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Children’s sports to defeat pandemic: 2020 Football for Friendship Forum presents most successful projects to support children’s football
Over 25 successful projects to adapt children’s football to the 2020 pandemic were presented during the Eighth International Forum, which was held on November 30 – December 3 as part of the Gazprom International Children’s Social Programme Football for Friendship.
The International Football for Friendship Forum was held for the 8th year in a row, for the first time in the online format. The Forum is a unique platform for exchanging views on the development of children’s football in various countries around the world. At the Forum, coaches, athletes, public figures, and heads of sports organisations identify the best practices for supporting children’s sports and discuss the most effective ways to promote the key values of Football for Friendship in the world. The best practices are published with open access and become the basis for the free courses of the Football for Friendship Coaches Academy.
“Football is a social game that teaches important values. These include respect, honesty, fairness and devotion to a set task”, pointed out Frank Ludolph, UEFA Head of Football Education Services, Head of the Expert Council of the 2020 International Football for Friendship Award. “The idea behind Football for Friendship is to promote innovation in online learning, emphasize the social role of football and promote local community building to inspire more children around the world”.
In 2020, projects include successful application of organising online classes using video communication services, messengers, and social media. The SLSFA Sri Lanka Schools Football Association and the Sri Lanka Ministry of Education presented an online concept of competitions and contests for children of all age groups. The Brazilian Football Confederation launched several social projects, including those aimed at training goalkeepers, providing social services, and supporting a highly active lifestyle during the pandemic-related period of self-isolation. In total, over 100 football academies and federations submitted applications to participate in the Football for Friendship Forum. Projects were presented in the following nominations:
- Changing the World: Educational Activities
- Stadium Is Where I Am: Improving Football Skills
- Earth is a Ball: Providing Football to Everyone
- Driving the Planet: Building Football Community
All the projects were evaluated by the International Expert Council, which included world experts in the field of football education: Frank Ludolph, Germany, UEFA Head of Football Education Services, Head of the Expert Council of the 2020 International Football for Friendship Award; Pablo Cesar Torres, Uruguay, President of Youth Football and Scouting at Club Atlético Peñarol, Mike Puig, Spain, CEO of the Soccer Barcelona Youth Academy; and three Football for Friendship Young Ambassadors: Ananya Kamboj, India, Mohammad Yusuf Moazzam, Pakistan, and Sheqayli Ascencion, Aruba.
For the first time in the history of the world football movement, children assessed “adult” projects on equal terms.
“All the projects followed the values of Football for Friendship. And each of them has benefited children in uncertain conditions due to the coronavirus pandemic”, noted 15-year-old football player Yusuf Moazzam, a member of the jury, Young Ambassador from Pakistan. “Judging several projects at the international level was amazing, I really enjoyed it!”
All the projects presented at the International Football for Friendship Forum are open to the public on the programme’s official website https://footballforfriendship.com/experts-forum/. Those who initiated the projects hope that the best practices will be replicated in different countries, benefiting as many children around the world as possible.
On December 9, during the live broadcast of the 2020 Football for Friendship Season final, the best projects in the four nominations will be announced and given the Football for Friendship Award.
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energy drinks
Team Vitality names FYZIO official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier
Multi-year deal adds Laboratoires Gilbert’s new brand to jerseys across CS2, VALORANT, Rocket League and LoL teams ahead of a September 2026 launch.
Team Vitality has signed a multi-year partnership with FYZIO, naming the brand its new official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier. FYZIO is a sports nutrition and hydration brand developed by Laboratoires Gilbert, a French healthcare company established in 1904.
The partnership will put FYZIO branding on the left sleeve of Team Vitality’s official jerseys for several flagship rosters, including CS2, VALORANT (VCT), Rocket League, and League of Legends teams across the LEC, LFL, and Rising Bees. FYZIO will also support Team Vitality teams competing in Teamfight Tactics, Tekken, and Trackmania.
FYZIO is scheduled to launch in September 2026. Team Vitality said the brand will supply products intended to support areas including hydration, fatigue and stress reduction, concentration and memory, and sleep quality.
“We are delighted to announce this partnership with FYZIO and proud to support the launch of this ambitious new brand from the French group, Laboratoires Gilbert. By integrating its specialised nutrition products into our teams’ routines, we are further strengthening our commitment to high-performance excellence,” comments Vas Roberts, Co-CEO of Team Vitality.
