IOC President praises work of USOPC during visit to Colorado Springs
During his visit to the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) headquarters in Colorado Springs last Thursday, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach praised the organisation under the leadership of its President, IOC Member Gene Sykes, and congratulated the USOPC on the success of its Olympic and Paralympic teams at Paris 2024. During his stay, President Bach was accompanied by IOC Members in the USA Anita DeFrantz and David Haggerty. Also present was IOC Member Yiech Pur Biel.
“My heartfelt congratulations to all the US athletes who took part in the sensational Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024,” the IOC President said at an event hosted by the USOPC at the impressive US Olympic and Paralympic Museum, which opened in 2020.
“Your athletes and their amazing achievements celebrated your nation and the US Olympic community at its best, bringing so much pride and joy to all American people. Your athletes set a new record for medals won at an Olympic Games hosted outside the United States. But they brought not only medals but a spirit of excellence, grace and sportsmanship that inspired millions across the country and around the world. In this way, the USOPC and the US athletes contributed to the great success of these Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. For this you can rightly be very proud – forever.”
During the event, which was attended by National Sports Federation leaders, President Bach highlighted: “The strong standing of the USOPC in the Olympic community today is thanks to the collective efforts of each and every one of you. This is why I would like to congratulate everyone at the USOPC, under the great leadership of your President, my dear colleague and friend Gene Sykes, and your CEO, Sarah Hirshland. Thank you for all the important work you are doing, day in, day out, to support your athletes and to promote sport and its values across the United States.”
USOPC President Sykes welcomed the IOC President to the Museum: “President Bach has been a steadying force, both by enhancing and sustaining an IOC through many towering challenges, and also by reinforcing the importance of the Olympic values. He has also driven the IOC into the future, in areas such as esports and AI, recognising that this movement is always about the youngest generation and what comes next.”
He went on: “Thomas Bach is at his heart a competitive athlete, an Olympic champion, and he has been a great leader. President Bach – we salute you for your imagination, compassion and drive. And, of course, for your commitment to the athletes of the world.”
Sykes also underlined the mission of the Olympic Games: “Throughout my life, I have been lucky to work with truly outstanding people at the cutting edge of business, technology, higher education and philanthropy. But every time I tell people about my association with the Olympic and Paralympic Movement, their eyes light up. The Games start with the most impressive collection of elite sports. But their importance transcends sports; these Games use sports to unify people regardless of their differences.”
Also present were former USOPC Presidents Bill Hybl and Larry Probst; and three Olympians, Olympic figure skating gold medallist at Grenoble 1968 Peggy Gale Fleming, Kara Winger (javelin throw) and Samantha Schultz (modern pentathlon), who accompanied the IOC President during his tour of the museum exhibition, which covers 18,000 square metres. The Mayor of Colorado Springs, Yemi Mobolade, was also present.
Earlier, the IOC President had visited the US Olympic and Paralympic Training Centre, where he had lunch with Olympic and Paralympic athletes. So far in 2024, 8,000 athletes have already come here to train, amongst them 250 international guests from 59 National Olympic Committees.
After the visit, the IOC President said: “The USOPC’s athlete support programmes are second to none, covering every possible aspect of athlete life: from providing world-class training facilities; to promoting physical and mental health and well-being; to strengthening safeguarding; to offering rich education and career opportunities; to giving athletes a voice and a vote through the Team USA Athletes’ Commission; to innovating in the digital space; to securing robust funding models; and promoting and protecting a broad-based sports model at the college level for the next generation of Olympians and Paralympians. In these and so many other ways, the USOPC is truly walking the talk when it comes to putting the athlete at the heart of everything it does.”