Olympic Highlights 22/11/2024
IOC
PRESIDENT
This week at Olympic House, IOC President Thomas Bach welcomed a delegation from the Bahrain Olympic Committee, led by Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of Bahrain’s Majesty for Humanitarian Works and Youth Affairs and Chairman of the Supreme Council of Youth and Sports, who was accompanied by the NOC President, Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. President Bach congratulated them on Bahrain’s success at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (four medals, including two golds). Together, they discussed several topics of mutual interest, including the current geopolitical situation and its impact on sport.
The IOC President met the new President of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), Fabio Azevedo, whom he congratulated on his election during the recent FIVB Congress in Porto (Portugal). The two men also discussed the excellent collaboration between their organisations and the upcoming Olympic Games.
The IOC President also had a meeting with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) President Witold Bańka and Director General Olivier Niggli. They discussed the excellent collaboration between their organisations – to strengthen the fight against doping and protect clean athletes – and the upcoming editions of the Olympic Games.
President Bach attended the IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Awards ceremony. This year’s winners are diving coach Jane Figueiredo (Zimbabwe/Portugal) and pole vault coach Vitaliy Petrov (Ukraine). The awards are run by the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission, which is chaired by IOC Member Sergii Bubka, who was also at the ceremony. Jane Figueiredo who took part in diving at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 1984 also received her diploma and OLY pin from the IOC President and signed the Olympians Wall. (see also under “Other Olympic News”).
Also this week, the President delivered welcome remarks to the following IOC commissions during their annual hybrid meetings at Olympic House: Athletes’ Entourage Commission; Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission; Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad; and Advisory Committee on Human Rights.
The IOC President had a call with Manuela Schwesig, Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a state in Germany. He was joined by the IOC Member in Germany, Michael Mronz. Ms Schwesig congratulated the IOC President on the success of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. They also discussed the position of the Olympic Movement with regard to the politisation of sport.
The President also chaired the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage (OFCH) Executive Committee meeting.
President Bach discussed various topical Olympic issues during phone calls with IOC Member Michael Mronz and Kady Kanouté Tounkara OLY, a member of the IOC Athletes’ Entourage and Esports Commissions.
MEMBERS
The feature documentary Pierre de Coubertin: An Olympic Life, produced by IOC Member Anant Singh and directed by Ady Walter, won the prestigious Guirlande d’honneur award in the Olympic Spirit category at the 42nd edition of the Sport Movies & TV – Milan International FICTS Festival held in Milan (Italy) from 5 to 9 November. Singh commented: “We are thrilled with the recognition given to our homage to the founder of the modern Olympic Games in the year of the Olympic Games in Paris, which also marks 100 years since the end of Pierre de Coubertin’s presidency of the International Olympic Committee. The creative team, headed by Ady Walter, did a great job crafting the film.”
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
Diving coach Jane Figueiredo (Zimbabwe/Portugal) and pole vault coach Vitaliy Petrov (Ukraine) have been announced as the winners of this year's IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Awards. Both Figueiredo and Petrov have been recognised for their long-standing dedication to their respective sports and the athletes they coach. Olympian Figueiredo coached seven Olympic medallists during her career, including British duo Tom Daley and Matty Lee. Petrov’s athletes have set 36 world records and won a combined six Olympic medals and 21 World Championship titles. Read the full news release here.
A documentary series following US gymnast Simone Biles on her journey to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, produced in association with the IOC and Olympic Channel Services, has been recognised with two prestigious Critics Choice Documentary Awards. The four-part series Simone Biles Rising, which premiered in July ahead of Paris 2024, was honoured as the Best Sports Documentary and Best Limited Documentary Series at the 9th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, which were presented during a gala event in New York City in November. Full news release here.
The electrifying performance by French metal band Gojira and French-Swiss opera singer Marina Viotti at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 has been nominated for a prestigious GRAMMY Award. The 2025 ceremony, which will be held in Los Angeles, California, on 2 February, will be the 67th staging of the GRAMMY Awards. Full news release here.
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)
The first-ever ITTF World Esports Table Tennis Championships are off to a thrilling start, with the online qualifying stage – a free, open, online knockout phase that welcomes players of all levels – now successfully concluded. Two players successfully qualified following an intense, month-long competition that attracted 212 participants. Helsingborg (Sweden) will host the finals on 27 and 28 November, bringing together these two players, the two top-ranked “Eleven Table Tennis” players, one Swedish host representative and three wildcard entrants. These eight elite players will battle it out for the title of first-ever esports table tennis world champion. Read more here.
