Brabners State of Play Conference – Speaker & Panelist

Kofi Josephs has been a featured speaker at the Brabners State of Play Conference, one of the UK’s leading forums exploring law, governance, and wellbeing in elite sport.

At the 2024 conference, Kofi joined a panel alongside renowned sports psychologist Michael Caulfield and Gerry McCory, captain of Northampton Saints’ wheelchair rugby team, to discuss the realities of athlete mental health. Drawing on his lived experience as a professional athlete and mental health advocate, Kofi highlighted the dangers of social media pressure, the impact of online abuse, and the urgent need for mental health support to be proactive rather than reactive. His contribution offered a rare insight into the challenges faced by elite athletes behind the scenes, stressing the importance of safe spaces, preventative care, and human connection in supporting wellbeing.

In 2025, Kofi returned to State of Play to sit on a high-profile panel chaired by Ruth Hargreaves (Partner at Brabners), alongside Sanjay Bhandari MBE (Chair of Kick It Out), Jake Marsh (Head of Signify Sport), and Zoe Shackleton (Head of HR & EDI at Huddersfield Town FC). This session explored how technology is being used to promote fairness, inclusion, and accountability in sport. Kofi brought a powerful personal perspective, sharing how online abuse and the pressures of elite performance shaped his journey, while introducing his preventative wellbeing platform, Why Not I Wellbeing, which uses AI and data insights to support athletes in real time.

Through both conferences, Kofi has positioned himself as a leading voice in the conversation around athlete welfare, governance, and the future of sport. His unique combination of professional playing career, lived mental health advocacy, and innovation in sport-tech brings a perspective that resonates not only with athletes, but with corporate leaders, governing bodies, and policymakers shaping the future of sport.