Olympic Highlights 12/06/2024
IOC
PRESIDENT
IOC President Thomas Bach was in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, last Wednesday, 5 June. Welcomed by the President of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), IOC Member Spyros Capralos, he addressed the 53rd General Assembly of the EOC, and looked ahead to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, now just 49 days away.
“Whoever you speak to, everybody is fed up,” he said. “Everybody is fed up with all this hate, all this aggression, all this killing, war and confrontation. In all our hearts we are looking for something that finally brings us together, that finally gives us hope and finally gives us light in this dark world. This is the expectation billions of people have for these Olympic Games. These Games are the only event which promises to bring the entire world together in a peaceful competition,” he added.
He continued that these Olympic Games would be the first Games planned from the very first moment according to the principles of Olympic Agenda 2020. In his speech, Thomas Bach also touched on the digital future of the sports movement, with the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) and the IOC’s Olympic AI Agenda, as well as of esports.
Before the meeting, the President met the Prime Minister of Romania, Marcel Ciolacu. The two leaders discussed the global situation and how it affects world sport and the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024 as well as AI. President Bach was also a guest of the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, at the Cotroceni Palace. They discussed the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the current geopolitical situation and the important role of sport for education and health.
During the General Assembly, the IOC President also met the Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu. He was accompanied by IOC Member Uğur Erdener. Istanbul was chosen at the General Assembly as the host of the European Games in 2027. During the meeting and during his presentation, the Mayor reaffirmed that Istanbul wished to host the Olympic Games in 2036.
President Bach also held meetings with a large number of people during the General Assembly, including IOC Vice-President Juan Antonio Samaranch; IOC Member and President of the Israeli NOC, Yael Arad; IOC Member and President of the Italian NOC (CONI), Giovanni Malagò; IOC Member of and President of the Lithuanian NOC, Daina Gudzineviciu; the President of the NOC of Ukraine, Vadym Guttsait; and the President of the Romanian NOC, Mihai Claudiu Covaliu. Read the full news release here.
rom Bucharest, President Bach went to Paris (France), where he attended the women’s and men’s finals of the French Open. He was welcomed by the President of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and IOC Member David Haggerty, and the French Tennis Federation (FFT) President Gilles Moretton.
On Monday 10 June, President Bach was welcomed to the headquarters of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 by its President, Tony Estanguet. He was there for the final meeting before the Games of the Paris 2024 Board of Directors, whose members include Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo; the President of the Ile de France Region, Valérie Pécresse; French Minister of Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra; and Patrick Ollier, President of the Greater Paris Metropolitan Area.
Welcoming the Board members, with just 46 days to go before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, President Bach congratulated them for their organisational “creativity” and “efficiency”, always in line with the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020. He also praised their ability to address and deal with all the challenges they have faced. He added, “perhaps the most important quality you have is unity, which you have shown from the very beginning. You have never politicised the Games, and you continue to organise these Games in the Olympic spirit to produce a festival of humanity,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the IOC President visited a school in Paris that had created its own Olympic museum and organised many of its lessons around the upcoming Olympic Games. He was joined on the visit by Tony Estanguet, the Mayor of Paris and the French Minister of Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. During the visit they were treated to an Olympic song, written and performed by pupils at the Epinettes School in the 17th arrondissement of the capital. At the school, they were able to experience the excitement of all these children and their great engagement, producing designs, taking part in workshops and engaging in sports activities, together with their commitment to the Olympic values and the new Olympic motto that includes the word “Together”, which is a key topic for many of their activities. Read the full news release here.
Also in Paris, President Bach met the President of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and France Télévisions, Delphine Ernotte Cunci. They talked about the excellent partnership between their two organisations and the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The President met Michel Barnier - former head of the European Commission's Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom – who is a member of the IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission and was Co-President of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Winter Games Albertville 1992.
While in Paris, President Bach also met the President of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), Johan Eliasch, to discuss a number of Olympic topics, including the preparations for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
At the Marian Goodman Gallery, the IOC President attended the preview of an exhibition of drawings, sculptures, printed wallpaper and other artworks by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.
