ISPO, the leading global trade fair for the sport, winter and outdoor industries, announce that Olympic Legend Allyson Felix will join the speaker line up at the ISPO Leaders Summit on Tuesday 3rd November. This comes as part of a €3-million commitment to the development of ISPO, with €1 million specifically invested into a world-class content program with renowned experts and industry figures.
The ISPO Leaders Summit is a high level forum preceding the main expo, designed to deliver strategic insight and peer exchange to an audience of senior executives, policymakers and industry leaders from across the global sport, outdoor and winter ecosystem.
Allyson, the most decorated track and field athlete in history, with a record 20 World Championship medals and 11 Olympic Games medals, will discuss her career, the development of her female-specific footwear brand Saysh, athlete agency Always Alpha, and the stories and motivations behind each. The conversation will also include insight on her retirement and subsequent return to elite competition, as part of an aim to qualify for the 2028 Olympics in her hometown of LA.
Allyson will join Jimmy Chin (Filmmaker and Mountaineer), Celine Del Genes (Decathlon, Global Game Changers), Hap Klopp (Founder, The North Face), Professor Laura McAllister (Vice President of UEFA), Andy Rubin (Deputy Chair, Pentland Group), and Pia Heidenmark Cook (Former Group Chief Sustainability Officer Ingka/IKEA).
For 2026, ISPO relocates to the RAI Amsterdam from Munich, following the acquisition of the brand by Raccoon Media Group. This co-location means ISPO joins sister show the International Running Expo (IRX) this November, and Allyson will also speak at the B2B running show on the topic of women-centric product design.
“Allyson represents the visionary leadership we want to spotlight at the ISPO 2026 Leaders Summit, with her impact extending far beyond athletic achievement. Allyson is a powerful voice for female sports, as well as innovation and advocacy, alongside her unparalleled sporting CV. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the Summit as we bring together the future of the global sports industry” said Mike Seaman, Group CEO at Raccoon Media Group.
Felix says about joining the ISPO speaker line-up “I’m excited to share my knowledge and insights as an athlete and entrepreneur and to hear from others in the space, while making some invaluable industry connections through both ISPO and IRX.”
German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier died in a serious mountain accident on Laila Peak in the Karakoram Mountains at an altitude of around 5,700 meters (Pakistan) on 28 July 2025. The 31-year-old devoted herself to alpine mountaineering after the end of her biathlon career. On her last tour, she was hit by a falling rock and succumbed to her serious injuries.
We are deeply saddened. The sports world has lost not only a true champion in Laura Dahlmeier, but also a kind and inspiring human being.
Dahlmeier was on an adventurous expedition with her rope partner and had already successfully climbed the Great Trango Tower (6287 m) on July 8, 2025. Laila Peak, a challenging and difficult-to-access pyramid, was to be the expedition's second goal. However, while abseiling down the steep descent, Dahlmeier was hit by a falling rock. Her rope partner immediately made an emergency call and tried in vain to reach her. However, due to the dangerous conditions with further falling rocks, she was unable to get any closer to the injured Dahlmeier.
Rescue was initially not possible due to the extreme weather conditions and the high risk of further rockfall. The rescue helicopter did not reach the scene of the accident until the morning of July 29. No signs of life were found during a flyover. The rescue operation was then temporarily suspended. On the evening of July 29, the rescue operation had to be finally called off due to darkness. Dahlmeier's rope partner remained unharmed and was accompanied back to base camp by other climbers.
Laura Dahlmeier's family announced in a statement that it had been their wish that no one would risk their lives to rescue her in the event of an accident. This wish has been respected and Dahlmeier's body is to remain at Laila Peak.
Laura Dahlmeier was a true gift to sport and to life. She did something no woman had done before at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, and that is gold in both the Sprint and Pursuit biathlon. IOC President, Kirsty Coventry said, “Laura made history at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics as the first female biathlete to win sprint and pursuit gold at the same Games edition. She will be remembered forever. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very difficult time.” She showed her skills on the world stage with elegance and grace.
