure, to ensure sporting access for all within an increasingly complex and changing scene. The session explored how governing bodies can respond to external disruption without compromising core values such as sporting merit, transparency, and inclusion.

The SIGA Europe Cycle of Debates forms part of a broader governance framework aimed at safeguarding sport from unethical practices and strengthening institutional standards. With sessions also addressing criminal infiltration, technological risks and the role of global brands, the event highlighted the challenges facing modern sport and the need for coordinated, cross-sector solutions.

European Aquatics’ presence at the forum underlines its ongoing commitment to contributing to the wider governance conversation in international sport.

Stephen Stanley for European Aquatics

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