Olympic Highlights 04/12/2023
IOC
PRESIDENT
Just a few months before the Olympic Games Paris 2024, IOC President Thomas Bach was in the French capital, this week for the meeting of the IOC Executive Board (EB) held from 29 November to 1st December.
On arrival in Paris, the President visited the headquarters of the ‘Service des Compagnies Motocyclistes’, ‘La Caserne des motards’, which will be a part of the security forces during the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
President Bach opened the second day of EB meeting with a moving tribute to IOC Honour Member Henry Kissinger. Upon learning of his passing at the age of 100, the President said: “Henry Kissinger was an extraordinary man – and avid sports fan – who was a friend of the Olympic Movement for 25 years. Everybody knows about Henry Kissinger’s very sharp and analytical mind. He always impressed you with his genius, while at the same time making you feel completely at ease. He was a very empathetic person with a good sense of humour.” President added: “He gave me invaluable advice in all the many geopolitical issues the world and sport had to face in recent years. I will greatly miss a brilliant man and a warm-hearted friend.” As a mark of respect, the IOC EB held a minute’s silence, and the Olympic flag will be flown at half-mast for three days at Olympic House in Lausanne. See also ‘Honour Member’s section.’
During its meeting, the EB discussed upcoming editions of the Olympic Games and Olympic institutional issues and took a number of decisions.
Following a recommendation by the IOC's Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games, chaired by IOC Member Karl Stoss, the IOC EB invited the French National Olympic Committee (CNOSF) and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to enter into Targeted Dialogues with regard to hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2030 in the French Alps, and the 2034 edition in Salt Lake City, Utah. The IOC will now start more detailed discussions with the Preferred Hosts, led by their NOCs, with the aim of awarding both editions at the 142nd IOC Session in July in Paris. In addition, the IOC EB decided to grant the non-edition-specific project, Switzerland 203x, a special status by inviting it to enter into “Privileged Dialogue” for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2038. Read the full news release here.
Fifty days before the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024, the IOC EB was briefed on the preparations for the next Winter YOG. Speaking via video conference, Coordination Commission Chair and IOC Member Hong Zhang warmly welcomed the appointment of the new President of the Gangwon 2024 Winter YOG Organising Committee (YOGOC) Choi Jong-gu (see also under “Gangwon 2024”). YOGOC Secretary General Kim Chul-min reported on the operational readiness and key milestones achieved in the lead-up to Gangwon 2024. Full detailed info here.
The IOC EB has also approved the list of 32 athletes – 18 female and 14 male – who will seek election to the IOC Athletes’ Commission next year at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Four positions are up for election. The candidates, who have been nominated by their respective NOCs together with their Athletes’ Commissions, come from 15 sports and 32 NOCs. Full details here.
The EB also heard an update about the next summer YOG edition, Dakar 2026. Present at the EB meeting, the Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for Dakar 2026, Kirsty Coventry, said about the advancement of the project: “It is a testament to the collaborative efforts between the YOGOC and IOC teams allowing for the necessary revisions and adaptations to the Dakar 2026 project in the current context.” General Coordinator of the Organising Committee Ibrahima Wade and IOC Member in Senegal Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye presented the updates on the YOG Dakar 2026, focusing on recent key developments. Detailed info here.
The EB also approved nine applications for a change of nationality. All nine are for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Details here.
The final day of the Executive Board was held at Pulse, the Paris 2024 headquarters, following which the IOC EB members visited the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Village. They toured the Village with the Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for Paris 2024, Pierre-Olivier Beckers- Vieujant, and representatives from the Organising Committee, including Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet. During the visit, President Bach was impressed by the latest progress made seven months before the arrival of the athletes.
Before the IOC EB meeting, President Bach took part in a Q&A session at the 2023 Smart Cities & Sport Summit, during which he discussed the many benefits already impacting positively the legacy of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. “Paris 2024 exemplifies a visionary legacy approach, where planning began well before the Games, as stipulated in our Olympic Agenda 2020,” he said. “The Organising Committee has embraced this new approach in a fantastic way, with the ‘Terre de jeux' programme engaging 4,500 cities and regions and already getting over 600,000 people more active every day.” And when it comes to social innovation, he recalled that “the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be younger, more sustainable, more urban and more inclusive than ever”. This year’s edition marked the 10th anniversary of the Smart Cities & Sport Summit and focused on sports events as catalysts for city transformation. This summit is an initiative of the World Union of Olympic Cities chaired by the Mayor of Lausanne, Grégoire Junod. Read the full news release here.