What made Laura special was not just her medals, but her quiet strength. She stood on the podium with humility. She never bragged. She simply let her hard work speak. She was a star who stayed grounded, and reached heights not many could even think of. Her presence inspired thousands to believe in themselves and chase their own dreams.
In 2019, a year after her heroics at the Olympics, Laura surprised everyone by announcing her retirement at just 25. She had won it all. Yet she stepped away. Why? She wanted more from life than medals. On Instagram, her team wrote, “It’s worth standing up for your dreams … and always staying true to yourself.” She chose a life full of purposes.
Laura became a mountain guide. She spoke at events. She helped young people find direction. She did good things quietly. For her, real joy was in real connections, not in temporary fame or social media attention. She didn’t follow a script, she rather made and followed her own path to success.
I am looking for a certain challenge in life. Just going on a beach vacation would be too boring for me. Of course, the risk is higher on the mountain. But it gives me a lot of strength.
Nature was Laura’s first love, even before biathlon. She loved peaceful moments in the mountains, as she felt free there. Sadly, she died on July 28 doing what she loved most, i.e., climbing a 5,700-meter-high Laila Peak in the Karakoram Range.
Her management said in an official statement on Instagram,
We say goodbye to a great person. Laura enriched our lives … with her warm and straightforward manner.
She made people around her smile. She lifted others with her kindness and courage. One of her brand partners, Adidas, shared,
The Adidas family is filled with deep sorrow at the loss of Laura Dahlmeier. Laura reminded us that strength is not just measured in speed or medals, but in the courage to stand up, speak out, and care deeply. She left behind not only a trail of victories, but a world made better by her presence.
The sudden death of Laura Dahlmeier is a great loss for the sporting world. She will be remembered as a passionate athlete and person. The Dahlmeier family remembers her as a "great person" who enriched the lives of many with her warm and ambitious nature. Her family and friends are grateful for the shared memories that give them strength even in these difficult times.
The tragic news leave a lasting legacy in the biathlon world and also in mountain sports. The German Ski Association wrote:
She was not only one of the most successful athletes in the history of the German Ski Association, but also an extraordinary person full of joie de vivre, courage and warmth - on and off the track. She touched and inspired us with her passion for the sport, her down-to-earth attitude and her infectious laugh.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also had this to say:
Laura Dahlmeier was an exceptional athlete whose international successes in the biathlon not only fascinated and inspired winter sports fans. [...] She was an ambassador for our country in the world, a role model for peaceful, cheerful and fair coexistence across borders. That's how I will remember her, that's how many people in our country will remember her.
Thomas Weikert, President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, said,
The DOSB and the whole of German sport mourn the loss of Laura Dahlmeier.
These words reflect the respect and admiration the Olympic champion earned from fans, athletes, and officials alike.
ISPO.com commemorates Laura Dahlmeier, her career, and her passion for the sport that inspired so many. At ISPO events, we met Laura and felt her spirit. We saw her love for sport and life. We heard her speak with wisdom and warmth. Her presence touched many. Her story gave hope. She lived with purpose and passion.
Laura’s life, from her early career to surprise retirement, reminds us: true greatness is being kind, honest, and humble. She modeled that with every step she took. She was not just a champion in sports, but outside the sports as well. She leaves behind a legacy of courage and compassion.
Our sincere condolences go out to her family, friends and everyone who was touched by her positive energy.
Laura, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You were more than a champion. You were a friend, a guide, a light. You lived life fully, with passion and grace, showing us that success feels better when it’s shared with kindness.
Your time with us was too short. Yet your light won’t fade at all. You’ll stay among us. An athlete who made history, and a person who made lives better without expecting anything apart from love in return.
Rest peacefully, Laura Dahlmeier. You will be deeply missed but never forgotten.
