OLYMPIC HIGHLIGHTS 27/05/2019
IOC activities
President
The IOC Executive Board (EB) met on 22 May in Lausanne to prepare for the IOC Session scheduled from 24 to 26 June. They discussed the selection of future Olympic Games hosts and several other institutional matters, including the findings of the Inquiry Committee into the International Boxing Association (AIBA).
The final report into AIBA by the IOC Inquiry Committee was delivered by Committee Chair Nenad Lalović. After a thorough discussion, the IOC EB recommended to the IOC Session that boxing maintain its place on the sports programme of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. At the same time, the EB recommended that the recognition of AIBA be suspended. The Olympic boxing tournament for Tokyo 2020, including all qualifying competitions, will be organised following guidelines established by the EB. The status of AIBA’s full recognition will in principle be reviewed after Tokyo 2020. The evolution of AIBA’s situation and progress towards compliance with the Olympic Charter and the IOC Code of Ethics will be monitored through a Monitoring Committee, composed of the members of the former Inquiry Committee. Additionally, the EB created a special task force, chaired by IOC Member and President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Morinari Watanabe, with the mandate to organise and ensure the delivery of the boxing competitions, with the goal of increasing sustainable gender equality in all areas of the sport. The 134th IOC Session, to be held in Lausanne from 24 to 26 June, will be taking the decision on AIBA and the sport of boxing at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Read the full news release here.
An interim report of the Working Group for Future Games Elections was presented by its Chair, John Coates. The Working Group was formed to develop principles for the election of future Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games hosts. The new principles aim to provide additional flexibility regarding potential Olympic Games hosts, the location of Games venues and the procedure leading to the election of the hosts.
The proposed principles should ensure the following:
- To preserve the magic of the Games to ensure a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the world’s best athletes;
- To find the best host for the world’s best athletes;
- To preserve the IOC Session’s prerogative to elect Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games hosts;
- To maintain the fundamental principle of universality;
- To ensure good governance.
The proposed key changes for a new Candidature Process for the Olympic Games in order to avoid producing too many losers are as follows:
- Establish a permanent, ongoing dialogue to explore and create interest among cities/regions/countries and NOCs for Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games;
- Create two Future Host Commissions (Summer/Winter) – in lieu of Evaluation Commissions – to oversee interest in future Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games that report to the EB. This will give the IOC Session more influence because the IOC Members will be involved from the very beginning.
- Based on input from the Commissions, the EB to set a strategic framework for the host election for specific Games editions;
- “Host” does not necessarily refer to a single city but can also refer to multiple cities/regions/countries;
- Election timings are flexible and adjusted to local opportunities, context and needs.
The EB approved these proposals submitted by the Working Group and requested that the Working Group further develop these for presentation and approval at the 134th IOC Session next month. Read the full news release here.
The IOC Session Evaluation Commission, chaired by IOC EB Members Ser Miang Ng and Willi Kaltschmitt Luján, presented an update on the election of a host for the IOC Session in 2021. Based on their report, the EB decided to recommend that the Session elect Athens, Greece, as host.
Ten candidates for IOC membership will be put forward for election by the 134th IOC Session. Seven of the ten proposed new Members are Individual Members, while three are candidatures linked to a function within a NOC or a Continental Association of NOCs. Read the full news release here.
The IOC EB also decided to put forward to the IOC Session the one-time extensions of the terms of office of Mamadou Ndiaye, John Coates and Uğur Erdener beyond the age limit of 70. The re-election of Gerardo Werthein as an IOC Member will be put forward for a decision by the IOC Session.
The IOC Members Election Commission also proposed to the EB, the following IOC Members as IOC Honorary Members all of whom are due to finish their term of office at the end of 2019 because of the age limit: Franco Carraro, Iván Dibós, Habu Gumel, Willi Kaltschmitt Luján, Samih Moudallal, Austin Sealy and Ung Chang. Read the full news release here.
The IOC Executive Board has also nominated former IOC Member Yang Yang, two-time Olympic champion from China, as the Olympic Movement’s candidate for election as Vice-President of WADA.
