Olympic Highlights
IOC ACTIVITIES
PRESIDENT
IOC President Thomas Bach met a group of Young Ambassadors who took part in a three-day summit in Lausanne. The group was composed of 11 young leaders who have been involved in the Youth Olympic Games, four representatives from the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games, a handful of external young social entrepreneurs and one IOC Member, Danka Bartekova – herself a Young Ambassador for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. After the session, President Bach was invited to pick up his foil and join the group, a number of whom are Olympians themselves, for a sporting-themed “mannequin challenge”, the latest phenomenon in social media (see photo above). Read the full press release here.
IOC President Thomas Bach congratulated the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) at its 68th World Congress in Frankfurt/Main (Germany) on its success at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. He emphasised how the UIPM, under the leadership of President Klaus Schormann, has developed the sport, which was invented by Pierre de Coubertin who wanted to create “the complete athlete” with modern pentathlon. “I could follow the great development your sport has taken in recent years. It is a demonstration of excellence in the development of a sport with a strong emphasis on modern. You embraced the change and Olympic Agenda 2020 with all the modernisation.” President Bach presented a trophy to Klaus Schormann who was later elected for the seventh consecutive time as UIPM President. He also attended the unveiling of the UIPM Hall of Fame. (see “International Federations” section).
The WADA reforms were discussed during meetings with the IOC Vice-President and Chair of the IOC Scientific and Medical Commission, Uğur Erdener; the President of United World Wrestling and IOC representative on the WADA Foundation Board, Nenad Lalovic; the President of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), Francesco Ricci Bitti, and ASOIF Executive Director Andrew Ryan.
The IOC President met the President of the NOC of Paraguay, Camilo Pérez López Moreira, with whom he discussed the situation of sport in the country. A number of other topics were also discussed, including the continued implementation of the Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations and the next editions of the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games.
MEMBERS
Sovereign Prince Albert II and a number of IOC Members and Honorary Members took part in the March for Peace on 23 November in Monaco, alongside approximately 1,000 other participants, including many sporting figures and politicians. The March marked the opening of the 9th Peace and Sport International Forum, organised by Peace and Sport and centred around the theme “Game on for Peace: Changing the World through Sport”. More info on www.peace-sport.org
Ching-Kuo Wu, IOC Executive Board Member and President of the International Boxing Association (AIBA), has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health in Saint Petersburg (Russian Federation) on the occasion of the Youth World Boxing Championships, which are being held in the city. He also received an honorary doctorate from the Belarusian State University of Physical Culture in Minsk. These honorary degrees were awarded in recognition of his significant contribution to the development of the Olympic Movement. More info on www.aiba.org.
At the WADA Foundation Board meeting in Glasgow (Great Britain), Craig Reedie was re-elected as WADA President for a further three-year term (see “Recognised Organisations” section).
Beatrice Allen was re-elected as First Vice-President of the Gambia National Olympic Committee at the NOC’s elective congress held on 5 November (see “National Olympic Committees” section).
Jose Perurena (left) has been re-elected as President of the International Canoe Federation (ICF) for a third term following a vote of confidence at the XXXVI ICF Congress in Baku (Azerbaijan). Tony Estanguet (right) has been re-elected as ICF Vice President. More info here.
OHTER OLYMPIC NEWS
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 part of this process, on 21 November the IOC announced that 12 athletes have been disqualified from the Olympic Games London 2012 (full press release here). On 25 November, it also announced that seven athletes have been disqualified from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 and London 2012 (full press release here).
Following successful presentations to the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees in Doha (Qatar), members of the three cities competing to host the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in 2024 - Los Angeles (USA), Budapest (Hungary) and Paris (France) - (cities are listed in the order of drawing of lots) were in Lausanne to attend workshops with the IOC. The individual one-day workshops focused on Stage 3 of the Candidature Process which covers Games Delivery, Experience and Venue Legacy. Read the full press release here.
OLYMPIC MUSEUM
The triple Olympic medallist in weightlifting, the Iranian Mohammad Nassiri-Seresht (see photo), has donated his silver medal from the Olympic Games Munich 1972 to The Olympic Museum in Lausanne. There is an amazing story behind this medal, which was stolen many years ago. After searching for it over a long period of time, an Olympic fan discovered the medal up for auction on the internet. The fan bought it and brought it back to Iran. After 30 years, the medal was finally presented back to Nassiri-Seresht. The four-time Olympian also won a gold medal at the Mexico City 1968 Games and a bronze medal at the Montreal 1976 Games. The ceremony at the Museum was held in the presence of representatives from the Iranian Weightlifting Federation, Ali Moradi and Amir Sedighi, accompanied by Mohsen Salarian, advisor at the Iranian Embassy in Bern.
INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
The Board of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) met recently in Istanbul (Turkey) (see photo above). A number of decisions were taken, in particular regarding EuroCup Women, the 2017 European Youth Championships and the bidding process for EuroBasket Women in 2019. Read the full press release here.
Alisher Usmanov was elected as President of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) for a third term at the FIE’s Elective Congress in Moscow (Russian Federation). A former fencer, Alisher Usmanov was first elected as FIE President in 2008. The Congress delegates also elected the members of the Executive Committee and of the various FIE commissions for the next four years. More info on www.fie.ch
Together with the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), United World Wrestling (UWW) organised in Finland its first-ever “Strength and Condition” course for wrestling coaches (see photo above). Supported by Olympic Solidarity, the Finnish Wrestling Federation and the Finnish Weightlifting Federation, the course was held at the Kuoratane Olympic Training Centre. US wrestler Helen Maroulis – Olympic champion at the Games in Rio in 2016 – shared her experiences as an athlete with the 28 coaches from 11 National Federations who took part in the course. Read the full press release here.
The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has posted the competition schedule for the FINA World Masters Championships 2017, which will be held in Budapest (Hungary) from 7 to 20 August. The event will feature five aquatic sports: swimming, open water, diving, water polo and synchro. Detailed info about registration and qualifying times on www.fina.org.
Klaus Schormann (photo) was re-elected as President of the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) at the 68th UIPM Congress in Frankfurt/Main. He has been President since 1993. The Congress also elected the new Board for 2016-2020. Two female Olympians are among the newcomers on the Board: Aya Medany of Egypt, the new Chair of the Athletes Committee, and Kitty Chiller of Australia, the new President of the Oceania Modern Pentathlon Confederation. With the Secretary General Shiny Fang from China, there are now three women on the UIPM Board. Haiti was the only National Federation recognised as a new member of UIPM. Detailed info on www.pentathlon.org
Meeting in Munich (Germany), the Ad-Hoc Committee of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) released its recommendations to establish gender equality in the Olympic Programme. These recommendations are in response to the requirements of Olympic Agenda 2020. The ISSF released the Ad-Hoc Committee recommendations so that athletes, coaches, National Federations and fans can be kept informed and offer their contributions to the discussion. Read the full press release here.
World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) President Riccardo Fraccari welcomed the news that the House of Switzerland - a project under the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Rio 2016 - has broken ground on a baseball legacy project in Rio de Janeiro. The Consulate General of Switzerland, following the disassembly of the House, will modernise and upgrade the baseball field at Lagoa, which is overseen by the Carioca Baseball and Softball Federation, an affiliate of the Confederation of Brazilian Baseball and Softball. The WBSC will support the House of Switzerland legacy project, by supplying development essentials such as baseball starter-kits and other teaching materials. Read the full press release here.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
The third edition of Olympic Solidarity’s advanced sports administration course concluded on 18 November. Organised by the NOC of Argentina with the support of the ENARD sports institute, the nine-month course gave participants (see photo) the chance to conduct case studies and work on their projects via remote teaching. Every year this course offers high-quality training to staff and volunteers from National Federations. The next course will begin in March 2017. Read the full press release here.
Inspired by the success of the Olympic Games Rio 2016, more than 3,000 young athletes aged 15-17 took part in the School Games, held over nine days in the city of João Pessoa in the state of Paraíba. This event, which has been organised by the Brazil Olympic Committee since 2005, is the largest sports competition in Brazil. The aim is to contribute to the social integration of young people through sport and to identify high-level athletes for the future. With the beginning of the new Olympic cycle, attention is focused on identifying the athletes who will represent Brazil at upcoming international sporting events such as the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018, the Pan American Games in Lima in 2019 and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. As a concrete example of how the event can help identify future talent, 52 athletes who had competed in the School Games were part of the Brazilian team at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Read the full press release here.
