World Players has confirmed its first plenary speakers for its inaugural conference, which will bring together academics, player associations, and athletes in Dublin to facilitate the translation and dissemination of research to impact both on and off the pitch.
World Players has announced the first plenary speakers for WPI 2026: Where Research Takes the Field, its inaugural conference taking place on 27–28 October at Trinity College Dublin. Organised in partnership with the university, the event aims to bridge academic research and decision-making in professional sport.
The four experts confirmed so far represent disciplines as varied as sport economics, medicine, labour rights, and governance, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the conference.
A leading voice for gender equity and athlete rights
Dr. Ellen Staurowsky, recently retired professor at Ithaca College, is an internationally recognised expert on social justice issues in sport, with a focus on gender equity, Title IX, pay equity, and the rights of college athletes. She has published extensively in scholarly journals and news media and authored multiple books, contributing significantly to the debate around athlete exploitation in amateur sport as well as advocating for gender equity in sport.
Applied science in injury prevention
Fiona Wilson, professor and physiotherapist at the School of Medicine of Trinity College Dublin, brings over 30 years of clinical and research experience. She served as lead physiotherapist for Rowing Ireland for ten years and is currently a member of the World Rowing Sports Medicine Commission and co-chair of the Rugby Science Network for World Rugby. Professor Wilson is also a lead investigator in TCD’s Resolve Study, which through partnering with player associations in Ireland, examines the dementia risk factors of retired contact sport athletes and how these can be mitigated and hopefully reduced and prevented.
The US college sport model under scrutiny
Professor Richard M. Southall, of the University of South Carolina, directs the College Sport Research Institute and is one of the leading authorities on college sport in the United States. He served as plaintiffs' consultant in O'Bannon v. NCAA, testifying before the US Senate, and co-authored The NCAA and the Exploitation of College Profit-Athletes: An Amateurism That Never Was (2023). His presence in Dublin is set to bring a critical perspective on amateurism models and the relationship between athletes and the institutions that represent them.
Sport economics with first-hand field experience
Dr. Robert Butler, Senior Lecturer in Economics at University College Cork, sits on the board of the European Sport Economic Association and has published in leading international journals on labour relations, sport management, and institutional economics. Butler also brings a unique dimension to the table: he previously represented the amateur international Republic of Ireland football team, giving him first-hand insight into the experiences of athletes.
More announcements to come
Additional speakers will be confirmed in the coming weeks. The abstract submission deadline is 31 May 2026, while early bird registration closes on 15 July. Regular registration remains open until 15 September.
For more information, visit the official conference website.
Related news