On Saturday 18 May in Manchester (Great Britain), President Bach attended semi-finals and finals of the World Taekwondo Championships. He was welcomed by Chungwon Choue, the President of World Taekwondo (WT) and accompanied by IOC EB member SerMiang Ng. The two Presidents visited the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) booth, where they met with members of the Refugee Team who competed at these Championships. For President Bach, “these were truly spectacular worldchampionships with the sporting action matched only by the excitement and enjoyment of the crowds. And with 150 nations represented, Taekwondo is really showing that it is a global sport for big and small nations alike.” Read the full newsrelease here on WT website.
The IOC President welcomed the Vice-President of Indonesia, Jusuf Kalla, and the President of the Indonesian NOC, Erick Thohir, to The Olympic Museum. The two leaders discussed sport in the country and its important role in general in society.President Bach congratulated the Vice-President on the efforts of his government to promote sport in Indonesia, mainly after the success of the 2018 Asian Games which he attended. The Vice-President of Indonesia stressed the strong interest of hiscountry in a candidature to host the Olympic Games 2032, before signing the IOC’s Golden Book.
In a meeting at The Olympic Museum, President Bach and the Director General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Guy Ryder, spoke about the 90th anniversary of the strong collaboration between their two organisations. Theyalso discussed their cooperation in relation to sport, the Olympic Games, decent work opportunities and human rights. It was emphasised that athletes are not employees of the IOC or International Federations.
The President welcomed the participants of the French NOC’s “Parcours Ambition Internationale” programme, which brought together French sports leaders, managers and athletes with a view to developing and strengthening their international engagement. Prior to the seminar, President Bach met Denis Masseglia, the French NOC President, with whom he discussed various Olympic topics, including the preparations for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The IOC President and the Mayor of Lausanne, Grégoire Junod, visited the IOC’s new headquarters together. The two men discussed the upcoming events related to the headquarters’ inauguration and the preparations for the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020.
Members
At the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels (Belgium), Mamadou Ndiaye (pictured left), also President of the Senegalese NOC, was received by Neven Mimica, Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, and Dimitris Avramopoulos (pictured right), European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship. The main topic of discussion was the organisation of the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar in 2022.
Commissions
Following its eighth visit to Tokyo (21-23 May), the IOC's Coordination Commission left Japan impressed by the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee's state of preparation, as well as with the spectacular interest in these Olympic Games. "With just over a year to go, excitement in these Olympic Games is unparallelled. While we were in Tokyo, ticket ID registrations surpassed the five million mark," said IOC Coordination Commission Chair John Coates. A number of sports experiences will be held throughout Japan over the next year via the "Tokyo Lets GoGo" programme, encouraging people to learn about and try a number of sports that will feature at the Olympic Games. Several stakeholders of the Olympic and Paralympic movements also joined the Coordination Commission visit, offering their expertise to ensure that athletes, fans and stakeholders all enjoy memorable Olympic Games. Read the full news release here.
One month ahead of the host city election, the IOC released on 24 May the report by the Evaluation Commission 2026. It provides a thorough assessment of the two candidates, Stockholm-Åre and Milan-Cortina (cities listed in the order of drawing of lots as performed by the IOC EB), following the working visits on 12-16 March and 2-6 April respectively, and analyses of the candidature files and additional documentation submitted. It will serve as a guide for the IOC Members before they vote on 24 June at the 134th IOC Session in Lausanne. The Chair of the Evaluation Commission, Octavian Morariu, said: “Both projects prioritise legacy and sustainability by capitalising on winter sports tradition and experience, with first-rate, established World Cup venues, knowledgeable and passionate fans, volunteers and event organisers. They have fully embedded the Olympic Agenda 2020 philosophy, and have athletes at the centre of their plans.” Read the full news release here.
On 15 May, the IOC announced the composition of its commissions for 2019. The composition is marked by further growth in the female membership, three additional female chairs and a significant increase in young change-makers’ participation. With 45.4 per cent of the positions across its 27 commissions now occupied by women – a historic high – the IOC continues its advance towards gender equality. Since 2013, as a result of Olympic Agenda 2020, female participation in the IOC commissions has more than doubled. In addition, three more IOC commissions are now chaired by women. In addition, honouring his commitment made during the Youth Summit in Tokyo last December, IOC President Thomas Bach has increased the positions held by Young Change-Makers (YCMs) across the IOC commissions, from 7 in 2018 to 16 in 2019. Read the full news release here.