The IOC President also met Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo to discuss preparations for Paris 2024. Both also attended the lighting up of the Paris Hôtel de Ville façade in the colours of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. Also participating were International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President and IOC Member Andrews Parsons, and Paris 2024 Organising Committee President Tony Estanguet.
Beforehand, President Bach met the Paris 2024 Organising Committee team in charge of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, including Artistic Director Thomas Jolly. Up-to-date information on the concept of the Opening Ceremony – set to be held along the River Seine – was presented to the IOC President.
Also in Paris, the IOC President met Afghan refugee cyclist in France Masomah Ali Zada, a member of the Refugee Olympic Team at Tokyo 2020 and an IOC Athletes’ Commission member.
The President also held a meeting with IOC Member Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye. Their discussions focused on various topical Olympic matters, including the next Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games.
HONOUR MEMBER
It is with the deepest regret that the IOC has learnt of the passing of IOC Honour Member Henry Kissinger at the age of 100. A long-time friend of the Olympic Movement and sports enthusiast, Mr Kissinger played a crucial role in proposing wide-ranging reforms to the IOC as a member of the Executive Committee of the IOC 2000 Commission. In 2002, he was appointed as an IOC Honour Member, a role in which he tirelessly advocated the power of the Olympic Games to bring the world together in peaceful competition. During his decades-long tenure, his insights and guidance were instrumental in shaping the broader role of the IOC and the Olympic Games within society. Mr Kissinger was recently awarded the Olympic Order. Henry Kissinger served as the Secretary of State of the United States of America from 1973 to 1977, and became a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate in 1973. Full news release here.
TOP PARTNERS
Athletes around the world have again welcomed the support offered by IOC Athlete365 and Airbnb through the Athlete Travel Grants programme, which will provide 1,000 Olympians, Paralympians, and Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls with a USD 2,000 grant to cover their travel and accommodation expenses. More than 4,500 athletes applied to receive a grant in 2023. The initiative, a collaborative effort between the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Worldwide Olympic Partner Airbnb, underscores Athlete365’s commitment to providing tangible support to Olympians, Paralympians, and Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls. Full news release here.
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
“Sport Integrity Week” took place from 27 November to 1 December in Athens (Greece) with the aim of further fostering cooperation between stakeholders in order to prevent competition manipulation and protect the integrity of sport and the athletes. The Week started with a capacity-building activity that brought together integrity experts from eight countries (Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Malta, Romania and Türkiye), NOCs, ministries, police forces and prosecutors, who were joined by representatives from their national platforms (the local hubs established in line with the Macolin Convention and comprising NOCs, sports organisations, state authorities and law enforcement authorities). Participants exchanged good practices, lessons learnt from their experience and case scenarios. The activity was co-organised by the IOC, the Council of Europe, EPATHLA (the Greek national platform for sport integrity), INTERPOL, UEFA and the Hellenic Football Federation (HFF). A welcome address was delivered by HOC President and IOC Member Spyros Capralos. Sport Integrity Week also included the 7th meeting of the Macolin Convention’s Follow-Up Committee, in which the IOC has observer status, and a national sports integrity event of the EPATHLA. Read the full news release here.
China’s two-time Olympic and Youth Olympic freestyle skiing champion and record-holder Eileen Gu will be the Global Ambassador for the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024. This was announced by the IOC on 30 November. The 20-year-old captured the attention of sports fans around the world with her record-breaking performances at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, where she topped the podium in both halfpipe and big air and won silver in slopestyle. As well as being a role model to look up to for the young athletes, Gu will be actively promoting Gangwon 2024 to her millions of followers across social media, helping to raise awareness and increase global interest in the YOG. Read the full news release here
Fourteen aspiring journalists from the Republic of Korea, France, Italy and Senegal will participate in the Young Reporters Programme at the Winter YOG Gangwon 2024. Their names were announced on 29 November by the IOC. The participants, all aged between 19 and 24, will receive specialised training and mentoring from seasoned Olympic media professionals during the Winter YOG Gangwon 2024. More info about the programme and the Young Reporters here.
In relation to the process of electing Olympic and Paralympic hosts, find here the key things to know about how the IOC decides whether to open a Targeted Dialogue with a Preferred Host for a specific edition of the Games.
