Athletes to take the lead as oaths at future Olympic Games openings are unified
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board today agreed to amalgamate the oaths taken by athletes, followed by officials and then coaches, into one oath, with athletes taking the lead.
As per the Olympic Charter, the protocol of Olympic Games opening ceremonies is fundamental to the correct communication of the Olympic values and ideals. One of the key elements of the opening ceremony is the three oaths taken by athletes, followed by officials and then the coaches.
As of the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang next February, these three oaths will be merged into one, considerably shortening this segment of the Ceremony, and athletes will recite the oath on behalf of the three groups.
New version
Each representative recites their specific line:
“In the name of the athletes”
“In the name of all judges.”
“In the name of all the coaches and officials”
The athlete then recites on behalf of all three categories:
“We promise to take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules and in the spirit of fair play.
We all commit ourselves to sport without doping and cheating.
We do this, for the glory of sport, for the honour of our teams and in respect for the Fundamental Principles of Olympism.”
Other decisions
The IOC EB agreed to the change of nationalities and request for exemption from the three-year waiting period for three athletes who, subject to qualification, are now eligible to compete at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 under the flag of their applicant National Olympic Committee.
These athletes are:
- Ms Nichole Bathe (cross country skiing), from the USA to Great Britain;
- Ms Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian (bobsleigh), from the USA to Jamaica; and
- Mr Danut Moldovan (bobsleigh), from Romania to Austria.
The Board also approved the methodology and data to be collected on the Olympic programme during the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. Following the Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendation to move from a sport-based to an event-based programme, the IOC collects data at event level. This was done for the first time at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. After the success of the data collection programme at these Games, this will be implemented for the first time in a winter context at next February’s Olympic Winter Games.