Olympic Highlights 2019/07/15
IOC activities
President
The IOC President, Thomas Bach, met with IOC Executive Board member and President of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) Ivo Ferriani. They discussed a number of Olympic subjects, including the preparations for the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020 and the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
With Marisol Casado, IOC Member and President of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), the IOC President discussed the progress made with implementing the recommendations from the Gender Review Project, for which Mrs Casado chaired the working group. They also talked about the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
The IOC President also hosted the President of World Sailing, Kim Andersen, with whom he discussed a range of topics concerning the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
During a meeting with the President of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), Marco Maria Scolaris, President Bach congratulated him on the great success of the sport climbing event at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018. The two men also discussed the preparations for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, which will see the debut of the sport.
President Bach and Jean Todt, President of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), discussed the cooperation between their respective organisations, which was strengthened recently with the signing of an agreement to show motor sport and road safety content on the Olympic Channel.
The IOC President also held a meeting with IOC Vice-President Uğur Erdener, Chair of the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission, during which various general topical Olympic matters were discussed.
OTHER olympiC NEWs
On 12 July, the Medical and Scientific Commission hosted the fifth graduation ceremony for sports physicians and the second graduation ceremony for sports physical therapies. Commission Chair and IOC Vice-President Uğur Erdener welcomed 18 students out of the 31 successful sports physician students, representing 26 different countries, before welcoming 15 students out of the 18 successful sports physical therapies students, representing 20 different countries. Recognising the importance of the support team in promoting both health and performance, the Medical and Scientific Commission decided to launch these postgraduate programmes in 2013 for the sports physician programme, and in 2015 for the sports physical therapies programme.
International FEdErations
Summer iFs
The National Basketball Association (NBA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Senegalese Basketball Federation have announced that the 17th edition of Basketball Without Borders – BWB Africa will be held from 28 to 31 July this year in Senegal. The event will bring together the top male and female players aged 17 and under from throughout Africa, to learn directly from current and former NBA and FIBA players, coaches and legends, and to compete against the best young players from the continent. More details here.
The International Association Football Federation (FIFA) has launched a new dedicated programme and toolkit – FIFA Guardians™ – designed to enhance child safeguarding standards within football. Developed by FIFA together with its Child Safeguarding Expert Working Group, this new initiative aims to provide practical guidance to support the 211 FIFA member associations in reviewing their existing safeguarding measures, help prevent any risk of harm to children in football, and respond appropriately if concerns arise. More info here.
On 10 July, two days before the opening of the 18th FINA World Championships in Gwangju (Republic of Korea), the Bureau of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) met. The meeting started with a minute’s silence in memory of FINA Vice-President Dennis Miller, who died on 1 June. Among the topics on the agenda were the awarding of competitions to be held in 2020, and the presentation of reports on the various FINA Development Programme initiatives. Full details here.
World Rugby has published details of its 2018 anti-doping programme as the IF continues to prioritise values-based education and intelligent, risk-based testing. The programme, overseen by its expert Anti-Doping Advisory Committee, saw World Rugby further its commitment to utilising all available tools for effective testing and analysis, while focusing on understanding rugby doping motivations and pitfalls and mitigating risk via innovative and effective influencer education and values promotion. Full details here.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) and leading National Tennis Associations have announced a strategic project to develop and implement a global, level-based tennis rating, designed to enable more matches to be played between players of similar levels, from beginners to professionals. The new rating, called the World Tennis Number (WTN), will aim to break down one of sport’s key barriers to participation – uneven match-ups – allowing players of all abilities to determine their individual level. This will help players identify opponents and competitions of an appropriate standard, and access more competitive and enjoyable playing opportunities. The WTN system is planned to be in operation towards the end of 2019, with National Associations launching it officially in each country from 2020. More details here.
The World Sailing Trust, created in 2018 by World Sailing, has launched a global survey on women in sailing, looking at trends within sailing and the wider industry around gender disparity. Announced on International Women’s Day earlier this year, the Strategic Review, which forms part of the World Sailing Trust’s Access to Sailing work, focuses on increasing gender diversity across the sport. The results of the survey will be combined with research into global best practice, to form a series of recommendations and a programme of work to support women and girls across all areas of the sport. The initial findings of the Strategic Review will be presented at World Sailing’s 2019 Annual Conference in Bermuda in October. More details here.