Noah Lyles announced his Olympic victory in the 200 meters in Paris to great media effect before the race - and lived up to the high expectations. But the sprinter is also present outside of sport: his commitment to Black Lives Matter, his open approach to therapy for his mental health problems and his own rap songs show the exceptional athlete's diverse talent and self-confidence.
These 45 female athletes inspire us: they fight for the climate, for the rights of female athletes, for gender equality and show with their daring adventures that they are in no way inferior to men. From B for gymnast Simones Biles to Y for swimmer Fu Yuanhui.
Here comes Part 2 of 3 on female athletes who are changing the world.
To Part 1 Biles to Harila I To Part 3 Oshoala to Yuanhui
To Part 1 Biles to Harila I To Part 3 Oshoala to Yuanhui
101 women who are shaping the future of sport and the OutDoor25 female entrepreneurs who are shaking up the sports business31 Gamechangers who push the boundaries
As a footballer and coach, Franz Beckenbauer was a shining light. Following setbacks to his health, things recently became quieter around the “Kaiser”. Now Franz Beckenbauer has passed away at the age of 78. ISPO.com recalls his most important stages and successes as a player and team manager.
World champion as a player in 1974, world champion as team manager in 1990, organizer of the 2006 World Cup - Germany mourns the loss of its greatest soccer legend. On Sunday, January 7, 2024, Franz Beckenbauer lost his last battle at the age of 78. He had been suffering from a number of illnesses for some time, including Parkinson's disease with associated dementia, according to media reports. Due to his irresistible aura, Beckenbauer, who was also awarded the ISPO Cup after winning the 1990 World Cup, was often referred to as a "shining light". The controversies surrounding the awarding of the 2006 World Cup did nothing to diminish this nimbus. It is alleged that millions were paid to bring the tournament to Germany.
"With Franz Beckenbauer, we are losing one of the very first world athletes who, despite all his successes, remained a true Munich native with a heart. An ambassador of sport and a worthy sponsor of the ISPO Cup."
Tobias Gröber, Head of ISPO Group
Franz Beckenbauer's unique career in football began right on his doorstep in Munich's Giesing neighborhood. Because there, in the south of Munich, the sports field of SC 1906 Munich was right in front of the Beckenbauers' apartment. Franz Beckenbauer started playing football there at the age of six, before, at 14, he joined FC Bayern München in 1959 - the club with which he celebrated his greatest successes.
In 1964, at the age of 18, Beckenbauer made his debut in the first Bayern team and quickly became a top performer - initially in midfield, later as a libero with offensive drive. In 1965, together with later stars such as Gerd Müller or Sepp Maier, he led the Bavarians into the Bundesliga for the first time and later to four championships.
From 1974 to 1976 Beckenbauer was the head of the team that won the European Cup three times in a row.
In 1977, Beckenbauer then moved to the USA to play for the New York Cosmos, where he played with Brazil's legend Pele and won the championship three times by 1980.
In 1980, Beckenbauer returned to Germany to Hamburger SV, for whom he played 28 more Bundesliga games until 1982, before he ended his active career after another brief stint at the New York Cosmos in 1983.
After his debut in 1965, Beckenbauer also quickly advanced to become a regular in the national team and then captain. He became world champion with Germany in 1974 and European Champion in 1972. In 1966 he also reached the World Cup final and in 1976 the European Championship final.
As team manager of the German national team from 1984 to 1990, Beckenbauer initially missed out on major titles before he took his leave as world champion with his triumph at the 1990 World Cup in Italy in the final against Argentina and his legendary lonely walk across the field in Rome. Beckenbauer and Brazilian Mario Zagallo are the first two footballers, who became world champions both as a player and a coach.
Beckenbauer took over as interim head coach at FC Bayern twice in the 1990s, winning titles twice: the German championship in 1994 and the UEFA Cup in 1996.
As a player in the men's field:
As a manager:
As a player:
As a manager:
Honors: