Olympic Highlights 05/02/2024
IOC
PRESIDENT
On 1 February, the curtain finally came down on the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024 with a Closing Ceremony in the Olympic Park in Gangneung.
At the closing, the flags of the teams from the 78 NOCs taking part were paraded, before a ceremony where the athletes thanked the volunteers. As the snow fell, IOC President Thomas Bach thanked the volunteers, before turning to the athletes and telling them: "You have played an important part in the success of these Games. Thank you for your competition and thank you for your smiles.” He added: “All this would not have been possible without our Korean friends." Then he ended by telling the young athletes: "And now enjoy the party!" After that, the Gangwon 2024 Youth Olympic flame was finally extinguished.
Following the Closing Ceremony, the traditional thank-you reception was held. All the Korean partners who have worked so hard to make the first-ever Winter Youth Olympic Games in Asia such a resounding success were singled out for congratulations. Praising the Korean President, President Bach said: “I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol. Under his great leadership, the support we have enjoyed in the planning and delivery of these Games has been outstanding. His presence at the Opening Ceremony demonstrated the close partnership between Korea and the Olympic Movement.”
During a press conference ahead of the Closing Ceremony, the IOC President highlighted that the Winter YOG Gangwon 2024 have been a “great demonstration of Olympic legacy and solidarity”. The President, joined by Gangwon 2024 Coordination Commission Chair and IOC Member Hong Zhang, congratulated the Gangwon State authorities, the Gangwon 2024 Organising Committee, the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation and the volunteers for the “outstanding success” of these Games. Full news release here.
Earlier, the President had a meeting with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Han Duck-soo, to whom he expressed his congratulations for the success of Gangwon 2024. They also discussed the current geopolitical situation.
The President also had a meeting with Kim Jin-tae, the Governor of Gangwon State whom he congratulated on the successful organisation of the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 and for carrying on the legacy of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.
He also met Kim Hong-kyu, the Mayor of Gangneung, whom he thanked for the warm hospitality of the Gangneung citizens and for his support in the successful organisation of the YOG.
President Bach visited the Samsung Galaxy Olympic Games Experience Centre, located in Gangneung Olympic Park, where he had the opportunity to get introduced to various AI features developed by Samsung. Also present, was Younghee Lee, President of the Global Marketing Office at Samsung Electronics.
Earlier, in Seoul, President Bach had met with Lee Jae-yong, Executive Chairman of Samsung Electronics, a Worldwide Olympic Partner. They discussed Samsung’s continued support for the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Games.
President Bach also met Raynald Aeschlimann, the President and CEO of Worldwide Olympic Partner OMEGA. OMEGA brought its cutting-edge technology to Gangwon 2024 as the Official Timekeeper, having served in the same role at all six previous editions of the Youth Olympic Games.
In addition, President Bach met Lee Hee-beom, who was President of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 and expressed his thanks for the hard and soft Olympic legacies from the highly successful PyeongChang 2018 Games that had been brought to Gangwon 2024.
During the Games, President Bach visited all the competition venues, many of which are a legacy from the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. He also talked to many of the young athletes from the 78 NOCs competing at these Games.
He also met IOC Young Leaders, whom he congratulated for their engagement to use the power of sport to make a difference in their communities, and for sharing this with the young athletes. With IOC Young Reporters, he spoke about various topics, such as artificial intelligence and the importance of bringing the Olympic Games to Africa.
President Bach also attended the sixth anniversary celebration of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. This was held in the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Museum, where the IOC President cut a birthday cake with the Vice-Governor of Gangwon, the Mayor of PyeongChang, and three Korean medallists from Gangwon 2024: Jae-hwan So (gold medal in men's monobob), Shin-ee Yun (silver medal in mixed team dual moguls) and Yeonsu Shin (bronze medal in men's skeleton). Also attending the event were Olympic ice dancers Maia and Alex Shibutani (USA), who won bronze at PyeongChang 2018. IOC Member Seung-min Ryu, who chairs the PyeongChang Legacy Foundation, was also present at the ceremony. More details under “Gangwon 2024”.
Addressing the 1,984 volunteers attending the YOG Gangwon 2024 in a video message, the IOC President expressed his heartfelt thanks to the great Gangwon Shine Crew. “They will shine forever in our memories, and they will always have a special place in our hearts,” he said. Full news release here.
During a ceremony in Gangneung, President Bach presented the Olympic Order to Yoon Se-young, the founder of Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS), in recognition of his contribution to the promotion of the Olympic Movement and the development of Korean sport as a sports broadcaster and administrator.
