FORMER Sports Minister and Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe will chair a debate about the relationship between sport and business at next week’s YEN Expo conference and exhibition.

It will feature key players from the sporting world , including Liverpool FC chief executive and former Premiere League boss Rick Parry; Bradford City legend Wayne Jacobs , co-founder of the One In A Million children’s charity; Yorkshire Sport Foundation chief executive Nigel Harrison; sports law specialist Richard Cramer from FrontRow Legal and Paul Porter, chief executive officer of England Boxing .

The YEN Expo 2016 business of sport panel will examine the impact of sport on the economy and regional employment prospects as well as topical and thorny issues surrounding the integrity of sport.

Rick Parry worked with Gerry Sutcliffe on integrity issues facing the sporting world when the former MP was Sports Minister.

Gerry Sutcliffe, now director of Sutcliffe Swales Consultants and a Yorkshire Enterprise Network patron, said: “This is an opportunity to hear from some highly experienced people involved in the business of sport in what promises to be a very lively session.

“Sport has a massive impact on our economy, providing scope for more investment and employment opportunities as well as the all-important feel-good factor. It is vital, more than ever right now, to maintain the belief in sport.”

Wayne Jacobs added: “Sport has played a major role in my world. It gave me a focus, taught me how to goal set, be disciplined and develop my social skills in order for me to reach my potential. “

The YEN Expo event, run in conjunction with the Telegraph & Argus, is at Bradford College’s David Hockney Building on Tuesday October 25 with the sports debate from 2.30pm.

It is one of several seminars, panel sessions and business clinics at the conference, which attracts around 1,000 delegates and features 50 exhibition stands.

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