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
On 27 November at the FIBA headquarters in Mies (Switzerland), the FIBA Executive Committee confirmed the hosts of the 2024 men's FIBA Olympic qualifying tournaments. The National Federations of Greece, Latvia, Puerto Rico and Spain were awarded the hosting rights of the four FIBA Olympic qualifying tournaments, which will be played from 2 to 7 July 2024 in the cities of Piraeus, Riga, San Juan and Valencia. Full details here. The draw for these tournaments then took place, so the 24 teams in contention now know the route that could take them to the Paris 2024 Olympic basketball tournament. Draw results here. Read about the outcomes of the meeting of the FIBA Executive Committee, held on 28 November, here. FIBA also announced the hosts cities for two out of the three Olympic Qualifying Tournaments for the FIBA 3x3 basketball event at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. All details here.
International Equestrian Federation (FEI)
Aachen in Germany has been awarded the FEI World Championships 2026 in Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage, Eventing, Driving and Vaulting. The decision was taken by the FEI Board, chaired by IOC Member Ingmar De Vos, at its in-person meeting on 18 November. The Championships will take place over two weeks in August 2026 and will launch the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic qualification cycle in jumping, dressage, eventing and Para equestrian. Aachen is renowned internationally for its CHIO, one of the world’s largest and most prestigious equestrian events, whose General Manager is IOC Member Michael Mronz. The FEI Board also allocated the FEI World Championships 2026 in Endurance to the city of Al Ula in Saudi Arabia. More details here.
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF)
From 18 to 26 November, the ISSF made history in Doha with its first World Cup Final held in four years. A total of 179 athletes from 42 nations competed in the Qatari capital in 12 individual events that will be part of next year’s Olympic programme, with additional Super Finals for selected disciplines. Streamed on the Olympic Channel and ISSF TV on YouTube alongside interviews and podiums, the ISSF World Cup Final was a stunning conclusion to the 2023 season, with several of the competitions taking place under the floodlights in Lusail Sports Arena. The prospect of a return to Doha for the next ISSF World Cup Final is already under discussion between ISSF President Luciano Rossi and the Qatari authorities. As we count down to the 15 rifle, pistol and shotgun events to be staged at Paris, the global shooting athlete community is now focusing on more Olympic qualifying opportunities on the horizon starting in early 2024. Info at www.issf-sports.org.
International Tennis Federation (ITF)
The ITF has revealed the 12 players (7 women and 5 men) elected to serve on the ITF World Tennis Tour Player Panels for the next two years. Both panels (one women’s, one men’s) will continue to be chaired by Mark Woodforde and Mary Pierce, who also serve as athlete representatives on the ITF Board of Directors. Established in 2020, the panels provide a forum for players to provide their input and have their say on how the tour is run, with members elected by their fellow players. Full info here.
World Athletics
Three-quarters of athletes perceive a direct negative impact on their health and performance due to climate change, with 85% expressing that the sport of athletics has experienced adverse consequences, according to the third annual survey conducted by World Athletics to gauge the attitudes of elite athletes about environmental and social issues. Some 373 athletes participated in the survey, conducted between 20 August and 15 September 2023. Acting on athletes’ concerns, in 2022, World Athletics established Champions for a Better World, a group of nine athletes representing each of its six continental areas who are lending their voices to sustainability campaigning within the sport, allowing athletes to collectively raise awareness about climate change. Full detailed info here.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC)
The CNOM hosted the third seminar for technical and sports directors organised by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) on 10 and 11 November 2023 in Rabat. More than 60 representatives from 43 NOCs took part. The seminar enabled them to discuss and share their knowledge and experience, and create a network to ensure that their athletes are properly prepared for the upcoming Olympic Games. ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg visited the NOC headquarters on this occasion. More details here on the CNOM website and here on the ANOC website.
NOC of the Dominican Republic
Ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the NOC, the Sports Ministry and the French Embassy in the Dominican Republic will implement a comprehensive activity programme. Brigitte Veyne, an Advisor on Cooperation and Cultural Action at the Embassy, and NOC President Garibaldy Bautista outlined the guidelines for running a series of activities that will benefit the athletes competing at the Paris 2024 Games, and will also help to promote the two countries’ celebration of these Games. The Embassy committed to working with the NOC to celebrate Olympic Day and other activities to promote culture and sport nationally. Representatives of the French Alliance of Santo Domingo and the French International School were also present. More details at www.colimdo.org.