Recognised Ifs
At the beginning of July, the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) (International Powerboating Federation), whose President is Raffaele Chiulli, and the Monaco Yacht Club co-hosted the 3rd edition of the International Motorsports & Environment Workshop. Representatives from the FIA, the International Aeronautical Federation (FAI), the UIM, the renewable energy industry and universities presented their own experiences and best practices with sustainably powered propulsion systems for mobility on water, land and in the air. The main goal of the workshop was to share knowledge and experience in the field of sustainable mobility and to provide a platform to discuss “How to contribute to a better world through sustainable green energies”. More details here.
NationaL Olympic committees
The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) has presented the progress achieved by the 32 confederations that joined the Management, Ethics and Transparency Programme (MET). Developed by the COB to improve the administrative processes of confederations using a reference model, the MET brought several benefits to the entities that joined the programme, such as structured organisational evolution, maximising the use of available resources, and increased transparency for sponsors and society, among others. All the confederations that have implemented the MET already have an Athletes’ Commission and strategic planning, for example. In addition to representatives from the confederations, COB President Paulo Wanderley and IOC Member Bernard Rajzman were also present at the event. More info here.
During a visit to Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, the President of the Spanish NOC, Alejandro Blanco, met the country’s Minister for Education, University Teaching and Sport, Clemente Engonga. The aim of the meeting was to strengthen cooperation and establish strategic guidelines with the Equatorial Guinean Government to develop and promote sport, education, research and the Olympic values. More info here. In addition, the Spanish NOC is continuing to develop its sustainability strategy, in particular with two of its partners, the FEMP (Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces) and ECOEMBES. The aim is to promote the combination of sport and sustainability throughout cities all over Spain, encourage the Spanish population to recycle, and increase the number of selective recycling bins through the actions of the three parties concerned, in the framework of implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More details here.
The 9th year of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC)’s International Sports Leader Academy (JISLA) kicked off on 21 June. The mission of the JILSA is to develop human resources capable of contributing to policy-making in international sports organisations or international negotiations and to strengthen Japan’s international capabilities in terms of organisations, human resources and finance. Out of 214 graduates, 74 have obtained positions in IFs and Asian federations. Olympic medallist Yuko Arimori (see photo) delivered the keynote speech, which was followed by talks on volunteer management by the Rugby World Cup 2019 Organising Committee and necessary global communications skills. This year, 39 professionals from 32 NFs are taking part in the programme. More info at www.joc.or.jp.
The 2018 IOC “Olympism in Action” Trophy has been awarded to Singapore philanthropist Peter Lim (2nd from right in photo) in recognition of his important contribution to sport and the community. He was presented with the Trophy by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Heng Swee Keat (3rd), in the presence of IOC Executive Board member Ser Miang Ng (right), during the Singapore Olympic Foundation-Peter Lim Scholarship awards ceremony. This year, 280 student-athletes in 44 sports from 83 schools will receive scholarships for under-18-year-olds. More details here on the Singapore National Olympic Council website. Mr Lim has pledged to continue supporting young Singapore athletes for another 10 years from 2021 to 2030, and will also start a new community project focused on helping children from less privileged backgrounds, to help them reach their potential. More details here.
OrganisinG COMMITTEes FOR THE Olympic Games
Tokyo 2020
With just over a year to go until the Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020 continues to generate great excitement, with the announcment of an additional ticket lottery this year, as well as opening new venues which will show that the country is on track to host spectacular Games. With the close of the first phase of ticket sales, Tokyo 2020 announced that 3.22 million tickets had been purchased by the general public in Japan. More than 90 per cent of those who were awarded tickets through the first-phase lottery made a purchase. Tokyo 2020 continues to demonstrate that the preparations for the Olympic Games are on track, with the recent inauguration of the Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre. The organisers have also announced that the Olympic Stadium is now 90 per cent complete and is due to be finished on time by November. Full press release here.