International Volleyball Federation (FIVB)
Meeting in Porto (Portugal), the 39th FIVB World Congress elected Fabio Azevedo as the new President of the FIVB. Azevedo will lead the organisation for the next eight years, succeeding Ary S. Graça F°, who was granted the title of FIVB Honorary President. Hugh McCutcheon, who has served as a Senior Advisor to the FIVB for several years, will now step into the role of FIVB Secretary General. More details about the Congress here. Following the Congress, the first ever Global Volleyball Summit featured a renowned lineup of speakers, who addressed a diverse range of topics including communications, good governance, FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, community development, sustainability and event strategy. Full info here.
World Aquatics
World Aquatics has launched the application process for National Federations to receive funding to support development projects in 2025 through its comprehensive Support Programme. For the first time, this year World Aquatics has held online project management courses ahead of the launch of the application process. A record number of more than 200 National Federations are expected to be eligible to receive funding from the World Aquatics Support Programme for 2025. Full details here.
World Athletics
Olympians from across the sport of athletics sounded the climate change alarm in a new video released on 18 November to coincide with the COP29 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which is currently underway in Baku (Azerbaijan). In “Becoming a Champion for a Better World: Athlete Messages for COP29”, Olympians Eliza McCartney (New Zealand), Sam Mattis (USA), Ajla Del Ponte (Switzerland), Rhydian Cowley (Australia) and Elena Vallortigara (Italy) share personal experiences of how climate change has impacted their performance and training, explain what it means to champion a better world and suggest ways that sport can contribute solutions to the climate crisis.. Full info here.
World Rowing
The 2024 World Rowing Congress was held virtually on 16 November. Opened by World Rowing President and IOC Member Jean-Christophe Rolland, the Congress awarded the 2027 World Rowing Championships to Lucerne (Switzerland). The Sierra Leone Rowing Federation was also welcomed as a new member of World Rowing – taking the total number of member national rowing federations to 160. More details about the outcomes of the Congress here.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
Dominican Republic NOC
The NOC’s Women and Sport Commission recently held a two-day seminar on women and men in sport as part of its “2025-2028 Agenda”. The seminar was aimed at national sports federations, athletes, sports unions, associations and clubs. The preparatory meeting was organised with support from the NOC’s Olympic Solidarity programme. More info here. In addition, 11 sports personalities, including nine athletes, were inducted into the Dominican Sports Hall of Fame. Their remarkable contributions to sport and the Dominican Republic were recognised at the induction ceremony. Details here.
Oman Olympic Committee (OOC)
Sayyidah Sanaa Hamad Al-Busaidi, Chairwoman of the Oman Women's Sports and Gender Equality Committee, along with Vice-Chairwoman Sa’adah Al-Ismailiyah and Committee member Manal Al-Kiyumi, participated in the third meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Women's Sports Advisory Committee held in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). A report on the Hackathon event hosted by Oman from 1 to 4 March 2024 was presented, along with updates on the Gulf Women's Sports electronic platform. The meeting included discussions on Oman's initiative to launch a unified sports day for GCC women starting next year. Full report here.
RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
Members of the new IPC Athletes' Council gathered from 18 to 20 November at the IPC headquarters in Bonn, Germany, to learn more about the governance structure of the IPC, and classification and anti-doping, among other subjects. The Council also elected Vladyslava Kravchenko as Chairperson and Yoomin Won as second Vice-Chair, and set their priorities for the next four years. Full details here.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
WADA has appointed Darren Mullaly as its new Director of Government Relations, effective 13 January 2025. He will take over from current Director René Bouchard, who is retiring after a long and successful career as a senior civil servant in the Canadian federal administration. Since 2020, Mullaly has been Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Strategy & International Engagement and Head of International Relations, Strategic Policy and Intelligence at Sport Integrity Australia (SIA). More info here.
International Association of Olympic Collectors (AIOC)
The second edition of AIWOS 2024 (the AICO Web Olympic Show) has opened virtually, with the exhibition running until 3 December. Organised by AICO, with the support of its member associations, this show presents 70 collections from 15 countries, in different languages. It features objects (including some rare items), documents, stamps, pins, medals, banknotes, memorabilia and more. Detailed info here.