Olympic Highlights
IOC ACTIVITIES
PRESIDENT
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg (France) adopted a resolution with the aim of promoting access to sport for all. Before the adoption of the resolution, IOC President Thomas Bach addressed the Parliamentarians and the Member States. In his speech, President Bach highlighted the fact that sport plays an important role for social cohesion by providing opportunities for people of different backgrounds to interact and exchange ideas. He also assured the Assembly of the IOC’s commitment to support the Member States in their efforts to realise the important goals of promoting integration and making sport accessible for all.
Earlier, the IOC President was welcomed in a private meeting by the PACE President Pedro Agramunt. In their conversation, both Presidents agreed on the different roles of sport and politics in society. At the same time, they underlined the shared values of the Council of Europe and the Olympic Movement as a strong foundation for cooperation on topics to which sport can contribute, as outlined in the resolution. The IOC President was invited to sign the Golden Book of the Council of Europe.
President Bach also met Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and his Deputy Secretary General, Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni. They discussed questions of good governance and doping in sport as well the need for stronger coordination between governments and the Olympic Movement concerning their engagement within the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The IOC President was accompanied by IOC Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Pâquerette Girard Zappelli who was invited to give a presentation in a session on the implementation of good governance principles in sports organisations held by the Parliamentary Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Education, Youth and Sport. Read the complete press release here.
MEMBERS
Anita L. DeFrantz, Executive Board Member, represented the IOC at the “Sporting Chance Forum on Mega-Sporting Events and Human Rights” held in Washington (USA). This event was co-sponsored by the United States' Department of State, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB).
Nawal El Moutawakel has been elected member of the Parliament in Morocco, following legislative elections held in the country.
COMMISSIONS
The Coordination Commission for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 concluded its first visit with praise for the future host’s adherence to the vision presented during the candidature phase. From 10 to 12 October, the members of the Coordination Commission chaired by IOC Member Alexander Zhukov, went to visit several venues: snow sports venue cluster in Zhangjiakou, venues for Alpine and Nordic skiing in Yanqing, and ice venues in Beijing. The Commission also visited Beijing 2022’s new headquarters in a converted steel plant on the western edge of the city, and held discussions with the Organising Committee focused on five main topics: governance; sport; venues and infrastructure; commercial; and communications and engagement. The meeting was first chaired by Alexander Zhukov and then by IOC Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch who took over when Alexander Zhukov had to return to Moscow. Read the complete press release here.
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
After the announcement made by Giovanni Malagò, the President of the Italian NOC, withdrawing the candidature of Rome to host the Olympic Games 2024, the IOC issued the following statement: ‘We have taken note of the decision by Rome 2024 and will further explore with the Candidature Committee what this means. All the circumstances and the information that we have received in the past days clearly demonstrate that this is about Italian politics only.’
In order to provide a level playing field for all clean athletes at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, the IOC put special measures in place, including targeted pre-tests and the re-analysis of stored samples from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 and London 2012, following an intelligence-gathering process that started in August 2015. As a result of this process, the IOC announced on 11 October that Tatyana Lysenko has been disqualified from the Olympic Games London 2012. The 33-year-old Russian athlete took part in the women’s hammer throw event (heats and final), in which she was awarded the gold medal. Read the complete press release here.
OLYMPIC MUSEUM
Italy’s three-time Olympic shooting champion, Niccolò Campriani (photo), has been in Lausanne to make a donation to The Olympic Museum. At the Games in Rio this year, he successfully defended his Olympic title in the 50m three position rifle event, and won a further gold medal in the 10m air rifle event, in which he had won a silver medal at the 2012 Games in London. He also took part in the 2008 Games in Beijing. He donated his air rifle – which he designed himself – and his shoes, and these are now part of the Museum’s collections.
INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) has announced that Sarai Bareman of New Zealand has been appointed Chief Women’s Football Officer. Beginning on 14 November, she will head up the newly created Women’s Football Division, reporting directly to FIFA Deputy Secretary General Zvonimir Boban, and will be part of the FIFA Management Board. Sarai Bareman was CEO of the Samoan Football Association, before moving to an international role as Deputy Secretary General of the Oceania Football Confederation. More info on www.fifa.com.
The executive committee of United World Wrestling (UWW) has announced that Budapest has been selected to host the 2018 Wrestling World Championships. The Hungarian city was also chosen to host the 2017 U-23 European Wrestling Championships, one of the federation’s newest premier events. Budapest is already preparing to host the 2016 Non-Olympic Weight Wrestling World Championships on 10 and 11 December. Host city applications for the 2019 Wrestling World Championships are currently being reviewed, with a selection expected by the end of the year. More info on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.
Since 2014 the International Swimming Federation (FINA) has helped more than 40 athletes attain a high level of swimming proficiency, granting almost 50 scholarships in the 2014–2016 period. These have helped 36 national federations to give 36 athletes the opportunity to take part in the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan (Russia), and 23 of them also attended the Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro 2016. Because of these successful results, FINA has decided to extend the programme for a third consecutive year. Beginning this month, more than 100 countries will receive an invitation to apply for the FINA Scholarships Programme, part of the wider framework of FINA Development Programmes. The programme officially kicked off on 1 October. More info at www.fina.org.
The International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) informs us that a new Masters Committee has taken shape, after the election of three members on September 30, 2016. Heidi Walli (Finland), the current chair, was elected alongside Shereen Saleh (Egypt) and Peter Engerisser (Germany). A new Chair will be appointed by the UIPM Executive Board, upon proposal of its President, Klaus Schormann, on November 27 in Frankfurt (Germany). More info on www.pentathlon.org.