Addressing the multifaceted aspects of mental health symptoms and disorders in elite athletes, the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission, chaired by IOC Vice President Uğur Erdener, has published a consensus paper on mental health in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM). It was written by an IOC Consensus Group coordinated by the Commission. Read the full news release here.
Other Olympic news
The IOC has announced the names of the Young Reporters who will be covering the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Lausanne 2020 next January as part of the IOC Young Reporters programme. The sixteen Young Reporters (eight women, eight men) come from sixteen countries on the five continents. They were selected from the 35 young reporters who participated in the sports journalism training programme held during the YOG Buenos Aires 2018. Read the full news release here.
New resources have been added to the Olympic Studies Centre (OSC) Reference Collection. This collection offers comprehensive and chronological information, including important facts, figures, anecdotes and illustrative images on topics ranging from Olympic villages, torches and torch relays to medals, mascots, pictograms, posters and the history of sports on the Olympic programme. Find the new documents for your reference on “Olympic Stadiums of the Summer Olympic Games from Athens 1896 to Tokyo 2020”, and “The Olympic Movement, the IOC and the Olympic Games”, with all the important facts and figures about the IOC, the Olympic Games, the YOG and the Olympic Movement in one comprehensive document. And a document on the Art Competitions is now also available. More info here about the OSC.
international federations
summer ifs
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has launched a new outdoor game, AirBadminton, and a new outdoor shuttlecock, the AirShuttle. The launch ceremony took place in Guangzhou (People’s Republic of China) and was attended by BWF President and IOC Member Poul-Erik Høyer. The AirBadminton development project was devised in partnership with HSBC, the BWF’s Global Development Partner, to create opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to play badminton on hard, grass and sand surfaces in parks, gardens, streets, playgrounds and beaches around the world. More details here.
World Weightlifting magazine’s “Jenő Boskovics Lifter of The Year 2018” trophies were presented at a gala on 20 May in Kobuleti (Georgia). International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President and IOC Honorary Member Tamás Aján, and the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Kornél Jancsó, presented the trophies for the second consecutive time to Lasha Talakhadze from Georgia and Lidia Valentin from Spain, who were the winners of an online vote (photo). The gala was attended by political and sports leaders in Georgia, including the Deputy Minister of Education, Culture and Sports, Shalva Gogoladze, and NOC President Leri Khabelov. More info here.
In order to stay ahead of the curve in the fight against doping and keep the sport of hockey clean, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) is pushing ahead with updated procedures and a new education programme aimed at players, team staff and spectators. Education booths were launched at the first of six FIH Series Finals in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Most of the players and coaching staff from the eight participating teams visited the education booths at the event, where they were invited to take part in a doping-related quiz. More info here.
In addition, the FIH joined the celebrations for a healthy and sustainable future in the second edition of the “Walk the Talk” event organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 19 May in Geneva (Switzerland). The event saw thousands of people from various nationalities and of all ages and abilities sign up for a free walk/run ranging from three to eight kilometres. As in 2018, the FIH partnered with the Hockey Club Servette Geneva and the Generation Games association to organise a hockey initiation programme for the public. More info here.
The International Judo Federation (IJF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with World Taekwondo (WT) and the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) in Manchester, Great Britain, to promote humanitarian, peace and development activities. The MoU was signed by IJF President Marius Vizer and WT and THF President Chungwon Choue during the opening day of the World Taekwondo Championships. More info here.
In addition, in a historic breakthrough, Iran’s NOC and its National Judo Federation agreed to “fully respect the Olympic Charter and its non-discrimination principle”. In a statement posted on its website, the IJF notes it. This historic breakthrough underlines the importance of positive solutions being found to non-discrimination issues. More info here.
The International Swimming Federation (FINA) held the first edition of the FINA Aquatics Managers Seminar on 3 and 4 May in Bucharest (Romania). This programme offered practical examples and theory of best practice in the field of managing sports organisations. Nine federations and 26 participants took part in the seminar, including the Olympic swimming champions Camelia Potec and Diana Mocanu, and the former Sports Minister in Romania, Olympic 5,000m champion Gabriela Szabo. The next FINA Aquatics Managers Seminar will take place in Johannesburg (South Africa) on 22 and 23 June 2019. More info here.