At Olympic House in Lausanne, President Bach welcomed the Acting President of the Japanese Olympic Committee, Yuko Mitsuya. During a meeting, they discussed several topics of mutual interest, including the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the preparations of Japanese athletes. Yuko Mitsuya, who was a member of the bronze medal-winning Japanese women’s national volleyball team at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 1984, was also presented with a diploma and OLY pin by President Bach. She then signed the Olympians Wall.
President Bach met IOC Member Mustapha Berraf, who is also President of the Association of the National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA). They spoke about various topics, including the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, the first ever Olympic competition on the African continent, and ANOCA’s assistance to the 54 African NOCs. The two presidents also expressed their concern about the dramatic situation currently affecting Sudan. ANOCA will join the IOC in providing assistance, following the recent visit to Lausanne by the Sudanese NOC President.
With IOC Member Jiri Kejval, the President discussed the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024, the preparations of the Czech athletes and the current geopolitical situation.
The IOC President presented a diploma and OLY pin to American rugby player Zack Test, who competed in the rugby tournament at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Test signed the Olympians Wall in the presence of his compatriot and fellow rugby player Brett Thompson, who competed at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
MEMBERS
Addressing the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, IOC Executive Board member Kirsty Coventry emphasised the vital role that sport can play as important enabler for the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular by promoting peace, fostering community development and preventing youth crime. Speaking during the High-level Debate on “Crime Prevention and Sustainable Development through Sports”, held at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA, on 5 June, Coventry said: “On 365 days a year, sport contributes to building more peaceful and safer communities across the globe. The vision of the IOC is to build a better world through sport, and our IOC strategic roadmap, Olympic Agenda 2020+5, puts at its core the role of sport in delivering sustainable development objectives. “I reiterate today the readiness of the Olympic Movement to be a strong partner in addressing our communities’ challenges through sport.”
Coventry also attended a side event held focusing on “Harnessing Sports for Crime Prevention through Partnerships”. Organised with the Permanent Missions of Italy, Jamaica, Monaco and Qatar to the UN in New York, the event was co-sponsored by the IOC and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). She also held a series of bilateral talks with several states, with the aim of once again promoting the recognition of sport as an enabler of sustainable development in the Pact for the Future (outcome of the Summit of the Future to be adopted in September 2024 by the UNGA). She also had a meeting with the Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda. Read the full news release here.
COMMISSIONS
The IOC Members Election Commission recently held its annual meeting in London, Great Britain, chaired by The Princess Royal.
The 7th IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport, under the patronage of IOC Member the Sovereign Prince Albert II, took place in Monaco, bringing together more than 1,000 scientists. Under the guidance of IOC Member Uğur Erdener, Chair of the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission, the scientific programme was put together by an independent Scientific Committee. In total, more than 650 presentations and posters were delivered and displayed over the course of three days.
TOP PARTNERS
As the countdown to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 continues, Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner Allianz has worked with the IOC and the IPC to launch a 10-episode series of micro-documentaries that give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at preparations for the Games. The Ready. Paris. Go. series puts the spotlight on various people involved in Paris 2024, from athletes and fans to volunteers, organisers and team leaders. Full news release here.
Ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, a new Olympic Channel original series – presented with Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner P&G – is celebrating the charitable efforts of a number of the athletes recognised in the latest edition of the P&G Athletes for Good programme. Each short film in the series highlights the inspirational efforts of the athletes, who are dedicated to making a difference in the world while also pursuing their sporting goals on the biggest Olympic and Paralympic stages. Read the full news release here.
OLYMPIC MUSEUM
The youth-focused sports and disciplines of 3x3 basketball, BMX freestyle, breaking, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing feature in a new exhibition co-produced by the Olympic Museum and the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. Riding the Olympic Wave: Breakthrough Sports, which opened on 31 May, showcases these emerging Olympic sports and disciplines by comparing the differences between Paris 2024 and Sydney 2000. The exhibition was inspired by the Olympic Museum’s most successful temporary exhibition to date: Riding the Olympic Wave (2022-2023). Full details here.