WINTER IFS
The FIS (International Ski Federation) Development Programme Summer Camp for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined was held in Rasnov (Romania) from 26 September to 2 October (see photo above). The programme is focused on the development of Nordic disciplines in nations that lack Nordic skiing tradition, experience and/or facilities. Countries that took part this year included: Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine. Twenty-five male and female athletes took part in the programme. The specialist and Nordic Combined ski jumpers had the chance to jump on the hill of Rasnov. The training programme also offered the possibility to compete in two FIS Cup competitions and two Carpathian Cup events. More info on www.fis-ski.com.
RECOGNISED IFS
The International Wushu Federation (IWUF) hosted the 6th World Junior Wushu Championships in Burgas (Bulgaria) from 28 September to 3 October (see photo above). IOC Vice President Yu Zaiqing, President of IWUF, welcomed 445 athletes from 51 countries and regions to the event. The skill level of youth wushu athletes has noticeably improved since the biennial event was introduced a dozen years ago. The event was also live streamed on IWUF’s channel WushuTV and promoted through social media channels. More info on www.iwuf.org.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
On 3 October, Pierre-Olivier Beckers, Philippe Vander Putten and Eddy De Smedt, President, CEO and Director of High-Level Sport respectively for the Belgian NOC, and the sports ministers of the three communities of Belgium, Isabelle Weykmans, Rachid Madrane and Philippe Muyters, attended a meeting of the “Olympic platform”. The focus of the meeting was an evaluation of the Olympic Games Rio 2016, reports on the forthcoming Games – PyeongChang in 2018 and Tokyo in 2020 – and international anti-doping policy. After the meeting, the sports ministers paid tribute to the Olympic and Paralympic medallists from the Rio 2016 Games. The Olympic Platform is a collaboration platform that brings together the sports ministers of the three communities and the NOC President for regular meetings and consultations, with a view to improving synergies and efficiency within high-level sport. More info at www.teambelgium.be.
At its plenary meeting on 11 October the Colombian House of Representatives approved Bill 104 of 2015, which regulates the profession of sports trainer in Colombia. The bill was drafted by the Representative of Cundinamarca province, Oscar Hernán Sánchez León. The project was initiated by the Colombian NOC, whose President is Baltazar Medina, and the Colombian Association of Faculties of Sport, Physical Education and Leisure (Arcofader) chaired by Néstor Ordoñez Saavedra, which comprises 30 higher education institutions. The bill is scheduled to be approved by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos by the end of the year. More info on www.coc.org.co.
The Dominican NOC hosted its traditional Olympic gala, which coincided this year with the NOC’s 70th anniversary, to pay tribute to the country’s top athletes. Particular congratulations went to the double Olympic 400 m hurdles champion, Félix Sánchez. He received a commemorative plaque for his exceptional performance and for his contribution to Dominican sport. The plaque was presented by the NOC Executive Committee, NOC President Luis Mejia Oviedo, Sports Minister Danilo Díaz and the chairman of the “Creating Olympic Dreams” programme (Creando Sueños Olímpicos – CRESO), Felipe Vicini. Félix Sánchez was joined by other Dominican athletes who had won medals at the Olympic Games, the Central American Games, the Pan-American Games and world championships (see photo above). The former President of the Dominican Boxing Federation, Bienvenido Solano, was also rewarded for 40 years’ service to his sport and the Dominican sports movement. More info at colimdo.org.
On 11 October the Spanish NOC and the Bertelsmann group presented the first year results of their joint programme “Train your future” (Entrena tu futuro) (see photo above). This pioneering programme was launched in October 2015 with the aim of helping ten athletes to gain professional experience, thus significantly improving their career prospects. Through the programme all ten athletes were able to put their academic knowledge into practice with different companies within the Bertelsmann group, thanks to flexible contracts that enabled them to work around their training schedules. More info on www.coe.es.
On 7 October, just ahead of Japanese National Sports Day, the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) held a special Olympic award ceremony and concert at the Tokyo International Forum. The event was held to commend Japan’s gold, silver and bronze medallists from the Rio 2016 Games. Forty-one medallists, including ten gold medallists, such as Kaori Icho, four-time Olympic champion (women's freestyle wrestling) and Kosuke Hagino, swimming champion (men’s 400-metre individual medley) were among those who attended the ceremony (see photo above). The ceremony was held in the presence of JOC Council Members, JOC Executive Board Members, JOC Honorary Members and Tokyo 2020 Partners. Furthermore, the Japanese Olympic Committee signed a partnership agreement with the Belgian NOC in view of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The JOC President, IOC Member Tsunekazu Takeda and the CEO of the Belgian NOC Philippe Vander Putten signed this agreement in the presence of King Philippe, and the Flemish Minister-President, Geert Bourgeois, as well as of the JOC Vice President for International Affairs, Yasuo Saito. So far, the JOC has signed agreements with 39 NOCs. More info on www.joc.or.jp.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
PYEONGCHANG 2018
Schoolchildren throughout the Republic of Korea will soon be learning more about winter sports and the Olympic values as a result of a new partnership between the Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 and the Ministry of Education. The initiative will supply schools with visual aids and other educational tools to encourage students and teachers to participate in winter sports and in the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. It will also support winter sports institutes, a sports career development programme for middle school students, and opportunities to gain career experience in sport. The partnership between the Organising Committee and the Ministry was sealed with a memorandum of understanding signed by the PyeongChang 2018 President and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Joonsik Lee. Read the complete press release here.