Georgian NOC
The NOC and its Athletes’ Commission recently organised a joint activity to promote and disseminate the spirit of Olympism among regional public schools. On 21 November, Olympic shooting champion Nino Salukvadze, NOC Secretary General Emzar Zenaishvili and NOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Gogita Arkania (double karate world champion) paid a visit to the Lanchkhuti municipality public school in Guria region. Information about the Olympic Movement and the Georgian Olympic Movement was presented to the pupils, who had the opportunity to hear interesting stories from role models Nino and Gogita. The school received from the NOC various items of sports equipment and literature on Olympism. An Olympic quiz was also organised by the NOC. Info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
Oman Olympic Committee (OOC)
Represented by the Oman Olympic Academy (OOA), the OOC organised its first specialised symposium, entitled “Designing Training Plans – Periodisation”, at Sultan Qaboos University and the OOA, as part of the National Coach Certification Programme (NCCP) to develop and enhance the capabilities of sports coaches in Oman. The NCCP enables coaches to participate in an educational programme that provides them with a valuable opportunity to gain knowledge and experience and develop their skills, and will have a positive impact in enhancing the performance of athletes in Oman and raising their technical levels. The symposium was presented by Shihab Al-Din bin Ahmed Al-Riyami, Director of the National Coach Certification Programme. The 16 participants were coaches from sports federations and clubs, the military sports sector, and universities and educational colleges. More info at www.ooc.om.
Paraguayan NOC
Children from the French lycée in Asunción took part in a sports day at the Olympic Park, as part of an event dubbed the Pequeños Juegos Olímpicos. With the whole NOC team in attendance, the children participated in a range of activities and met the Paraguay team’s official mascot, Tirika. More info here.
Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC)
On 28 November, Riyadh hosted the 12th General Assembly of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation, with representatives from the NOCs of the 57 Islamic countries. The agenda included the extension of the Board of Directors' term, the hosting of the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in 2025 and the 7th edition in 2029, and the Federation's strategic plan. Since 2019, the Federation has been chaired by SOPC President Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal. In addition, Riyadh also hosted, for the first time, the forum and electoral General Assembly of the Asian Paralympic Committee. More than 200 participants from 45 Asian countries took part. Info at www.olympic.sa.
Suriname Olympic Committee
With financial support from Olympic Solidarity and guidance from Silvia Dalotto from the National Olympic Academy of Argentina, the NOC launched its first Olympic education programme in the week of 18 to 25 November. Over 60 physical educators, teachers, coaches and community leaders participated in Suriname’s Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), gaining a comprehensive understanding of the Olympic values framework. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Regional Development and Sport expressed their full support for the implementation of Olympic education in Suriname.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
PARIS 2024
The Olympic Games Paris 2024 are already providing tangible social legacies to all layers of French society, benefitting millions of people, businesses and communities throughout the country, an interim evaluation report of the Paris 2024 legacies says. The report has been produced by a group of experts from the Centre de Droit et d’Economie du Sport (CDES) of Limoges, the Pluricité group and the Phare Agency, and has been complemented by Ipama and Sport 1.5. It follows new guidelines from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), developed to help measure the long-term impacts of global events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Find more info about Paris 2024 projects and initiatives here.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES
GANGWON 2024
On 27 November, Gangneung native and former Chairman of the Financial Services Commission (FSC) Choi Jong-gu was appointed as President of the Organising Committee (YOGOC) for the upcoming Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 at an official event in Seoul (Republic of Korea). Until now, the Organising Committee had been operating under the co-presidency of multiple Olympic gold medallists Lee Sang-hwa and Jin Jong-oh, who will continue supporting the promotional side of Gangwon 2024 and actively communicate with the young athletes. A new seven-member Advisors Group will also be joining the YOGOC to support Gangwon 2024 on a daily basis. Full news release here.
RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA)
ANOCA has, in close collaboration with French authorities and the French Olympic Movement, undertaken to organise a public interest event dubbed “AFRICA-STATION”. This civic initiative will enable young people in the suburbs of Paris to get involved in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and experience the excitement of the Games at a special sports and cultural site in the commune of Île-Saint-Denis. Find out more about this project here. The latest issue of the “ANOCA Newsletter” looks back at the 40th Seminar for Secretaries General of African NOCs, held at the beginning of November in Mombasa (Kenya).
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
WADA’s 2022 Annual Report has been published digitally and includes the Agency’s key achievements and audited financial statements. The report was approved by WADA’s Foundation Board on 17 November. Full news release here.
SportAccord
The organisers of the World Sport & Business Summit 2024 unveiled the official logo for the event, set to take place in Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom. This unveiling marks a significant milestone in the lead-up to the Summit, where the worlds of sports and business will converge from 7 to 11 April to exchange ideas, reconnect and make new contacts. Coming two years after the successful 2022 Commonwealth Games, the World Sport & Business Summit will bring together over 1,500 leaders from sports and business. More details here.