Olympic Highlights 27/02/2023
IOC
On 24 February, the IOC welcomed the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 11th Emergency Session A/ES-11/L.7, entitled “Principles of the Charter of the United Nations (UN) underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine”, which was initiated by Ukraine. It “calls upon Member States and international organisations to redouble support for diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, consistent with the Charter”.
As an international organisation which is non-governmental, and is recognised by the UN as a Permanent Observer, the IOC heard this call for peace. As requested by the UNGA, the IOC stands ready not only to continue but to redouble its support for diplomatic efforts for a lasting peace.
This is fully in line with UN resolution A/77L.28 entitled “Sport as an enabler of sustainable development”, which was adopted by consensus during the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly on 1 December 2022. This resolution recognised that “major international sports events should be organised in the spirit of peace, mutual understanding and international cooperation, friendship and tolerance, and without discrimination of any kind, and that the unifying and conciliative nature of such events should be respected” (more information here).
As a sign of solidarity with Ukraine and its commitment to its peace-building mission, the IOC has raised the Ukrainian and the UN flags together with the Olympic flag in front of Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, to mark this dark anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine with the support of Belarus.
Read also the statement issued by the IOC on 22 February outlining its peace-building mission to unite the world in sporting competition. The statement provides a clear summary of the IOC’s approach, consisting of its unwavering solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian Olympic community, the sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus, and the peace-building, unifying mission of the Olympic Movement. This approach is faithful to the Olympic values, and is supported by the overwhelming majority of the Olympic Movement, including the athletes, NOCs and IFs.
PRESIDENT
Jean Todt, the Honorary President of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and a highly decorated motorsport personality, was presented with the Olympic Order by IOC President Thomas Bach during a ceremony held at Olympic House this week.
“Your passion has always been motorsport. First as a rally driver, later as a manager, driving legendary motor racing teams to ever greater success,” said President Bach in his address, emphasising Todt’s many achievements. “During your presidency, you took the FIA to new heights as the definition of success expanded. Whereas on the racetrack success is measured by speed, agility and technical excellence, at the FIA you focused on strengthening the sustainability of motorsport; on promoting diversity and inclusion; and on making roads safe for everyone. Making the world a better and safer place for all – this shared mission is at the heart of the cooperation between the IOC and FIA,” President Bach added.
The #3500LIVES road safety campaign is the centrepiece of this cooperation. President Bach underlined that the campaign was Todt’s brainchild, and is one of the many enduring legacies of his FIA presidency. Todt continues to use sport as a force for good in society in his role as UN Special Envoy for Road Safety, a position he has held since 2015.
In his acceptance speech, Todt said: “I must confess that in my different achievements over the years, I have enjoyed observing and being inspired by what the IOC is doing. I have always had great respect for the Olympic Movement and we clearly share a lot of values – integrity, humility and the desire to take action without boasting about it.” He added: “I must thank you for all your trust, especially with your support for the #3500LIVES campaign, which has been rolled out in more than 80 countries to educate people and to address road safety.” Full news release here.
At Olympic House, President Bach welcomed the Board of the Liechtenstein NOC chaired by Stefan Marxer. IOC Member Princess Nora of Liechtenstein, who is now the IOC Doyen, accompanied the delegation. The President thanked the NOC for its donation of a ‘brand Olympic’ beehive, which will be installed in the Olympic House Park, illustrating how the IOC is embracing sustainability. The topics discussed included the preparations for the upcoming Olympic Games, the international situation and the position of the Olympic Movement.
The preparations for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the international situation and the position of the Olympic Movement were the main subjects discussed during a phone call with the President of the International Judo Federation (IJF), Marius Vizer.
This week, the President had a conference call with TOP Partner Visa. The call was an opportunity for outgoing Visa CEO Al Kelly, who is now Executive Chairman of the Visa Board, to introduce the new CEO, Ryan McInerney. Visa’s engagement with the Olympic Movement, the next Olympic Games, the international situation and the position of the Olympic Movement were also discussed.
At Olympic House, the President received Slovak Olympic champion Petra Vlhova. A gold medallist in the slalom at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, the skier gave notice of her talent when she won gold at the first Winter Youth Olympic Games, Innsbruck 2012. She and President Bach discussed the next edition of the Olympic Winter Games, Milano Cortina 2026, and the impact of climate change on winter sport. The President also presented a diploma and OLY pin to Vlhova, who then signed the Olympians Wall.
President Bach met with IOC Vice-Presidents Ser Miang Ng and Juan Antonio Samaranch. During these meetings, a number of current Olympic issues, the international situation and the position of the Olympic Movement were discussed.
With IOC Member Uğur Erdener, the President spoke about the emergency fund created to help the Olympic community in the areas affected by the devastating earthquake that hit Türkiye and Syria. They also discussed the next editions of the Olympic Games, the international situation and the position of the Olympic Movement.
The President held a telephone conversation with the President of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi. Their discussions focused on the geopolitical situation.
