Olympic Highlights 02/11/2022
IOC ACTIVITIES
PRESIDENT
During a visit to Senegal on Saturday 29 October, IOC President Thomas Bach met with Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and updated him on the great progress of the preparations for the Youth Olympic Games that will take place in Dakar in 2026, becoming the first ever Olympic event in Africa. The IOC President shared his anticipation of the event: “We cannot wait for the moment to be back here and to enjoy this first Olympic event on African soil, an event for Africa, with Africa, that will welcome the youth of the world in Senegal.” President Macky Sall thanked Thomas Bach and the IOC for their friendship and expressed his gratitude “for the great cooperation with the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee”. The two leaders also discussed the global geopolitical situation and other topics of mutual interest.
Earlier in the day, the IOC President visited the campus of the university of Diamniadio, host of the future Youth Olympic Village. In the presence of 100 students and young girls and boys from Senegalese sports clubs, he planted a symbolic baobab to celebrate the first phase of tree-planting activities for the Olympic Forest in Senegal and Mali. During the planting ceremony, the President said: “The Olympic Forest is about more than just planting trees. Communities in the Sahel zone will greatly benefit from this project by seeing an increase in their climate resilience, food security, nutrition and income opportunities. The Olympic Movement is about building a better world through sport, and the Olympic Forest demonstrates our commitment to this vision.” Full details here.
At Dakar train station, the IOC President was introduced to the Dakar fresco, a colourful creation by talented young artists inspired by the Olympic values, portraying Olympians. There, he also interacted with young kids training for Dakar 2026, who showed off their skills in fencing, badminton, breaking and wushu, all part of the Youth Olympic Games sports programme.
Throughout his visit, President Bach was accompanied by Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye, IOC member in Senegal and President of the Organising Committee of the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, and Kirsty Coventry, IOC member in Zimbabwe and Chair of the Dakar 2026 Coordination Commission. Read the full news release here.
Prior to his visit to Dakar, President Bach was in Oviedo (Spain) for the presentation of the 2022 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports from the Princess of Asturias Foundation to the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team. The award was presented by Her Royal Highness Leonor, The Princess of Asturias, to the IOC President. He was accompanied by Refugee Olympic Team members Eldric Sella (boxing) and Masomah Ali Zada (cycling), who both competed at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The presentation at the Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo was presided over by Their Majesties The King and Queen of Spain, accompanied by Their Royal Highnesses Leonor, The Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofía.
The award recognises the opportunities that the ORF and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team provide to young displaced people around the world to access sport and thrive in all aspects of their lives. The jury – chaired by Spain’s two-time marathon world champion Abel Antón – noted how the Refugee Olympic Team “merges the highest values of sport, such as integration, education, solidarity and humanity, and represents a message of hope for the world”. IOC Vice-President Juan Antonio Samaranch and the President of the Spanish Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco, accompanied the IOC President during his stay in Oviedo. Read the full news release about the ceremony here.
While in Asturias, boxer Sella visited a training centre for elite athletes in Gijón. He was accompanied by Lydia Murungi, manager of the ORF flagship programme “Game Connect” in Uganda, which aims to strengthen the mental health and well-being of young displaced people through sport. Together with Ali Zada, Sella also met local schoolchildren to share their stories and Olympic experiences. During this event they were on stage together with IOC President Bach and NOC President Blanco.
Before going to Spain, on 25 October in Lausanne, the IOC President opened the 2022 Smart Cities and Sport Summit, with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Lausanne Mayor Grégoire Junod and Lillehammer Mayor Ingunn Trosholmen in attendance. Sportification of cities – or how cities around the world can become playgrounds to bring people closer to sport – was the theme of this year’s edition of the Summit. President Bach shared the Olympic Movement’s vision of how cities’ initiatives can bring sport closer to the people, and how this is essential in building a healthier society. In his speech, he said: “By sportifying our cities, we are bringing the power of sport right into the heart of our communities. In these difficult and uncertain times, we need this power of sport as a force for good in our communities more than ever.” He added: “Our overriding mission is to make the world a better place through sport – and one of the best ways to demonstrate this mission in action is to ensure that people and communities benefit for generations to come from hosting the Olympic Games.” The Smart Cities and Sport Summit is an initiative of the World Union of Olympic Cities chaired by the Lausanne Mayor. Full news release here.
Earlier, President Bach took part in a round table with Mayors and Deputy Mayors from 13 Olympic cities and representatives from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) at the Villa Mon-Repos in Lausanne. The discussion focused on how cities can aid in the integration of refugees through sport (see also under “Recognised organisations”).
