IOC Members Kristin Kloster Aasen and Octavian Morariu lead Future Host Commissions
After the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in June this year agreed on the evolution of the revolution of future Games host elections, the IOC Executive Board (EB) today discussed and approved how this new approach will be implemented.
The IOC Session decided on a more targeted, streamlined and flexible approach, in which flexibility also applies to the timing of the elections. To achieve this, permanent dialogues will be held with interested hosts, or with potential hosts where the IOC may want to create interest.
The new approach also includes the creation of two Future Host Commissions (Summer and Winter), that will make recommendations to the IOC EB, which in turn will make recommendations to the IOC Session.
After consultation with the EB, the two Commissions were appointed by the IOC President. They are both gender-balanced: five female members and five male members for the Summer Games, and four female members and four male members for the Winter Games.
IOC Members Kristin Kloster Aasen from Norway and Octavian Morariu from Romania were named Chairs of the Commissions for Summer and Winter, respectively. The Commissions are made up of IOC Members who are not on the Executive Board. Additionally, there are representatives of the athletes, International Federations (IFs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), in line with the IOC regulations.
The full composition of the Commissions is as follows:
Future Host Winter Commission
Chair
IOC
Athletes
IFs – President of the Association of International Olympic Winter Federations (AIOWF)
NOCs
IPC
Rita VAN DRIEL (NED)
Future Host Summer Commission
Chair
IOC
Mikaela COJUANGCO JAWORSKI (PHI)
Athletes
IFs – President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF)
Francesco RICCI BITTI (ITA)
NOCs
IPC
“There will be a two-speed progression for the work of the Commissions. The Winter Commissions will start immediately, as the priority at this moment is the discussions about the Winter Youth Olympic Games 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games 2030,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “The Summer Commission has slightly more time to enter into a dialogue with the number of various interested cities, regions and countries we have already,” he added.
The role of the Future Host Commissions is to:
- permanently explore, monitor and encourage interest in future Olympic Games (OG), Olympic Winter Games (OWG) and Youth Olympic Games (YOGs)
- report regularly to the EB
- advise the EB and make recommendations regarding possible hosts of the OG, OWG and YOGs to enable the EB to be in a position to react to various developments and opportunities.
The mandate of the Future Host Commissions is:
To inform their advice and recommendations to the EB, the Commissions shall:
- Interact with representatives of potential hosts to determine the nature and extent of their possible interest
- Work with potential hosts to help them understand the various elements and opportunities of the OG, OWG or YOG
- Encourage potential hosts to elaborate their vision of the Games ensuring that this will both create a magical Games experience and provide a legacy for their communities and their youth
- Assist potential hosts in the elaboration of the best-possible sustainable proposals that align with their long-term development plans and goals
- Respect any confidentiality that may be requested by potential hosts as they work toward the development of the public and private dimensions of their project, as well as the content of any discussion of particular proposals
- Monitor the extent of public support for any project and, where formal public consultation or approval is required, assist the proposed host as may be requested and take note of the eventual outcomes
- Determine if a potential visit to the potential host is beneficial.
The IOC EB was informed by the IOC’s Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer about the strict rules of conduct which will be put in place for these Commissions.
Both the rules of conduct and the terms of reference can be found here.