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
The IOC and the French Development Agency (AFD) have signed a new collaboration agreement to strengthen the role of sport as an important enabler of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Both organisations plan to invest EUR 1 million each to leverage the power of sport to tackle youth crime in Asia. In addition, AFD plans to invest a further EUR 1 million to advance youth education and employability in Africa through the existing Sport, Education and Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa programme, launched by the IOC and Laureus Sport for Good. The new collaboration with AFD aligns with the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy. Full news release here.
On the road to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the IOC has launched the “Believe in Sport” campaign. Supported by six athlete ambassadors, the campaign is aimed at raising awareness of the threat of competition manipulation among qualified athletes, their entourage members and officials, while empowering them to make the right decisions. A ”Believe in Sport” dedicated section is now available on Athlete365, the IOC’s digital platform for Olympians and elite athletes. More details here, including the names of the six athlete ambassadors.
As part of the series following scholarship-holders on the road to Paris, discover the story of Federated States of Micronesia swimmer Tasi Limtiaco here. And read the story of Pakistani javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem here.
Driven by the lack of resources available to her after being diagnosed with leukaemia as a teenager, IOC Young Leader Sofía Arévalo Sierra is launching Entre Causas, harnessing the power of sport to raise money and awareness for causes supporting young people in similar situations. Full details about her project here.
The IOC has announced the publication of its updated Portrayal Guidelines, a key part of its efforts to promote inclusivity and equality in the media’s portrayal of athletes at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Full details here.
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
International Gymnastics Federation (FIG)
The FIG Yearbook 2023 is now available online. It presents the activities and achievements of the FIG in 2023 and covers areas such as sport, institutional affairs, media and marketing. Details here. In addition, read here the main decisions taken by the FIG Council on 1 and 2 June in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. And read here the main decisions taken by the FIG Executive Committee, which met the previous day.
International Tennis Federation (ITF)
Türkiye, Portugal, the USA and Croatia will host next year’s ITF Masters World Championships. The ITF Masters Committee has continued the 2024 approach of awarding four nations the hosting rights for the 2025 World Championships. This four-host model is a strategy to provide more playing opportunities for players in various locations. Full info here.
World Sailing
World Sailing has published its first annual Sustainability Report to provide a comprehensive progress update on all 56 of the federation’s Sustainability Agenda 2030 targets. Released to mark World Oceans Day on 8 June, and with the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on the horizon, the review covers operations within the organisation, events, training and stakeholder engagement across class associations, manufacturers and organising committees. The Sustainability Report is available to read in full and download on the World Sailing website. Full details here. World Sailing has selected the cities of Valencia in Spain and Gdynia in Poland to host the 2026-2027 World Sailing Championships. The Championships will serve as the first Olympic qualifier for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028. In addition, both venues will stage Para Inclusive sailing. Full info here.
World Aquatics
The Singapore 2025 World Aquatics Championships will take place from 11 July to 3 August 2025, following a decision by the World Aquatics Bureau and the Singapore 2025 Organising Committee. Over 2,500 athletes, representing World Aquatics’ 210 national member federations, are expected to participate at these Championships. More info here.
World Athletics
World Athletics has published a revised version of its Safeguarding Policy, reflecting the progress that has been made since 2022. This includes various initiatives to help advance safeguarding, such as the online Safeguarding Essentials course and the safeguarding activities that took place at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23. More details here. World Athletics has also published its four-year business strategy, Pioneering Change (2024-2027). This outlines the key strategic priorities for the sport, with innovation to grow its global reach and the sport’s value sitting at the heart of the strategy. Full detailed info here.
World Rowing
World Rowing has signed the International Working Group on Women and Sport (IWG) Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration, becoming the latest IF to signify its commitment to gender equality. The Declaration was signed by Jean-Christophe Rolland, President of World Rowing and IOC Member, and Annamarie Phelps, Chair of the IWG and President of European Rowing, during the 2024 World Rowing Cup II in Lucerne, Switzerland, complementing the extensive strategy that is being implemented by the federation’s Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Cross Commission. The Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration was adopted in 1994 and consists of 10 Principles that form an international treaty to support organisations in developing a culture that enables and values women within sport. Full info here.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
Albanian NOC
The NOC has successfully concluded another edition of the “Sport Teams in Schools” national championship, in volleyball and basketball, for both boys and girls. More than 10,000 children and students, from 8 to 18 years old, and from all 61 municipalities of Albania took part, while 400 coaches, physical education teachers and coordinators were involved in the organisation. Organised by the NOC with the support of the Albanian government, the event is aimed at educating children and young citizens through sport, the Olympic spirit and its basic principles. The NOC also uses this massive involvement to help identify new talents for professional volleyball and basketball teams throughout the country. Some 300 children and students were recruited for the second edition by the basketball and volleyball federations. More info at www.nocalbania.org.al.
Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC)
In the framework of the Olympic Day celebrations, the CTOC held the 2024 Kids Games, the second edition of the event, in Taipei City, the capital, on 11 and 12 May. More than 15,000 people – parents and children – took part and experienced several sports. This year, mascot "Yi-lu", a deer, was one of the highlights of the event, proving popular with all the children. The CTOC also held an Olympic running marathon event at Da-jia Riverside Park in Taipei City, attracting 3,700 participants. There were also a variety of stalls on site to connect the public with sport and culture. A series of Olympic Day activity booths were also set up at the event, promoting the Olympic Movement and the spirit and value of sport. More details at www.tpenoc.net.
Olympic Committee of Israel
As part of the collaboration between the NOC and Intel Israel, 100 young athletes on the NOC programme "Olympic Class" participated in a unique workshop that combines innovative AI technology with excellence. Over four sessions, the teenagers learned basic concepts, improved their abilities and understanding of the principles of AI, and even visited the Intel Research and Development Laboratories in Haifa. In addition, the studying process included mentoring by experts from Intel, who supported the young students in developing technological ideas in the field of AI to solve problems in sport. More details at www.olympicsil.co.il.
Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC)
The JOC started the 2024 JOC International Sports Leader Academy (JISLA) training course at the National Training Centre on 24 May. Twenty-three people, representing 18 national federations and sports organisations, are participating in the Academy sessions this year. All the participants, including Hiromi Miyake, a double Olympic medallist in weightlifting, will take 82 training sessions between now and December. The Academy was established in 2011 and aims to improve Japan’s sporting presence by developing the human resources of national sports federations and their contributions to International Sports Federations’ activities. More info at www.joc.or.jp.
Lithuanian NOC (LNOC)
Nearly 400 children were in attendance in the courtyard of the Lithuanian President's Office on 31 May for the Olympic Picnic, which has already become a traditional event. For the third year in a row, on the initiative of Lithuanian First Lady Diana Nausėdienė and the LNOC, children from pre-school establishments were invited to the active, sporty event to welcome the summer. The event was also attended by LNOC President and IOC Member Daina Gudzinevičiūtė and Olympians Laura Asadauskaitė-Zadneprovskienė and Mindaugas Griškonis, who gave a welcome speech and led a sports exercise. The Lithuanian President, Gitanas Nausėda, greeted the children and joined in the activities together with the First Lady. More info at www.ltok.lt.
Oman Olympic Committee (OOC)
A Sports Management Course (Level 1) has been organised by the OOC, represented by the Oman Olympic Academy in collaboration with Olympic Solidarity. The course, held at the OOC headquarters, aims to introduce participants to Olympic history and events, and understand Olympic values and issues and their importance and role in the sports community. It also focuses on teaching management skills, problem-solving, leadership principles, decision-making and time management. More details here. In addition, a specialised symposium entitled “Designing Training Plans” brought together 26 coaches from federations, committees, sports clubs and the military sports sector. The symposium was part of the National Coach Certification Programme to develop and enhance the capabilities of sports coaches. Full info here. Mayar Al-Badri, a national coach with the Oman Handball Association, has completed the international coaching course organised by the Hungarian University of Sports Science in collaboration with Olympic Solidarity in Budapest (Hungary). Full details here.