In parallel to the World Union of Olympic Cities meeting at Olympic House, and after the successful staging of the Seoul Olympic Legacy Forum the week before, the IOC President met the Mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-hoon, and then the Mayor of PyeongChang, Shim Jae-kook. These meetings were an opportunity to reiterate the importance of the legacy of the Olympic Games in Korea and the commitment of past Olympic host cities Seoul and PyeongChang to continue contributing to the Olympic Movement in the future, through the staging of the Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 and beyond.
The IOC President welcomed Kyrgyzstan NOC President Sadyr Mamytov and Secretary General Kylychbek Sarbaghsyhev to Olympic House as part of a courtesy visit. The preparations of the Kyrgyz athletes for the upcoming editions of the Olympic Games and the current international situation were discussed at the meeting.
At Olympic House, President Bach attended the launch of the “Organ Donation Ambassador Campaign”, a campaign from the World Transplant Games Federation (WTGF). Among the ambassadors present were Swiss Olympian swimmer Dano Halsall, who took part in three editions of the Olympic Games, and Australian Olympian swimmer Brooke Hanson, who won a gold and a silver medal at the Olympic Games Athens 2004. Later, the President presented an OLY certificate and pin to both Halsall and Hanson, who also signed the Olympians Wall.
Also at Olympic House, the President met Wolfgang Wienand, a German Olympian who competed in the individual and team foil events at the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000. Wienand signed the Olympians Wall and received an OLY certificate and pin, presented by the President
MEMBERS
IOC Member Spyros Capralos (center in photo), who is also President of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), addressed the 17th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport, which took place from 25 to 27 October, in Antalya, Turkey. The conference was split into two themes, “Sport for all: Uniting Us for Stronger Societies” and “Rethinking Sport: Leading the Way for a Healthy and Sustainable Future”. During his speech on the second theme, the EOC President referred to the challenges facing Europe at this time, including the effects of conflict and war, climate change, the global energy and food crisis and the cost-of-living crisis, all of which are having an impact on sport in many ways. Full details here on the EOC website.
In the run-up to the 2022 Princess of Asturias Awards ceremony, Yiech Pur Biel – a member of the first-ever IOC Refugee Olympic Team at Rio 2016 and, since 2022, the first-ever refugee elected as an IOC Member – reflected on this historic recognition of the power of sport in helping millions of displaced people around the world, as well as his own journey. Read his thoughts here.
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
Independent consumer research has confirmed that the Olympic Games continue to be the most appealing sports and entertainment event in the world, while the Olympic rings remain one of the most widely recognised symbols globally. The findings were part of consumer surveys conducted by Publicis Sport & Entertainment in March 2022 with over 28,000 people aged between 13 and 65 across 16 territories. Full news release here.
The 17th General Assembly of the Olympic Museums Network (OMN) was recently held both in Lausanne and virtually. Based on current understanding and the numbers provided by its members, the OMN is expecting a total of over 1.5 million visitors in 2022. As the General Assembly was held in conjunction with Olympic Week (a free event held in Lausanne during the October school break, dedicated to discovering sports and the world of Olympism), a proposal to create a shared Olympic Day Programme to collaborate globally while tailoring content for local environments has been made, and will be discussed in the near future. Full news release here.
Guided by its Medical and Scientific Commission, chaired by Uğur Erdener, the IOC has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting athletes’ health by naming 11 specialist organisations around the world as IOC Research Centres for 2023-2026, continuing a highly successful initiative that launched in 2009. The IOC Research Centres for 2023-2026 will each work widely to research, develop and implement effective preventive and treatment methods for sports-related injuries and illnesses, supported by a four-year grant from the IOC. Full news release here.
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) designed to stimulate the development of UIPM sports across Africa. The agreement was signed by UIPM President Klaus Schormann and his ANOCA counterpart, IOC Member Mustapha Berraf, during the ANOC General Assembly in Seoul (see photo). More details here.
The International Surfing Association (ISA) Athletes’ Commission (AC), including the four new members who were recently elected during the 2022 ISA World Surfing Games, held its first in-person meeting in Biarritz, France. On this occasion, Justine Dupont from France was unanimously re-named AC Chair. Other key subjects addressed during the meeting included Paris 2024 Olympic qualification and athlete services, Olympic Solidarity programmes, and ISA Medical Commission work related to athletes. More details here.
World Triathlon has announced that, from 17 to 20 August 2023, Paris will host the Test Event for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. The four events – individual races, Para triathlon and Mixed Relay - will take place in the same venue that will host the triathlon competitions during the Games in 2024, the Pont Alexandre III, one of the most beautiful bridges on the River Seine. Detailed course maps and schedules will be released in the next months.Full details here.
