Medical and Scientific
Commission

Medical and Scientific Commission

Mission

The Medical and Scientific Commission’s mission is to provide a guiding reference for all other sports organisations on matters relating to the protection of the health of athletes.

The Commission advises the IOC Session, the IOC Executive Board and the IOC President on athletes’ health, the promotion of health and physical activity, and the protection of clean athletes in support of Agenda 2020.  In undertaking this role, the Commission considers itself to have the following key responsibilities:

  1. Supervising the provision of health care and doping control services during the Olympic and Youth Olympic Games.
  2. Delivering evidence-based education to athletes and their entourage.
  3. Developing and promoting the adoption of ethical standards in sports science and medicine.
  4. Exploring the potential of new technologies to optimise athletes’ health, and preventing their potential damaging effects.
  5. Promotion of health and physical activity for the whole population

What objectives do we want to achieve by having these responsibilities :

  1. Provision of excellent healthcare and doping control at Games to athletes and their entourage
  2. Better informed and educated athletes and entourage leading to effective prevention of injury and illness, better health care and faster recovery.
  3. Good medical practice to the highest ethical standards by individuals and organisations responsible for athletes’ health.
  4. Effective new technologies implemented in healthcare and anti-doping.
    Prevention of harm to health of new technologies
  5. Increase physical activity and improve health in the general population

What key strategic priority actions will be taken to achieve these Objectives:

  1. Olympic Games knowledge management
    Communication with OCOGs including pre-games visits and Games time monitoring.
  2. Increase research and surveillance
    Maximise relevance and dissemination of consensus statements and publications
    Focused and effective conferences/meetings and courses
  3. Adoption and implementation of Olympic Movement Medical Code by all stakeholders for good
    medical practice and to respect medical standards.
    Safeguarding athletes.
  4. Establish Research expert groups to explore and disseminate new technologies in health care and anti-doping, and identify potential dangers and harms.
  5. Legacy including increased physical activity and health in the general population from the Games through Global Active Cities Initiative (GACI) and improved sport and exercise medicine

The Medical and Scientific Commission is supported by the Medical and Scientific Department.

Composition

Chair

Vice Chair

Members

Director in charge

  • Medical and Scientific Director

More information

Consensus statements
IOC consensus statements have been published based on the works of the Medical and Scientific Commission. Find out more about these publications and reports.
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Research and applications
IOC Medical and Scientific Educational Events
Find here information on medical and scientific educational events organized by the IOC for healthcare professionals, researchers, and athletes. These events cover a range of topics related to medicine and injury and illness prevention in sport. The IOC's goal is to promote knowledge-sharing and advancements in sports medicine to ensure the health and safety of athletes participating in the Olympic Games.
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Educational Tools
Get Set Injury Prevention App
Olympic Education is imparted through the Olympic Values Education Programme, the Olympic Studies Centre, the Olympic World Library, the teaching resources of The Olympic Museum and the YOG Education Programme at Youth Sporting Events.
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Games Group
16 February 2022: The Medical Commission Group Photo during the XXIV Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
The IOC Medical and Scientific Commission and Medical and Scientific Director of the IOC are responsible for the governance of health care at the Olympic Games. The Games Group is responsible to them, and plays a vital role as part of the IOC, to ensure excellence of provision of medical services at the Olympic Games, excellence in research and excellence in education.
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Fight against doping - Who does what?
Protecting clean athletes by fighting against doping is a top priority for the IOC, which has established a zero-tolerance policy to combat cheating and to make anyone responsible for using or providing doping products accountable.
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Olympic Movement Medical Code
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IOC Medical COVID-19 Hub

This IOC Medical Covid-19 hub has been created to help support staff provide good medical care of Olympic athletes. Over a year ago, the IOC brought together an international group of experts in respiratory illnesses to develop a Consensus statement on Acute respiratory illness in athletes led by Martin Schwellnus from South Africa.

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IOC Medical and Scientific Educational Events

Find here information on medical and scientific educational events organized by the IOC for healthcare professionals, researchers, and athletes. These events cover a range of topics related to medicine and injury and illness prevention in sport. The IOC's goal is to promote knowledge-sharing and advancements in sports medicine to ensure the health and safety of athletes participating in the Olympic Games.
Learn more
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