Olympic Committee of Serbia
On 1 June, Serbia celebrated Olympic Day in Belgrade's Hyde Park. Citizens of all ages took part in various races, which included events for children, families and people with disabilities, a Fun Run and a team relay. This year, athletes Sara Ćirković (boxing) and Andrej Barna (swimming) were involved in promoting Olympic Day. Ćirković delivered the IOC President’s message to all the participants, who were also addressed by NOC President Božidar Maljković. All the participants also had an opportunity to try out the NOC’s mobile app, TreninGO. This app features the Olympic Day Challenge, which encourages the whole country to run 5, 10 or 21km and celebrate the IOC’s anniversary. The winners will be announced on 23 June, the closing date of the challenge. More info at www.oks.org.rs.
Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC)
Darren Ong (bowling) and Shanti Pereira (athletics) were named Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year 2024 at the Singapore Sports Awards Ceremony held on 3 June. Distributed by the SNOC and Sport Singapore, the awards recognise the achievements of the athletes, teams and others who are helping to shape the Sporting Singapore sports blueprint. See the list of all the 2024 winners here.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
PARIS 2024
The Eiffel Tower is getting decked out for the Olympic Games. On 7 June, the five Olympic rings were installed between the first and second floors of the Eiffel Tower with 50 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The rings, also known as "spectaculars", were the stars of the show due to their gigantic format – 29 metres wide, 13 metres high and weighing about 30 tonnes. Each ring has a diameter of nine metres. More details here.
LA28
The Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games LA28 has announced the appointment of Reynold Hoover as its new CEO. Hoover goes to LA28 after leadership positions in the US military, along with senior civilian roles in the federal government and the private sector, and brings significant experience in planning, operations and logistics to help deliver the Olympic and Paralympic Games in four years’ time. As CEO, Hoover will direct the Organising Committee’s day-to-day work and report to LA28 President Casey Wasserman. Read news release here.
RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
European Olympic Committees (EOC)
On 7 June, the 53rd EOC General Assembly concluded in Bucharest, Romania. On this occasion, EOC President and IOC Member Spyros Capralos emphasised his conviction that the European Olympic Movement is in a strong position moving forward. During the Assembly, the city of Istanbul, Türkiye, was confirmed as the 2027 European Games host, and the 2027 European Youth Olympic Festivals were awarded to Brașov, Romania, and Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. A series of key reports on work from the past year was also presented, with a discussion on artificial intelligence and how it can benefit sport. The EOC Olympic Laurel Awards were presented to Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki from Greece, Tone Jagodic from Slovenia, Oleg Volkov from Ukraine, and Mimi Vurdelja from Croatia. The 2025 General Assembly will be held in Frankfurt, Germany. Full details here. In addition, at a gala dinner, Italian trap shooting athlete Jessica Rossi and Georgian judoka Lasha Bekauri were named as the inaugural winners of the Janez Kocijančič Award, while Finnish Nordic Combined athlete Minja Korhonen won the Winter Piotr Nurowski Prize 2023. Full details here.
International Olympic Academy (IOA)
The 17th International Session for National Olympic Academies’ and National Olympic Committees’ Delegates was held in Ancient Olympia from 13 to 20 May, with the participation of 90 delegates from 85 countries. The session was opened by the IOA President, Isidoros Kouvelos, and the newly appointed IOA Director, Makis Asimakopoulos. The theme of the session was "The athlete in society", and the event saw dynamic exchanges on the role of athletes within the Olympic Movement and their contribution to Olympic education. Full details here.
International World Games Association (IWGA)
To mark World Environment Day, on 5 June the IWGA unveiled its forward-thinking Sustainability Strategy for the World Games, aimed at enhancing the environmental, economic and social impact of the Games, in line with the IWGA’s values of excellence, sustainability and inclusiveness. The new strategy, first introduced in April 2024 and presented at the Annual General Meeting in Esslingen, Germany, on 1 May, aligns with the guidelines provided by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), ensuring a holistic and sustainable approach to hosting international sports events. Full details here.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
WADA is looking to update stakeholders on the development of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) following the 2023 launch of the Endocrine Module and blood steroid markers in the Steroidal Module, and their collective launch within a new ABP interface in WADA’s Anti-Doping Administration Management System [ADAMS] NextGen. To provide further updates and practical information on the new ABP modules, WADA will be holding two webinars, on 12 and 19 June. Full details here.