During the Winter YOG, the IOC President had meetings with the many IOC Members, IF and NOC presidents, and TOP Partner representatives who were present at the Games.
President Bach briefly left the Winter Youth Olympic Games to attend memorial services for two renowned statesmen.
He first went to the German Bundestag in Berlin for a state memorial ceremony for former President of the Bundestag Wolfgang Schäuble. The ceremony was attended by Dr Schäuble's family, the Federal President and other representatives of the constitutional bodies, alongside numerous guests of honour. At the ceremony, French President Emmanuel Macron said: “Germany has lost a statesman, Europe has lost a pillar, France has lost a friend.”
Later, the IOC President flew to the United States for a private family memorial for Henry Kissinger, who was an IOC Honour Member and instrumental in the reform process following the Salt Lake City scandal. The memorial was held at the Emanu-El Temple in New York. Dr Kissinger, who was 100 when he died in November, had continued to give advice to President Bach in recent years. He had been a national security adviser and Secretary of State under two United States presidents.
Whilst in New York, President Bach also met with the President of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Gene Sykes. They discussed the upcoming editions of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, Milano Cortina and Los Angeles. They also discussed the geopolitical situation.
From Seoul, President Bach went to Doha, Qatar, to attend the World Aquatics Championships 2024.
The President met the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, who is also an IOC Member. They spoke about the geopolitical situation and its impact on sport, and other topics of mutual interest.
Later, he also met with the President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
In Doha, the IOC President met World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam and Vice-President Sam Ramsamy, who is also an IOC Honorary Member. During their meeting, they addressed a number of Olympic topics, including the preparations for the aquatics competitions at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The President then met the members of the World Aquatics Bureau. IOC Honorary Member Julio César Maglione, who is a former President of World Aquatics, was also present.
While attending events at the Championships, President Bach met a number of the swimmers taking part and awarded the medals in the mixed synchronised 10m platform event.
President Bach also attended the quarter-final of the Asian Cup at Al Bayt Stadium between hosts Qatar and Uzbekistan. Qatar progressed after a penalty shoot-out.
In Doha, President Bach also met IOC Member and President of the Israeli NOC, Yael Arad and IOC Member Britta Heidemann, who is also a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. They both accompanied the President to the World Aquatics event and the Asian Cup football match.
Upon his return to Lausanne, the IOC President welcomed the members of the Executive Committee of the International Canoe Federation (ICF), led by Thomas Konietzko, who were meeting at Olympic House. The President congratulated the ICF on its 100th anniversary and wished it all the best with the preparations for the canoe competitions at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Among the ICF Executive Committee members were John Edwards and Luciano Buonfiglio, who both took part in the canoe sprint at the Olympic Games Montreal 1976. They were both presented with a diploma and OLY pin by President Bach, before signing the Olympians Wall.
MEMBERS
Andrew Parsons, IOC Member and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President was awarded an honorary 9th dan taekwondo black belt certificate by World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue during a ceremony held at the federation’s headquarters in Seoul, Korea (photo). He received this award in recognition of his support for the development of Para taekwondo. More details here on the World Taekwondo website.
TOP PARTNERS
The IOC’s Worldwide Olympic Partners have supported efforts to engage with the next generation at the Winter YOG Gangwon 2024 through a range of innovative activations. Discover them here.
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
The IOC Olympic Studies Centre (OSC) has selected four projects for the 2024 PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme. Based on their academic quality, the four research projects were selected for the current edition of the programme, which seeks to promote Olympic-related research with a humanities or social sciences perspective, and foster the development of future teachers in the various fields of Olympic studies around the world. The chosen candidates will benefit from a grant which will allow them to carry out their research project and, if relevant, consult the OSC’s resources in Lausanne. The results of their research must be submitted to the OSC at the end of 2024. For further information on the projects, see here.
The Olympic Studies Centre has published the “Olympic Knowledge – Essential Readings Series”, a collection of 10 introductory articles on the historical development of the Games and the IOC. The articles, written by esteemed scholars in an accessible format and language, serve as a rich knowledge source for all audiences. Discover Part 1 of this collection on the Olympic World Library.
The graduation ceremony for the first cohort of the Women in Sport High Performance Pathway (WISH) programme took place remotely on 22 January. The 17 recently certified female coaches attended the event from various places and time zones around the world. The programme, which focuses on leadership and coaching, is supported by Olympic Solidarity and comprises one week at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, followed by 21 months of online courses. The ceremony was led by Elizabeth Pike, the Project Director of WISH, with a keynote speech from IOC Member Sergii Bubka, who also chairs the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission. Bubka shared his experience as an athlete, spoke about his relationship with his coach and underlined the importance of coaches in the life of an athlete.