The International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) has launched the UIPM Hotline, an online form that enables anyone to report issues related to doping, betting, corruption or harassment. People using the Hotline (http://www.uipmworld.org/report) have the option to remain anonymous, and data confidentiality is guaranteed. The launch of the UIPM Hotline follows the recent amendment of the Federation’s Code of Ethics, and the creation of Betting and Anti-Corruption Rules and an Athletes’ Safeguarding Policy. More info on www.pentathlon.org.
World Rugby has launched a new ‘Women in Rugby’ brand identity and landmark global campaign ‘Try and Stop Us’ aimed at driving increased participation and engagement among fans, audiences, players andinvestors in the women’s game. The global campaign, developed with the support of national unions and regions, uses striking imagery and the inspiring stories of 15 women and girls involved in rugby at all levels of the game from aroundthe world. They have challenged barriers to participation and demonstrated how rugby has empowered them to get where they are today, both on and off the pitch. More info here.
After the successful presentation of Baseball5 at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Buenos Aires 2018, the new World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) urban discipline continues to grow in Argentina. On 15 May, an inter-school tournament was launched in San Luis, with more than 100 children from nine schools participating; while two weeks before that, Baseball5 was played in Buenos Aires at the first edition of the UFEDEM Games Road to Dakar 2022. The Baseball5 inflatable field used during the YOG was the main stage of the two tournaments, while both events were played with official Baseball5 balls donated by the WBSC after Buenos Aires 2018, in a material demonstration of the YOG legacy for the local baseball-softball community. More info here.
national olympic committees
The Algerian NOC held its Ordinary General Assembly on 16 May in Algiers, in the presence of the Minister of Youth and Sports, Abderaouf Bernaoui. The 67 members present unanimously adopted the financial and other reports for2018, and the activity programme and budget for 2019. Two new members were admitted to the NOC General Assembly, former tennis player and Olympian (Seoul 1988) Warda Bouchabou, and sports journalist Wahiba Belhoua. The Algerian Kung-fu-wushuFederation was also admitted. More details on www.coa.dz.
A technical course for badminton coaches was organised by the Bahrain Olympic Committee in cooperation with the Bahrain Badminton and Squash Federation. The course, supported by Olympic Solidarity, brought together 20 participantsfrom Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Syria, and featured both theory and practical sessions.
The NOC of Burundi organised an Ordinary General Assembly on 11 May. Lydia Nsekera (pictured center), NOC President and IOC Member, welcomed all the participants. During this meeting, the 2018 Activity Report, the Financial Report, the NOC Chart of Accounts, the Administrative and Financial Procedures Manual, the Women’s Sport Strategic Plan, and the final audit report of the NOC's accounts were approved.
On 7 May, the Colombian Senate approved a draft law on sports coaches that had been supported by the Colombian NOC, the Coldeportes organisation and the Colombian Association for Sports, Physical Education and Leisure Faculties (ARCOFADER). Coaches will now have a legal framework to regulate their profession, which receives little recognition in Colombian society. The draft law will now be examined by the Constitutional Court, before being ratified by the Colombian President, Iván Duque. More info here.
On 9 May, the staff of the Spanish NOC took part in a first-aid and CPR training course given by experts from the Royal Spanish Lifesaving Federation. The aim was to provide training on how to act as first responders in emergencysituations while waiting for medical services to arrive. More details here. In addition, the NOC President and the Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles,signed a cooperation agreement to promote high-level sport in the armed forces. More details here.
The opening of the programme “The generation of 2004 in Greece on the road to the Olympic Games Paris 2024” took place in Athens at the French Embassy in Greece. The event was attended by Guy Drut, IOC Member; Philippe Vinogradoff, theFrench Ambassador for Sport; and Spyros Capralos, the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC). The programme is being co-organised by the French Embassy in Greece and the French Institute of Greece together with theHOC. It is designed to create an active network of 1,800 young people who will be capable of spreading the values of Olympism by 2024. This will be done through the organisation of annual Olympic meetings, to be attended by French and Greekathletes who took part in the Olympic Games Athens 2004. More info at www.hoc.gr.