A workshop set up as part of the IOC’s Athlete Career Programme brought together 37 high-level athletes in Medellin. Organised by the Colombian NOC and Adecco Group, and supported by the sports institute Indeportes Antioquia, the workshop gave athletes the chance to leave the sports field for a while and think about their plans for the future. All participants received a diploma at the end of the workshop, in the presence of NOC President Baltazar Medina. Read the full press release here. In addition, a sports administration course organised by the academic section of the Colombian NOC was held from 21 to 24 November in Cartagena. The course was aimed at local sports leaders and officials at the Bolívar regional sports and leisure institute (Inderbol).
On 23 November, as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Spanish NOC organised an information day to raise awareness among athletes about this endemic social problem. Attending the event, NOC President Alejandro Blanco (see photo above, centre) stressed the importance of working to eradicate all forms of violence and highlighted that such acts were a violation of the Olympic Charter and had no place in sport. The day was organised by the NOC’s Women and Sport Commission, chaired by Olympic champion and NOC Vice-President Isabel Fernández. Read the full press release on www.coe.es
The President of the Gambia Athletics Association, Dodou Capy Joof (see photo), was elected President of the Gambia NOC for a four-year term at the NOC’s elective congress held on 5 November. The President of the Gambia Football Federation, Lamin Kaba Bajo, was elected as Second Vice-President of the NOC, while Abdoulie Jallow, Secretary General of the Gambia Basketball Association, was re-elected as NOC Secretary General. Ousman Abou Wadda was re-elected as NOC Treasurer for the third time.
Hugh Robertson (see photo) has been elected as Chairman of the British Olympic Association (BOA), replacing current incumbent Sebastian Coe. Current BOA Vice-Chairman, he has served previously as Minister for Sport and The Olympics, playing a pivotal role in the delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games London 2012 and more recently the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Read the full press release here.
Joseph Schooling, Singapore’s first Olympic gold medallist, has been rewarded for his record-breaking performance at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, as part of the Singapore National Olympic Council’s (SNOC) awards programme. He was presented with the reward by Moses Lee, Chairman of the Tote Board, together with guest of honour Tan Chuan-Jin, Minister for Social and Family Development and President of the SNOC; Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth; and Ser Miang Ng, IOC EB Member (see photo). On 12 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, the 21 year-old swimmer broke the Olympic record in the men’s 100m butterfly event, beating Michael Phelps, Chad le Clos and Laszlo Cseh. Read the full press release here.
The NOC of Togo organised the third edition of the event “A Watch For All” in Tchamba and Kaboli on 18 November (see photo above). More than 500 mobile phones were given out to the most deserving pupils from seven secondary schools in selected towns. The NOC’s objective is to raise awareness among pupils about punctuality and to promote the Olympic values. Read the full press release here.
The Olympic Table Tennis Festival, held over a week and organised by the Venezuelan NOC, concluded with a practical assessment session at the Venezuelan Table Tennis Federation headquarters. At the session, coaches were asked to devise preparation and training exercises, put them into practice and then assess their implementation, creativity and instructive value.
RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
Meeting in Glasgow last week, the Foundation Board of WADA approved a series of recommendations that will equip the Agency for the future – ranging from compliance and governance to investigations and whistleblowing. The Board also re-elected President Craig Reedie for a further three-year term as the nomination of the sporting movement. He is joined by the Agency’s new Vice-President, Linda Hofstand Helleland, who was announced as the governments’ choice following the death of former Vice-President Makhenkesi Stofile in August 2016. Ms Helleland, the current Norwegian Minister for Sport, has initially been appointed for a three-year term, in accordance with WADA rules. More info here.
Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have announced a partnership aimed at boosting the capabilities and professionalism of Para sport in Singapore and throughout the region. An education framework to develop Paralympic coaching and other Para sport technical capabilities will be established under the coaching development programme of the Singapore Sports Institute (SSI) in the next two years. More info here.
The President of the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF), Raffaele Chiuli, took the opportunity of the IF Forum and the various meetings organised in Lausanne during the second week of November to meet several IF members of the ARISF. Discussions were mainly focused on how to further strengthen cooperation and dialogue with the IOC and SportAccord. More info here.
Generations For Peace has signed its first-ever agreement with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) to implement a two-year research project in Tunisia, led by the Generations For Peace Institute. The research project will add value to the programme launched in October 2016 that covers six governorates in Tunisia and aims to strengthen youth resilience to violent extremism through positive sports and arts activities. More info here.