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
FIBA and the International School Sport Federation (ISF) have extended their collaboration by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which runs until the end of December 2027. The MoU aims to promote sport and basketball in education at both local and international level. The ISF will use its channels in schools and the education system, further promoting both basketball and 3x3, with the aim of enhancing gender equality through basketball activities and expanding the educational content of its competitive events. More specific initiatives will be undertaken by FIBA and the ISF under the broader aim of encouraging the practice of basketball among school students of all genders. The two organisations tipped off their collaboration in 2014. More details here.
International Canoe Federation (ICF)
The ICF is celebrating its centenary with a series of activities planned this year to mark the milestone. The celebrations will coincide with the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and culminate with the ICF Congress in Antalya, Türkiye, in November. A commemorative book will be published later this year, while a number of articles highlighting key moments for the sport over the past 100 years will also be produced for the ICF website. Read here the full story.
International Tennis Federation (ITF)
The ITF and the ITF Olympic Committee have appointed an equal number of women and men to officiate as International Technical Officials (ITO) at the Paris 2024 Olympic tennis events and Paralympic wheelchair tennis events. A total of 151 ITOs representing 69 nations will officiate the 208 Olympic tennis matches from 27 July to 4 August 2024, and the 144 Paralympic wheelchair tennis matches from 30 August to 7 September 2024. Detailed info here.
World Taekwondo
World Taekwondo and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, officially inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to fortify refugee empowerment and self-reliance through the practice of taekwondo. Established through a strategic partnership, this collaboration between UNHCR and World Taekwondo focuses on using taekwondo to enhance the mental and physical well-being of refugees. The MoU outlines key initiatives, including the establishment of after-school taekwondo programmes tailored for refugee children within Korea. Additionally, joint campaigns will be launched to promote a more balanced perception of refugees. Full info here.
World Triathlon
World Triathlon has announced the opening of applications for the 2024 Athlete Scholarship Programme (deadline for submission: 12 February). The Programme is designed to identify and provide support, resources and expertise to those athletes from developing/emerging National Federations with the greatest need, to help them compete at continental and world level over the last few months of the Olympic qualification period (cut-off on 27 May 2024) and help with their preparation and qualification for the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024. World Triathlon will release the Next Triathlon Generation Programme for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 and beyond in July 2024. Full info here.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
British Olympic Association (BOA)
On 26 January, just six months before the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the BOA announced the names of the six children selected to be Team GB’s first ever Mini Mascots. The six, aged from 8 to 11, are from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Yorkshire, Surrey and Cornwall. The Mini Mascots will support Team GB athletes all the way to Paris, from kitting out - when athletes will head to Birmingham to collect their Olympic kit - to local team announcements and participating in Team GB Fanzones. Full details here.
Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC)
The SF&OC’s Hong Kong Olympic Fan Club has launched the "Passing on the Torch" programme, which leverages the perseverance of athletes and the Olympic spirit to encourage young people to strive for self-improvement when facing adversity. A kick-off ceremony was held on 27 January, in the presence of Clarence Leung, Under-Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs; Timothy Tsun Ting Fok, SF&OC President and IOC Honorary Member; and three ambassadors of the programme, fencers Siu Lun Cheung and Vivian Kong, and karateka Chun Ho Lee. The athletes also shared their personal life experience to encourage young people to stay positive in the face of challenges. Subsidised by the "Funding Scheme for Youth Positive Thinking Activities" launched by the HKSAR Government, the "Passing on the Torch " programme will offer a variety of sports-themed activities from now until June 2025 for participants aged between 12 and 25. Detailed info here.
Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC)
Throughout January this year, the JOC showed its unwavering commitment to educating its athletes by holding workshops focused on equipping athletes with tools to succeed in their careers once they retire from competition. More than 80 Jordanian athletes took part in the Athlete365 Career+ programme, endorsed by the IOC. Organised by the Jordan Olympic Academy, the programme proposed several topics including life skills, education and employment, ranging from self-discovery to creating resumes, while the workshops simultaneously offered the opportunity to learn from fellow athletes and Olympians. More info here.