“For more than 120 years, Laboratoires Gilbert has been developing solutions dedicated to health and well-being. With FYZIO, we are bringing this expertise to a new ambition: helping everyone achieve their goals, whatever they may be, through a modern, accessible, and responsible approach to sports nutrition. Our partnership with Team Vitality reflects this shared vision of progress, high standards, and sustainable performance. Your performance, our nature“, explains Cédric Batteur, Chairman & CEO, Laboratoires Gilbert.
The post Team Vitality names FYZIO official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026
Boomerang Partners have been shortlisted for two categories at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026
Boomerang Partners, a rapidly growing affiliate gambling and betting marketing agency, was shortlisted in two categories at the AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026. It is one of the industry’s most prestigious awards for affiliate teams, operators, and B2B providers worldwide. The winners in nearly 40 categories will be determined by online voting and revealed on May 20.
Affiliate Program Of The Year
Boomerang Partners is nominated in the Affiliate Program of the Year category, reflecting its growth and position as a sports-focused affiliate program.
In nearly five years, the company has scaled to more than 3,000 affiliate partners and serves a clients’ portfolio of 10+ brands. Over the past year, the partner network grew by 10% YoY, while the expansion of clients’ product portfolio led to a nearly 1.5x increase in users.
The company’s strategy is built around deep sports expertise, in-house analytics, and a personalized approach to each partner. This is complemented by partner engagement initiatives such as the TIME TO WIN tournament and the Golden Boomerang Awards, a global affiliate tournament that brought together over 400 teams in the 2025 season. Its third season runs from April 3 to August 31, 2026. It is divided into three stages (each with its own main prize). The final and awards ceremony in 11 categories will take place in September during the SBC Summit in Lisbon.
Woman Leader Of The Year
Liliia Sudachenko, Affiliate Team Lead at Boomerang Partners, is nominated for the Woman Leader Of The Year award in recognition of her contribution to the company’s growth and her work with affiliate partners.
In her role, she focuses on building long-term relationships with affiliate partners, with a strong emphasis on a personalized approach – one of the core principles of Boomerang Partners’ strategy. Liliia is also actively involved in representing the company within the industry. In 2025, she became one of Boomerang Partners’ most active media contributors after the C-level team, taking part in multiple interviews with industry publications.
Liliia Sudachenko, Affiliate Team Lead at Boomerang Partners, commented: “It’s great to see our work recognized with these AffPapa iGaming Awards nominations. For us, it’s a reflection of the team’s effort and the way we build relationships with our partners. We invest a lot in analytics, partner support, and the development of initiatives that help affiliates grow, and it’s good to see that this approach resonates. At the same time, we have ambitious goals ahead and will continue to scale and strengthen our position as a sports-focused affiliate program.”
The official AffPapa iGaming Awards 2026 ceremony will take place on May 20. The event will be held at the Real Casino de Madrid.
About Boomerang
Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global marketing agency offering a wide range of services. Boomerang Partners is an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards – a global tournament for affiliate teams. More than 400 affiliate teams participated in the second season of the tournament in 2025. Partners of the Agency launched six new products in 2024-2025, contributing to a nearly 1.5-fold increase in product users.
The Agency’s clients’ portfolio contains 10+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across 40+ markets in compliance with local regulations. These products provide incentive programs and 24/7 multilingual support.
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Cubeia
Vera & John International goes live with Cubeia Originals Studio games
Sweden-based supplier Cubeia integrates its proprietary, brandable Originals content into the operator’s offering.
Vera & John International has gone live with Cubeia’s Originals Studio games, integrating the Sweden-based supplier’s proprietary titles into its player offering.
Cubeia said the launch gives the operator access to fully brandable in-house games aimed at supporting engagement and retention. The supplier positioned the Originals portfolio around “provably fair mechanics, gamification elements, and community-driven gameplay,” and said it includes crash and instant-win formats.
Tobias Fogelberg, Chief Commercial Officer at Cubeia, said: “We’re proud to see Vera & John International go live with our Originals. This is exactly what we’ve been building towards—giving operators something that feels truly their own, not just another catalogue of the same games everyone else has.
“The flexibility and branding possibilities are a big part of it, but it’s also about creating games that players actually want to come back to. That’s where Originals make a real difference.”
Cubeia also linked the rollout to its wider product stack, including its Cubeia Nano platform, which it said is designed to give operators “full control” and scalability. The company added it will continue investing in Originals Studio and plans to expand the portfolio with additional titles and features.
The post Vera & John International goes live with Cubeia Originals Studio games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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