The IOC President presented a diploma and OLY pin to French Olympic champion Florent Manaudou, who took part in three consecutive editions of the Games (2012, 2016 and 2020), during which he won one gold and three silver medals in swimming. Manaudou also signed the Olympians Wall.
Chinese Olympic champion Liu Shiwen also got her OLY diploma and pin from President Bach. She won gold in table tennis at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and silver in Tokyo. She also signed the Olympians Wall. The President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Petra Sörling attended the ceremony.
This week, the President welcomed George Mariétan, former President of the Valais Grand Conseil, and Benjamin Roduit, a member of the Swiss National Council, on a courtesy visit to Olympic House.
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
Twenty-five new IOC Young Leaders have been selected to join the IOC’s four-year programme that will support them in the creation of grassroots sport-based initiatives aimed at addressing issues in their communities. The new Young Leaders – balanced in terms of gender and diversity, and from 25 countries across five continents – were chosen from more than 360 applicants, and have demonstrated their passion for using sport as a tool for social and economic change. Discover the 2023-2026 IOC Young Leaders here.
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
International Canoe Federation (ICF)
Penrith Whitewater Stadium, the venue for canoe slalom at the Olympic Games Sydney 2000 has received a financial boost from the New South Wales government ahead of hosting the 2025 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships. The announcement was made by the NSW Minister for Sport, Alister Henskens. For ICF President Thomas Konietzko, who was present for the announcement, the extra funding will revitalise the Olympic slalom venue ahead of the 2025 world titles. Penrith is not only home to the Australian whitewater programme, but every summer attracts athletes from around the world to train ahead of a new season. More info here.
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
Para-cyclists from across the world participated recently in a training camp at the UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) in Aigle (Switzerland). Fourteen athletes from nine countries spent six days improving their track skills on the velodrome of the UCI WCC. While some had already raced at international competitions, for others it was the first time on the track and a revelation. Alongside the para-cycling camp, 14 people attended a course for National Classifiers, and another eight followed a classification module as part of the UCI WCC’s Level 2 coaching certificate. Detailed info here. The UCI has published the calendar for the 2023-2024 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup. This edition will comprise 14 rounds in seven countries. Full details here.
International Volleyball Federation (FIVB)
Over 150 Development Projects were approved through Volleyball Empowerment In 2022-2023, the FIVB development programme. The application cycle opened in May 2022. During the three application windows, 51 coach support projects, 73 volleyball equipment projects and 30 knowledge transfer projects were approved. The 154 projects come from all five continents. Full info here. The FIVB has announced the delegation of its global anti-doping testing programme to the International Testing Agency (ITA) from the beginning of 2023, while retaining results management of any potential anti-doping rule violations. Full details here.
World Aquatics
World Aquatics has announced that Netanya, Israel, will host the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships from 4 to 9 September 2023. Over 600 promising young swimmers from more than 100 National Federations are expected to compete. The six-day competition will take place in the Wingate Institute, a facility purpose built for hosting world-class international swimming events. Full details here. World Aquatics has published the calendar of the 2023 Diving World Cup season. It will feature three events, to be held in Xi’an (China), Montreal (Canada) and Berlin (Germany). Full details here.
WORLD ROWING
The host cities for the 2024 and 2025 European Rowing Championships have been confirmed. The European Rowing Board has announced that the 2024 European Rowing Championships and the 2024 European Olympic & Paralympic Continental Qualification Regatta have been awarded to Szeged, Hungary, and the 2025 European Rowing Championships to Belgrade, Serbia. More details here on the World Rowing website.
World Sailing
A sailing development programme in Sudan has been delivered by World Sailing, with support from Olympic Solidarity. Held in the city of Port Sudan on the Red Sea Coast, the week-long Technical Course for Coaches, delivered by World Sailing in partnership with the Sudan Sailing Federation, the Sudanese Olympic Committee, and the national Ministry of Youth and Sports, aimed to improve the sailing knowledge of coaches and instructors. In total, 20 coaches and seven athletes, including five female coaches and one female sailor, took part. Other aspects included outlining the requirements for a new sailing venue and addressing the need for more sailing equipment. More details here.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
NOC of the Dominican Republic
The new members of the Dominican Republic NOC’s Women and Sport Commission were sworn in recently by the NOC President, Garibaldy Bautista. The Commission is chaired by Dulce María Piña, and its members are: Ana Montilla, Mireya Altagracia Tejeda, Matilde Guerrero, Cecilia Suero, Margarita Jaques, Carlina Guzman, Pily Báez Sousa, Blanca Iris Alejo and Luisito Pie. In addition, 45 athletes took part in a workshop on first aid and injuries, treatment and physiotherapy for high-level volleyball players, organised by the Dominican Volleyball Federation and the Regional Centre for Volleyball Development. More info here.
Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC)
To celebrate the first anniversary of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, the JOC held a “Team Japan Winter Festival” in Tokyo on 11 and 12 February. This project was intended to express the Olympians' gratitude for the support they received from people during the Olympic Games, and to provide an opportunity to think about solutions to social issues with people, through sport. Another aim was to introduce children to snow activities while raising awareness of the importance of the environment. The Olympians shared their own stories from the Olympic Games, while highlighting the appeal of winter sports and their efforts to protect the environment. Info at www.joc.or.jp.
Lithuanian NOC (LNOC)
The LNOC recently honoured the winners of the Lithuanian Fair Play Awards. The LNOC President, IOC Member Daina Gudzinevičiūtė, and the President of the Lithuanian Fair Play Committee, Austra Skujytė, presented the awards. At this 28th edition, awards were distributed in six categories: “Lifetime Achievements”, “Fair Play 2022”, “Young Athletes or Youth Team Fair Play 2022”, “Young Athlete as an Example for Peers”, “Fair Play Project” and “Fair Play Organisation”. Detailed info, including the winners, here.
Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC)
The SOPC recently held its 26th General Assembly in Riyadh. Chaired by SOPC President Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the Assembly reviewed several reports, including the reports on the inaugural Saudi Games, the strategy to support and develop sports federations, the Saudi Olympic Training Centre and the Saudi Olympic Academy, as well as the report by the Athletes’ Committee. The SOPC awards for 2022 were also presented, honouring athletes, personalities and organisations. On the sidelines of the meeting, the President of the Saudi Weightlifting Federation, Muhammad Al-Harbi, and the President of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), Mohammed Jalood, signed the host agreement for the organisation of the 2023 IWF World Championships, which will be taking place in the Saudi capital from 2 to 17 September.
NOC of Spain (COE)
The COE headquarters recently hosted the 3rd Symposium on Sudden Death, which was attended by those from the worlds of medicine, sport and sports journalism. The Symposium was organised in memory of Dr Antonio López Farré, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine at University of Madrid (Universidad Complutense de Madrid - UCM), who died in. Those present included the Minister of Health of the Community of Madrid, Enrique Ruiz; COE President Alejandro Blanco; Atlético Madrid President Enrique Cerezo; and former Spanish football team coach Vicente del Bosque. Commemorative prizes were also awarded during this event. More details here.
Venezuelan NOC
Athletes with high-performance potential recently received grants from the Venezuelan NOC as part of the Morochito Rodríguez Scholarship Programme. Forty-one athletes from 22 sports have already benefitted from this initial funding allocation. The Morochito Rodríguez Scholarship – for athletes, coaches and sports federations – is named after Venezuela’s first Olympic gold medallist.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
PARIS 2024
Paris 2024 has announced that it will partner with internationally renowned French designer Mathieu Lehanneur to create the Olympic and Paralympic torches and cauldrons, which are powerful symbols of the Games. A multi-disciplinary pioneer, he works in a wide variety of creative fields ranging from objects to architecture, art to product design, and unique hand-crafted items to cutting-edge design technology. His projects combine innovation, magic, design, science, art and an ambition to enhance user well-being. The torch design will be unveiled later this year. Full news release here.
MILANO CORTINA 2026
The “School for the Mascots of Milano Cortina 2026” initiative, announced in June 2021 by the Italian Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, has reached its final stage. With an online poll closing on 28 February, fans have only a few days left to provide their input into the final design process. Young students were encouraged to use their imagination and express their creative talents by submitting design proposals for two characters they felt would best represent the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Full details here.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES
GANGWON 2024
hool for the Mascots of Milano Cortina 2026” initiative, announced in June 2021 by the Italian Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, has reached its final stage. With an online poll closing on 28 February, fans have only a few days left to provide their input into the final design process. Young students were encouraged to use their imagination and express their creative talents by submitting design proposals for two characters they felt would best represent the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Full details here.
Multiple Olympic gold medallists Sang-hwa Lee and Jong-oh Jin have been appointed Co-Presidents of the Gangwon 2024 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee at the 21st General Committee meeting, held this week in Seoul (Republic of Korea). Eleven members of the Executive Committee, including Gangwon 2024 ambassador and figure skating legend Yuna Kim, were also appointed. Lee was the first Asian athlete to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals in speed skating – at the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014. Jin was the first athlete to win three consecutive Olympic shooting events – at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016. He is also a former Director of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee. Full news release here.
RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
Organización Deportiva Suramericana (ODESUR)
The IOC and ODESUR recently created a working group to jointly exchange sustainability ideas and best practices. ODESUR, whose President is IOC Member Camilo Pérez López Moreira, has also signed the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework. The IOC’s Sustainability team, led by Fabrizio D'Angelo, gave a presentation to explain to all the ODESUR member NOCs what this initiative is about. Info at www.odesur.org.
Panathlon International
Following the conference held in Rondine (Italy) in May 2022, Panathlon International is inviting all panathlon clubs to implement the "Fair Play Starts At School" project. A guide will be made available to help roll out the project across schools of all levels in the areas where each club is active. More info here.