Moroccan NOC (CNOM)
As part of the scholarship programme to prepare athletes for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, at the end of January the CNOM brought together the Moroccan scholarship-holders and their technical support staff. Individual assessments were conducted to check on the progress of the Olympic preparations. The programme also featured workshops on mental preparation, nutrition, medical monitoring and communication. More details here.
Oman Olympic Committee (OOC)
The OOC Board of Directors held its first meeting of 2024, led by OOC Chair Khalid bin Muhammad Al-Zubair. The Board approved the international participation programme for 2024, which includes the 7th Arab Women’s Club Games in the United Arab Emirates from 1 to 11 February, the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the 6th Asian Indoor Games in Bangkok, Thailand, from 21 to 30 November. For the 7th Arab Women’s Club Games, the official delegation will be headed by Lujaina bint Mohsen Al Zaabiya, OOC Board member. More than 560 female athletes representing 63 teams from 15 Arab countries in 8 sports will take part in the event. More details at www.ooc.om.
Venezuelan NOC
The Chef de Mission of the Venezuelan delegation going to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Franklin Cardillo, held meetings with the national sports federations this week. The sailing, cycling, modern pentathlon, canoeing and archery federations were the first to present their plans for qualifying for the Games in Paris.
OLYMPIC GAMES ORGANISING COMMITTEES
PARIS 2024
On 31 January, with six months to go before the start of the Paris 2024 Games, the faces of those who will have the chance to run the same course as the Olympic marathon runners on the evening of 10 August 2024 were introduced. Alongside this Mass Participation Marathon, a “Marathon Pour Tous Connecté” will kick off on Saturday 10 August at 8 a.m., coinciding with the start of the men's Olympic marathon from the square in front of the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. Paris 2024 will invite the general public to participate in this unique “connected” race from wherever they are in the world, to celebrate the Games and sport. Runners must run for at least 30 minutes for their participation to count. Full news release here.
YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES ORGANISING COMMITTEES
GANGWON 2024
Seven of the 12 competition venues of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 were used for the YOG Gangwon 2024. But the legacy of PyeongChang 2018 is much more than that. Thanks to the projects of the PyeongChang Legacy Foundation (PLF), students and young athletes from several countries have been introduced to winter sports. Thirty-nine of the participants in the PLF projects qualified for the YOG, with two medals won at Gangwon 2024 by two athletes from developing winter sports nations: Agnese Campeol (Thailand), who won silver in the women’s monobob, and Jonathan Lourimi (Tunisa), who clinched silver in the men’s monobob. Campeol and Lourimi were among the students at the New Horizon Academy. Established in 2021 by the PLF, it invites athletes from developing winter sports countries to attend training camps under the guidance of expert coaches, some of whom competed for the Republic of Korea at PyeongChang 2018, while also participating in cultural and educational initiatives. In total, 25 athletes from nine NOCs and five sports competed at Gangwon 2024 after attending the camps. Read the full news story here.
DAKAR 2026
As the Senegalese capital prepares to welcome the world’s best youth athletes aiming to create a positive impact for young people throughout the host nation and the African continent, the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee celebrates 1,000 days to go until the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026. This event holds historical significance as it will be the first Olympic event to be held on African soil. Read the full news release here.
RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA)
“ANOCA Magazine” has produced a special issue looking back on the activities of the Olympic and sports movement in Africa last year. For its part, the February issue of the “ANOCA Newsletter” focuses on the first ANOCA Zone 3 games, which were held in Lomé (Togo) from 5 to 8 December 2023.
International Committee of Mediterranean Games (ICMG)
The ICMG, in cooperation with the Taranto 2026 Organising Committee, has announced that the final dates of the XX Mediterranean Games are as follows: Opening Ceremony on 21 August 2026 and Closing Ceremony on 3 September 2026. The change in dates was decided mainly for climate-related reasons, due to the prevailing weather conditions in the summer in the Italian region of Apulia, where the host city of Taranto is located. Full details here.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
WADA has published the findings of “Operation Refuge”, a broad analysis and examination of doping amongst minors in sport. “Operation Refuge” reports in detail on the deep trauma and isolation child athletes experience following a positive test and doping sanction. Full news release here.
Panathlon International
The Panathlon International Foundation - Domenico Chiesa, in cooperation with the Fédération Internationale Cinéma Télévision Sportifs, is organising a special video competition on the theme of “Olympic Emotions”. Registration is free, and forms should be submitted by no later than 30 July 2024. The award ceremony will take place as part of "SPORT MOVIES & TV 2024" scheduled in Milan, Italy, from 5 to 9 November. More details including the competition rules here.