Olympic Highlights
IOC President Thomas Bach welcomed the President of the Polish NOC, Andrzej Krasnicki, and the Polish Sports Minister, Witold Banka, to the IOC headquarters in Lausanne. The two Polish sports leaders delivered an official invitation to the Polish NOC’s centenary celebrations, which will take place next year.
A meeting with IOC Vice-President Uğur Erdener was held in Lausanne.
other olympic news
As part of the celebrations to mark two years to go before the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the Olympic Channel and the Japan Consortium have launched several local Olympic Channel-branded digital platforms to further engage audiences with the Olympic Movement all year round. As of 24 July, Olympic Channel digital portals have been available on olympicchannel.com, the platforms of NHK, NTV, TV Asahi, TBC, TV Tokyo and Fuji TV, and the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association (JBA)’s Olympic Games website (gorin.jp). The newly launched digital platforms will offer fans Olympic-themed programming in Japanese, with an emphasis on their favourite athletes, teams and sports. under the Olympic Channel brand. More details here.
In addition, In the new Olympic Channel original series, “Going Olympic: Tokyo 2020”, viewers will be introduced to the five new sports on the Olympic programme in 2020 while exploring Japan’s vibrant sports scene and cultural traditions. The multi-part series premiered on the Olympic Channel global digital platform, which is available worldwide at olympicchannel.com and on its mobile apps. More details here.
international federations
summer ifs
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has launched a competition – the “Voice of YOG” – to find an athletics announcer for the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018. The IAAF is inviting fans aged 18 to 35 to submit a 60-second clip of their own commentary. The winning candidate will have the opportunity to be an announcer for the athletics events at the YOG 2018. More info here.
Prior to the Fencing World Championships, taking place from 24 to 27 July in Wuxi (People’s Republic of China), an IOC Athlete Career Programme (ACP) workshop was held for 16 fencers and two coaches taking part in an official International Fencing Federation (FIE) training camp. The one-day workshop covered modules on topics such as managing a dual career; networking skills for developing careers; creating a career game plan; and using social media as part of athlete career development. More details here.
The International Association Football Federation (FIFA) has launched the bidding process for the 2020 editions of the U-20 and U-17 Women’s World Cups. FIFA’s member associations will have until 24 August 2018 to declare their interest in hosting one or both competitions. The hosts of both competitions are expected to be chosen by the FIFA Council in the first quarter of 2019 (a different host will be appointed for each competition). More details here.
The Executive Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) selected the host country for two future World Championships at its meeting in Pacific Harbour, Fiji, on 26 July. The 35th edition of the Trampoline World Championships will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 14 November 2021, at the Milli Gymnastika Arenasi. The 27th edition of the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, at the Vernets Sports Complex from 29 to 31 May 2020. More details here.
The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has developed a strategic plan for the period 2018-2021 (available here) that embodies FINA's vision for the future. The plan is underpinned by four pillars: raising standards; accelerating potential; uniting passions; and sustaining growth. It sets the framework as to how FINA will accomplish its mission of increasing participation in aquatic sports and its vision of enabling everyone in the world to swim. The strategic plan lays out 10 goals FINA will work to deliver over the next four years in the lead-up to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. More info on www.fina.org.
World Rugby has announced the second edition of its successful Spirit of Rugby programme for 2019-20. The programme was first launched in 2016 when organisations using rugby for social development projects were invited to apply for support from World Rugby to further develop and grow their activities. The programme is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and works in close collaboration with the unions, regions and Spirit of Rugby partners. More details here.
national olympic committees
In Algiers, the participants in the first advanced sports management courses received their certificates. Organised by the Algerian NOC in conjunction with Olympic Solidarity, the courses were given by teachers and Algerian sports personalities to managers from national sports federations and other sports organisations. The programme, which took place from April 2017 to June 2018, covered a range of topics including sports management, financial management, events and sports marketing. The ceremony was attended by members of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA)’s Executive Committee, which was meeting in Algiers, and representatives from Olympic Solidarity. More info here.
The Bahrain NOC’s anti-doping committee organised a symposium on anti-doping for national sports federations that will take part in the Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang from 18 August to 2 September 2018. The symposium, presented by Hussain Al Haddad, aimed to raise the participants’ awareness about the Olympic Council of Asia’s regulations on anti-doping at the Asian Games, the list of banned substances and the need to cooperate with the anti-doping committees at the competition, among other things. More info on www.boc.bh.
Three sets of postage stamps – issued in honour of the “Medallists of the XXIII Olympic and XII Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang” – were officially cancelled at a special ceremony on 20 July at the headquarters of the NOC of Belarus. Each set of stamps was devoted to one of the events in which Belarus won a medal and to the athletes involved: aerials gold medallist Hanna Huskova, mass start silver medallist Darya Domracheva, and the gold medal-winning biathlon relay team, composed of Domracheva, Nadezhda Skardino, Iryna Kryuko and Dzinara Alimbekava, all of whom attended the ceremony. The success of the country’s Paralympians was also honoured through stamps, and Paralympic champions Sviatlana Sakhanenka and Yuri Holub, and medallists Dzmitri Loban and Lidia Grafeeva, were in attendance. More info here.
Tan Chuan-Jin (see photo) was re-elected as the President of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) at its Annual General Meeting in June. He will be serving his second term as President until 2022. Four vice-presidents were also elected to the Executive Committee: Milan Kwee, Benedict Tan, Tan Eng Liang and Jessie Phua. More details here about the full composition of the NOC’s Executive Committee.
organising committees for the olympic games
Tokyo 2020
As a part of the lively celebrations to mark two years to go until the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, thousands of people gathered in the Japanese capital to try out Olympic sports and light up the night sky in the colours of the Olympic rings. Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to participate in several different events, including trying the sports of table tennis, shooting, boxing and basketball. Olympic athletes, including three-time judo gold medallist Tadahiro Nomura, swimmer Rikako Ikee, gymnast Ryohei Kato and athletics medallist Kenji Fujimitsu, as well as climber Miho Nonaka, all joined the celebrations, as did the newly named Olympic and Paralympic mascots, Miraitowa and Someity. More details here.
organising committees for the youth olympic games
Buenos aires 2018
The flame for the 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Buenos Aires was lit on 24 July in the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens (Greece). This marked the start of the Torch Tour, which will travel 14,000 kilometres across the whole of Argentina, highlighting the achievements of some unique young people, as well as the country’s cultural and geographical diversity. Those attending the ceremony included Gerardo Werthein, IOC Member and President of the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee, who was handed the flame by Hellenic NOC President Spyros Capralos; and Danka Bartekova – a member of the IOC Coordination Commission for Buenos Aires 2018 – who offered heartfelt words of condolence in her speech, as she acknowledged the tragic events taking place outside Athens due to the recent wildfire outbreak: “The Olympic flame is a symbol of peace, but today let me say that the flame becomes a symbol of hope not only for Greece to recover, but also for a generation of young people all over the world, not only those participating in the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.” Press release here.
recognised organisations
To mark one year to go until the 15th Summer European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), the Baku 2019 logo was unveiled on 21 July, as the countdown officially began. The Azerbaijani capital, which also hosted the inaugural European Games, will welcome the best young athletes in Europe aged between 14 and 18 – who will be competing in 10 Olympic sports – from 21 to 27 July 2019. The logo design offers a modern, dynamic, flexible brand identity that fosters a spirit of friendship, fair play and tolerance. It also has a vibrant colour palette to reflect the youthful energy of the participants and the diverse beauty of Baku. More details here on the European Olympic Committees website.