1962: Creation of Olympic Solidarity

Olympic Solidarity was created in 1962 to assist newly independent countries, particularly in Asia and Africa, in developing their own structures to promote the expansion of sport at national level.

At the time, it was named the International Olympic Aid Committee (IOAC).

In 1971, the IOAC was merged with a similar body created by the Permanent General Assembly of National Olympic Committees (the predecessor of the Association of National Olympic Committees) to become the Committee for Olympic Solidarity. Olympic Solidarity took on its current form in 1981 by decision of the IOC President, Juan Antonio Samaranch, and ANOC President Mario Vázquez Raña. It was tasked with meeting the needs of the NOCs.

In 1979, the decision was taken to allocate 20 per cent of TV rights to the NOCs, and in 1992 the first scholarships for athletes were allocated for the Olympic Games Barcelona 1992.

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Discover Olympic Solidarity

The aim of Olympic Solidarity is to provide assistance to all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) for athlete development programmes, in particular those with the greatest needs of it. This assistance is achieved through multi-faceted programmes prioritising athlete development, but also training of coaches and sports administrators, and promoting the Olympic values.

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Olympic Solidarity Factsheet 2021

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Evolution of the IOC

1908: First publication of the Olympic Charter

1913: First Public Presentation of the Five Rings Symbol

1921: Founding of the IOC Executive Board

1967: Creation of the IOC Medical Commission

1981: Creation of the Athletes’ commission

1981: First female IOC members

1985: Creation of The Olympic Partner (TOP) Programme

1995: The IOC President addresses the UN General Assembly

2000: The IOC 2000 Commission

2017: The Olympic Refuge Foundation

2018: First Olympism in Action forum and the Athletes’ declaration

More about IOC history

IOC Congresses

The first Olympic Congress took place in Paris in 1894 and resulted in the creation of the IOC. Since then, there have been 13 Congresses, the most recent of which took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009. Less formal than the IOC Session, the Olympic Congress has a consultative function and is convened by the IOC President. It is a meeting of representatives of the constituents of the Olympic Movement.

IOC Presidents

Since the creation of the IOC in 1894, there have been nine presidents. The president is elected by the Session in a secret ballot among the IOC Members. Today, the president is elected for a term of office of eight years, renewable once for a period of four years. The current President is Thomas Bach – meet him and his predecessors here.

Lausanne, Olympic capital

Founded at the first Olympic Congress in Paris in 1894, the IOC is the leader of the Olympic Movement and the guardian of the Olympic Games. It acts as a catalyst for collaboration across the entire Olympic community. Discover some of the key milestones in the IOC’s history, from the first publication of the Olympic Charter in 1908 to the founding of the Executive Board in 1921 to the first ever Olympism in Action Forum in 2018.