Olympic Highlights 25/03/2022
IOC ACTIVITIES
PRESIDENT
This week, IOC President Thomas Bach welcomed the Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, accompanied by IOC Member Uğur Erdener, at Olympic House. Discussions centred around Istanbul’s interest in hosting future Olympic Games in the context of Olympic Agenda 2020+5 and the IOC’s new approach to electing future Olympic hosts.
Also at Olympic House, the IOC President received Thomas Konietzko for his first official visit as International Canoe Federation (ICF) President. During their meeting, they addressed a number of Olympic topics including the preparations for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
President Bach held a telephone conversation with the President of the International Luge Federation (FIL), Einars Fogelis, and the FIL leadership. The success of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and current Olympic topics were discussed.
The IOC President welcomed at the Olympic House the Councillors of State of the Canton of Vaud Philippe Leuba and Rebecca Ruiz, respectively Head of the Department of Economy, Innovation and Sport and Head of the Department of Health and Social Action. On this occasion, the President warmly thanked the Canton authorities for their COVID-19 measures to support sport and for having facilitated the vaccination of the IOC’s staff and partners going to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. This gesture by the Canton is an illustration of the excellent and remarkable partnership and the valuable friendship which unite the Olympic Capital, the Canton and the IOC, he underlined.
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
Ever since the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army, the entire Olympic Movement has rallied round to provide much-needed help to the Ukrainian Olympic community and sports movement. NOCs, IFs and IOC Members have come forward with offers of financial aid and logistical support. Read the full news release here and learn about some examples of the support programmes and initiatives that have already been implemented. The situation is constantly evolving, and other efforts are being finalised.
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
In response to the continued humanitarian crises around the world, the International Judo Federation (IJF) is launching two initiatives to assist people affected by the current situation in Ukraine. For the first initiative aimed at refugees, the IJF has posted on a platform a list of judo clubs in neighbouring countries that have already started to help refugees and who are offering judo lessons to refugee families. For the second, which is targeted specifically at judokas, the IJF has also created a dedicated platform where people can donate and contribute to help those who suffer the most. Full details here.
The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has published its Development Annual Report 2021, which highlights the activities and outcomes of FINA’s development-related programmes and initiatives. These include FINA’s direct financial support to 181 National Member Federations and all five Continental Associations. FINA also supported 87 swimmers and divers from 61 countries through its Athlete Scholarship programme. More details here.
The International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) has announced the first version of its esport project with an E-Laser Run game. The global UIPM community became immersed in virtual sports during the COVID-19 pandemic, with athletes from every continent participating in new global competitions such as #LaserHomeRun and #LaserAllStars. More details here.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
The Brazilian Olympic Committee (BOC) recently organised a successful second edition of the Brazilian Olympic Congress in Salvador, Bahia. The Congress brought together over 600 participants representing the main stakeholders of sport in Brazil, among them more than 40 Olympic medallists. With the main theme of “Planning, a reference for the future for Olympic sport”, the Congress marked an important step for the BOC in the Olympic cycle that will culminate at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. In addition, tribute was paid to three legends of Brazilian sport: Seoul 1988 Olympic champion in judo Aurélio Miguel, Beijing 2008 Olympic champion in volleyball Fofão, and Servílio de Oliveira, Brazil’s first Olympic medallist in boxing, who won bronze at Mexico City 1968. All three had their handprints taken for the BOC Hall of Fame. Full details here.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) has announced that the 2021 Fair Play Prize of German Sport has been awarded to Peter Fischer, President of Eintracht Frankfurt, who has addressed societal issues for many years and has positioned himself very clearly against racism. A special prize has also been awarded to gymnast Sarah Voss, who at the European Championships in Basel (Switzerland) made a strong statement against sexualisation in sport with her performance in a full-body suit instead of the standard gymnastics outfit. The prizes will be presented to the winners during the 8th Biebrich Castle Talks, which will take place on 5 May at Biebrich Castle in Wiesbaden. Organised by the German Olympic Academy, the talks will be held under the theme of “New Perspectives and Challenges in Olympic Sports”. More info here.
Saudi Arabia is hosting the 7th Asian Indoor Martial Arts Games in 2025 for the first time in its history. The hosting contract was recently signed by Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki AlFaisal, President of the Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee (SOPC), and Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, Vice-Governor of Riyadh Province, along with Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Acting President Raja Randhir Singh. The signing ceremony took place at the Riyadh Green Halls in Prince Faisal bin Fahad Olympic Complex, in the presence of SOPC Vice President Prince Fahad Bin Jalawi and OCA Director-General Hussain Al Musallam. Riyadh won the bid to host the competition during the 40th OCA General Assembly held in Dubai last November. More info at www.olympic.sa.
As a member of the Spanish government’s Zero Poverty for Children National Alliance, the Spanish NOC has included Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2 in its sustainable development strategy, which is focused on eradicating poverty and hunger in society. The NOC has appointed former tennis player Carla Suárez as its online ambassador for the NOC’s social action. More details here. In addition, the NOC and the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation recently informed the national sports federation leaders about the seventh edition of the Valencian Community’s sports competition support programme. This programme is intended to encourage the organisation of official sports competitions in the Valencian Community by providing the organisers with financial assistance. More details here.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
PARIS 2024
On 21 March, the Paris 2024 Board of Directors approved the general framework for the Paris 2024 Ticketing Programme, which will now be submitted to the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) for validation by summer 2022. With almost 13.4 million tickets on sale (nearly 10 million for the Olympic Games and nearly 3.4 million for the Paralympic Games), Paris 2024 will be offering a large number of tickets at affordable prices, to make these Games open to everyone and bring people together in a spirit of unity. For the first time in the Games’ history, all tickets for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 will be sold through a single, dedicated online platform, both in France and abroad. Full news release here.
RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
The Executive Committee (ExCo) of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) met during the 2022 European Youth Olympic Festival (20 to 25 March) in Vuokatti, Finland. EOC President and IOC Member Spyros Capralos reaffirmed the EOC’s firm solidarity with the people of Ukraine and the organisation’s hope for peace to urgently prevail, before inviting the President of the NOC of Ukraine and IOC Member Sergii Bubka to address the meeting virtually from Lausanne. A number of key reports were then presented, including those from EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, Treasurer Peter Mennel, and the Secretary General of the Association of the National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and IOC Member Gunilla Lindberg. A virtual meeting was held with Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for “Promoting our European Way of Life”. The ExCo also held a dedicated EOC Strategic Agenda 2030 workshop. Full details here.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has outlined its “live” webinar schedule for April 2022. These webinars will include a variety of topics, including Dried Blood Spot (DBS) testing, the Prohibited List, Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs), the prevalence of doping, and education. Full details here.