The Olympic Committee of Israel welcomed Olympic gymnastics champion Nadia Comaneci, also Honorary President of the Romanian Olympic Committee, accompanied by her husband Bart Conner, also an Olympic champion in gymnastics. She was invited to Israel to start the country’s traditional women's race, the Life Run. They were received by Gilad Lustig, CEO of the NOC, and four female Israeli sporting greats: Esther Roth Shachamorov (athletics), Yael Arad (judo), Lee Korzitz (sailing) and Neta Rivkin (gymnastics). Comaneci and her husband visited the NOC’s Olympic Experience Museum and met dozens of young gymnasts and senior male gymnasts at the gymnasium hall located in the Olympic building. (Photo: second row, from left to right: Ilan Gazit, Yael Arad, Nadia Comaneci, Esther Roth Shachamorov, Bart Conner. Front row: Neta Rivkin, Gilad Lustig, Lee Korzitz.)
In addition, the Olympic Committee of Israel and the Academic College at Wingate have held the first International Conference on Sport and Gender. The aim of the Conference was to discuss the challenges in women's sport and promote equality between men and women in Israel. A video message from the IOC President was shown. The Israel Olympic Quiz was also conducted for the fourth consecutive year, and in the spirit of the Conference its main subject was women and Olympic sport. More info at www.olympicsil.co.il
Joseph Schooling (swimming) and Martina Veloso (shooting) were named, respectively, sportsman and sportswoman of the year for 2019 at the Singapore Sports Awards ceremony, organised by the NOC of Singapore and Sport Singaport. Theawards honour the most deserving individuals and teams in sport from the past year. The NOC President, Tan Chuan-Jin, was the guest of honour at the event and presented the awards in the various categories. More details here.
The first-ever international technical seminar for skateboarding coaches, referees, athletes and team managers took place from 7 to 11 May at the headquarters of the Turkish NOC in Istanbul. The seminar – jointly organisedby the World Skate Organisation and the Turkish Skateboarding Federation, and funded by Olympic Solidarity – was attended by 27 participants from the five continents. The seminar provided athletes with the opportunity to improve theirskills, and master the latest techniques, knowledge and trends in the skateboarding world. Skateboarding will make its Olympic debut at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. More details here.
The Venezuelan Olympic Academy organised the 2nd Women's Sports Leadership Conference, which was attended by a large number of female leaders, coaches, referees, athletes and activists. They talked about their various Olympic and general sports experiences. During the Conference, held at the headquarters of the Venezuelan NOC, it was agreed that all the national sports bodies should create their own women in sport commission, and nine female leaders were selected to draft the regulations for these commissions.
Organising Committee for the Olympic Games
Tokyo 2020
As a part of its One Team Project, Tokyo 2020 recently inaugurated the “G-SATELLITE Go to Space” mission, which will see a small satellite deployed and orbit around the earth. Adding to the excitement of this Olympic first, the satellite will have two of Japan’s most popular animated figures, Mobile Suite GUNDAM and Char’s ZAKU, on board. During the Games, the G-SATELLITE will broadcast images of the planet, display messages on the electric bulletin and film the animated figures. More details here.
Organising Committee for the Youth Olympic Games
Lausanne 2020
The Organising Committee of the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020 is proud to announce the launch of its volunteer programme on the occasion of Olympic Day on 23 June, exactly 200 days before the Opening Ceremony. Lausanne 2020 is looking for 3,000 volunteers. The registration platform will be accessible via the website Lausanne2020.sport/en/volunteers. More details here.
Recognised organisations
The 40th European Olympic Committees (EOC) Seminar concluded on 19 May in the Austrian capital of Vienna. There were reports on upcoming EOC sports events such as the 2nd European Games, as well as the upcoming editions of the summer and winter European Youth Olympic Festivals (EYOF). In addition, it was officially announced that the Host City for the 16th Summer EYOF will be Banska Bystrica in Slovakia. Slovakia was also named as host of the next EOC Seminar, to be held in Samorin in spring 2020. More details here.
On 15 May in Montreal (Canada), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Montréal International (MI) celebrated the formal hosting agreement extending and expanding the presence of the international organisation’s headquarters in Montreal until at least the end of 2031. WADA will continue to strengthen its presence in the city, having already increased its total workforce more than tenfold since first setting up in Canada in 2002. The agreement was signed in September 2018 by WADA President Craig Reedie, WADA Director General Olivier Niggli and MI President and CEO Hubert Bolduc. More details here.