Olympic Highlights 10/07/2023
IOC
PRESIDENT
The IOC has welcomed a Declaration by the Non-Aligned Movement, chaired by Azerbaijan, which unites 120 of the 193 UN Member States. The Declaration, which was passed unanimously, emphasises that “the participation of athletes from all 206 National Olympic Committees in Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games would be a strong symbol of unity of humanity.” In this respect it expresses its “support to the efforts and initiatives undertaken by the International Olympic Committee to this end”.
This position is fully aligned with the IOC recommendations for International Federations and international sports event organisers on the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport in international competitions, including qualifiers for the Olympic Games.
IOC President Thomas Bach thanked the Non-Aligned Movement for its support: “The IOC warmly welcomes the support by the 120 member states of the Non-Aligned Movement. We are greatly encouraged by this strong commitment to the unifying mission of the Olympic Games. Thank you to the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, for taking the initiative for this important resolution.”
Read the full statement of the Non-Aligned Movement here.
This declaration follows a statement from the G7 Leaders’ Summit in May, in which the G7 said that they are “fully respecting the autonomy of sporting organisations” and want to ensure that “Russian and Belarusian athletes are in no way appearing as representatives of their states”. This is also fully aligned with the position of the IOC in this respect.
This week at Olympic House, IOC President Thomas Bach met the President of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), Marco Scolaris. The two men discussed the preparations for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and the World Championships taking place in Berne (Switzerland) next month, which will serve as a qualifier for Paris 2024.
Also at Olympic House, the IOC President welcomed Swiss former track and field athlete Léa Sprunger, who competed at three editions of the Olympic Games (London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020). She is today a project manager for Athletissima, the Diamond League meeting held in Lausanne. They discussed various Olympic topics, including the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The IOC President also presented a diploma and OLY pin to Palestinian swimmer Ahmed Gebrel, who competed at the Olympic Games London 2012 and Rio 2016. Gebrel also signed the Olympians Wall.
The President met with Dr Sven Güldenpfennig, the renowned German sports and cultural scientist. They discussed how the autonomy of sport can be best protected against political interests and how the neutrality of sport can be upheld.
Various topical issues were discussed at a meeting with Jean Todt, United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety and Honorary President of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1 President and CEO.
The IOC President held a phone call with European Commission Vice- President Margarítis Schinás. They discussed the international situation and the position of the Olympic Movement, as well as the autonomy of sport as a core principle of the EU’s Sport Model and EU policy.
The President spoke on the phone with IOC Member Luis Alberto Moreno, who is also the IOC’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations, and with former US Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle.
The President also held phone calls with IOC Members Anant Singh and Karl Stoss and IOC Honorary Members Sam Ramsamy and Richard Pound, with whom he spoke about a wide range of current Olympic topics, including the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024, the international situation and the position of the Olympic Movement.
On Sunday 9 July, President Bach will attend the Finals of the 2023 World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland. He will be accompanied by World Rowing President and IOC Member Jean-Christophe Rolland.
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
The IOC has developed a new Mental Health Action Plan that takes a wider approach to supporting the protection and promotion of athlete mental well-being. The Plan emphasises the importance of recognising that athletes’ mental health needs are as important for their performance and well-being as their physical health needs, and that good mental health means much more than just the absence of a mental health symptom or disorder. Full details here.
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
The UCI has announced that professional road cycling stakeholders have united to launch SafeR (SafeRoadcycling), an independent entity to improve the safety of professional road cycling. The announcement was made on 30 June at a press conference organised at the start of the Tour de France in Bilbao (Spain). SafeR will be funded jointly by the organisers, riders, teams and the UCI. Full details here. In addition, the UCI has published its Annual Report for 2022, which includes its financial statements. Full info here.
World Aquatics
World Aquatics has confirmed the hosts for upcoming World Aquatics Diving Recognised Events. Click here to see the schedule, which will feature three events to be held at the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024.
World Athletics
The Cook Islands won the Kids’ Athletics Day Member Federation Challenge following an eight-day programme of activities throughout May. Around the world, more than 300,000 children participated in events to mark Kids’ Athletics Day – a global day dedicated to celebrating children and young people being active by participating in athletics. Almost 500 children – which roughly translates to 10 per cent of the entire children’s population of the Cook Islands – took part in the events. Estonia and Bolivia were selected as runners-up in the challenge. More detailed info here.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
Dominican Republic NOC
On 5 July, the NOC announced the death of sports leader Luis Elpidio Cumba at the age of 84. Cumba was involved in sport both nationally and internationally for more than 50 years. As well as serving several terms on the NOC’s Executive Committee, he held other positions within the NOC, including a spell as Director of the Dominican Olympic Academy and Chef de Mission for the Dominican team at the Olympic Games Seoul 1988. Internationally, he was Chancellor of the Central America and Caribbean Sports Organisation, now known as Centro Caribe Sports. More details here.
Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC)
The first business psychology workshop has been organised by the HOC Athletes’ Committee, which is chaired by Olympic silver medallist Voula Kozompoli. The innovative programme designed for athletes has been created by the HOC’s business psychologist and dual career programme project manager, Christina Nikolopoulou. Its aim is to provide practical steps for the development of professional and personal behavioural skills during the transition of each athlete into a new role in sport or a new career. The workshop was led by Stephen Benton, a pioneer in business psychology in the United Kingdom. Full details here.
Olympic Committee of Israel
The NOC celebrated Olympic Day by organising an Olympic Festival at Meir Medical Centre, with the participation of Olympians and Paralympians along with dozens of children and teenagers. The NOC dedicated this special day – the theme of which this year was “Let’s Move” – to children and young people who are overweight or suffer from obesity at Meir Medical Centre, where Olympic athletes volunteer throughout the year. About 100 children were able to experience several Olympic and Paralympic sports. NOC President Yael Arad, Athletes’ Commission Chair Yakov Toumarkin and Olympic medallists Linoy Ashram and Peter Paltchik also participated in the event. More info at www.olympicsil.co.il
Liechtenstein Olympic Committee (LOC)
On 1 July, six new employees joined the LOC team. All of them are competitive athletes, from five different sports. They will be working on a 50 per cent basis. Their recruitment has been possible thanks to a new performance agreement with the country, which allows for a minimum level of social and financial security for athletes with an international track record or extraordinary potential for a professional sports career. The first athletes to benefit from this support are: Kathinka von Deichmann (tennis), Robin Frommelt (cross-country skiing), Nico Gauer (Alpine skiing), Marco Pfiffner (Alpine skiing), Romano Püntener (mountain biking) and Fabienne Wohlwend (automobile sports). More details here.
Spanish Olympic Committee (COE)
The COE and the Ministry of Education and Professional Development have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at promoting the Olympic values, focusing on the prevention of violence, managing coexistence and promoting an active and healthy lifestyle in primary and secondary education. The agreement was signed at the ministry by COE President Alejandro Blanco and Minister Pilar Alegría. The agreement will see both parties setting up programmes and activities around three main axes: producing teaching material, training teachers and planning sports promotion activities in schools. More details here. In addition, on the proposal of the Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, the Council of Ministers has agreed to grant a subsidy to the NOC to help promote sport in public centres that host migrants and people seeking international protection. Full details here.
United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC)
The USOPC has just published its 2022 Impact Report, which celebrates the accomplishments and collaboration across its entire community in 2022
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
PARIS 2024
On 4 July, Paris 2024 revealed the routes of the Olympic road cycling time trial and road race events. From its start at the Trocadéro in Paris, the road race route takes the men's and women's pelotons through the Chevreuse Valley before a final climb on the Butte Montmartre. For the first time in Olympic history, men and women will have the same route for their time trials. It will be a spectacular round trip from Les Invalides to the Bois de Vincennes and back, before the finish line on Pont Alexandre III. Full details here. In addition, the third phase of ticket sales for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 opened on 5 July on the official Paris 2024 ticketing platform. The focus of this phase is on events taking place in the regions outside Paris. It is the first phase fully open to everyone, allowing individuals in France or abroad to try their luck and secure tickets for their preferred events. The Paris 2024 ticketing platform, accessible from 5 July, will remain open until the Games in 2024. Full details here.
MILANO CORTINA 2026
An ambitious school education programme called GEN26, supported by several Olympians and athletes, has already captivated the hearts and minds of more than 100,000 students from 20 regions and 81 provinces across Italy over the last few months. As part of GEN26, Milano Cortina 2026 and the Italian NOC (CONI) have been actively engaging with students across Italy through a series of educational days called “Milano Cortina 2026 in the Schools”. By promoting sports and healthy, inclusive and sustainable lifestyles, GEN26 is looking to use the period leading up to the Games to inspire and encourage increased sports participation among the younger generation. Full news release here.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES
GANGWON 2024
With only 200 days to go to the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024, the Organising Committee, under the leadership of its two Co-Presidents, Lee Sang-hwa and Jin Jong-oh, celebrated the milestone in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The event saw the unveiling of the design for the reverse of the medals, along with the introduction of the official volunteer uniforms and the launch of PET bottle recycling initiatives. Read the full news release here.
RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA)
The closing ceremony of the 2nd African Beach Games took place on 30 June at Yassine Hammamet, Tunisia, in the presence of ANOCA President and IOC Member Mustapha Berraf. On this occasion the Chair of the Organising Committee, Mehrez Boussayene, handed over the relay baton to Equatorial Guinea’s Minister for Sport, Patricio Bakale Mba Medja, whose country will be hosting the next edition in 2027. Almost 2,300 people from 54 African countries were involved in the 2023 edition of these Games, in which 1,300 athletes took part. More details here. On the sidelines of these Games, a meeting took place between ANOCA and a delegation from the Chinese NOC, led by its President, Gao Zhidan. Also present were the President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), Robin Mitchell, and some of the IOC Members in Africa. The purpose of the meeting was to lay the foundations for a partnership between the Olympic Movement in Africa and China, covering, among other things, the preparation of athletes for forthcoming international events, training for coaches and officials, and the maintenance and development of sports infrastructure. The details will be defined in a cooperation agreement to be signed in China in September 2023. More details here.