At its Annual General Meeting held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, World Sailing has approved changes to its governance structure, which will enable the federation to be more efficient and increase transparency in line with the requirements of a modern global sporting body. World Sailing’s Board, Council and Committees will now begin the process of changing the structure and processes, and establishing the additional elements stipulated in the new constitution. The changes will be fully implemented from the 2024 AGM. Full details here. In addition, World Sailing has announced the appointment of the Federation’s Head of Sustainability, Alexandra Rickham, as one of two Technical Delegates for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. A two-time Paralympic sailing medallist for Great Britain, she will work alongside Ricardo Navarro, who was announced in February as a Technical Delegate for the event. This means that World Sailing will have a 50-50 gender split in the Technical Delegate roles for the Olympics for the first time. Full info here.
WINTER IFS
The World Curling Federation (WCF) has announced that the ocean port of Sydney, located in the province of Nova Scotia in Canada, will host the World Women’s Curling Championship in 2024. The Championship will be held from 16 to 24 March. More details here.
RECOGNISED FEDERATIONS
The 95th General Assembly of the International Powerboating Federation (UIM), whose President is Raffaele Chiulli, was held in the Emirate of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, as part of a week of meetings, policy-making and elections. The UIM, which this year is celebrating its 100th anniversary, brought together the UIM Council, Executive Committee and International Commissions, Committees and Working Groups, together with delegates from around the world. The UIM Council ratified the UIM’s new Environmental Policy, and the General Assembly elected the Chairs of the UIM Committees for the next four years. More info here
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
The Colombian NOC received a visit from weightlifter Diego Fernando Salazar (see photo), a silver medallist at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008, who met with NOC President Ciro Solano and Secretary General Ana Edurne Camacho. Salazar is a great example of professional reorientation after a successful sporting career. Besides his Olympic silver medal, he also has a bronze medal from the World Championships in 2006, and two golds from the Pan American Games in 2003 and 2007. Today he uses his experience as an elite athlete at the Tuluá Municipal Sports Institute, of which he is the Director. More details here.
The NOC of the Dominican Republic and the Dominican Association of Journalists (CDP) will formalise a series of commitments to benefit sport and the association, which groups together communication professionals. The announcement was made during a recent visit to the NOC headquarters by CDP President Aurelio Henríquez and the Head of the Institute for the Safeguarding and Protection of Journalists (IPPP), Olivo de León, who met NOC President Antonio Acosta. More details here.
The NOC of Mongolia has announced that a Badminton World Federation (BWF) Coach Education Level 1 Course was successfully held in the country, with the support of Olympic Solidarity, from 18 to 25 October. A total of 25 coaches from 6 provinces and 4 districts participated in the technical course, which combined theory-based and practical training. As a result, eight coaches were granted international teaching licences by the BWF.
ORGANISING COMMITTEE FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
PARIS 2024
On 27 October, the Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 and the National Institute for Sport, Expertise and Performance (INSEP) signed a cooperation agreement aimed at continuing their collaboration, which began during the candidature phase. This agreement will include joint projects to develop athlete experience, performance and sports practice in France. Full details here.
RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
The International Olympic Academy (IOA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 28 October. The MoU was signed by the IOA President, Isidoros Kouvelos, and the OCA Acting President, Raja Randhir Singh, in the presence of the Saudi Minister of Sports and NOC President, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Alfaisal Al Saud, the NOC Vice-President and NOA President, Prince Fahad bin Jalawi Al Saud, and IOC Vice-President and IOA Ephoria Member Ser Miang Ng. Through this MoU, the IOA aims to create new forms of synergies with the OCA and to develop new educational opportunities in Asian societies, in order to promote the Olympic values of respect, friendship and peace. More details here.
As part of an ongoing initiative to engage directly with various stakeholders around the world, the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Witold Bańka, and Director General Olivier Niggli met on 26 October in Amman with Prince Feisal Al Hussein, IOC Executive Board member and President of the Jordan Olympic Committee; Bisher Al Khasawneh, the Jordanian Prime Minister; and Mohammad Al Nabulsi, the Jordanian Minister for Youth. The discussions covered a broad range of topics, including how to build capacity and develop the regional anti-doping programme, particularly in the areas of testing, education, scientific research and athlete engagement. More details here.
Meeting on the occasion of the World Union of Olympic Cities’ annual meeting and the Smart Cities & Sport Summit, the Mayors and Deputy Mayors of 13 Olympic cities took the opportunity to discuss their roles both as cities and Olympic cities vis-à-vis the integration of refugees through sport, with the IOC President and UNHCR representatives in attendance. UNHCR has already engaged in dialogue with several cities and aims to widen and strengthen collaboration on city engagement. The meeting served to highlight the importance of cities and networks of cities like the World Union of Olympic Cities, and the power of sport, in addressing the challenge of integrating refugees. Full details here.