Frequently Asked Questions

IOC - The organisation

What is the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and what is its mission?

The International Olympic Committee is an international non-governmental not-for-profit organisation, in the form of an association.

It is the supreme authority leading the Olympic Movement and the catalyst for all Olympic family members:National Olympic Committees, International, Federations, athletes, Organising Committees for the Olympic Games, TOP partners and broadcasters, plus United Nations agencies.

Its job is to encourage the promotion of Olympic values, to ensure the regular celebration of the Olympic Games and its legacy and to support all the organisations affiliated to the Olympic Movement. The IOC cultivates its success through a series of programmes and projects which give life to the Olympic values.

Learn more:

IOC's mission

Olympic Charter: Chapter 1, Rule 2

Beginner's guide to the Olympics (video)

Educational series: Olympism and the Olympic Movement