Organising Committees for the Olympic Games

The organisation of the Olympic Games is entrusted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the country of the host city as well as to the host city itself. The NOC forms, for that purpose, an OCOG which, from the time it is constituted, communicates directly with the IOC, from which it receives instructions.

The OCOG executive body includes: the IOC member or members in the country; the President and Secretary General of the NOC; and at least one member representing, and designated by, the host city. In addition, it generally includes representatives of the public authorities and other leading figures.

From the time of its constitution to the time it is dissolved, the OCOG must comply with the Olympic Charter, the contract entered into between the IOC, the National Olympic Committee and the host city (Host City Contract) and the instructions of the IOC Executive Board.

The Organising Committees grow from small organisations of tens of employees to reach several thousand only seven years later. The Organising Committee starts its work with a period of planning followed by a period of organisation which culminates in the implementation or operational phase at Games time.

Upcoming Olympic Games

Main Tasks

The Organising Committee's work covers different areas in the Olympic Games' organisation

The main tasks for the Organising Committees of the Olympic Games are:

To give equal treatment to every sport on the programme and ensure that competitions are held according to the rules of the International Sports Federations (IFs);
To choose and, if necessary, create the required installations: competition venues, stadiums and training halls; to arrange for the required equipment;
To lodge the athletes, their entourage, the officials;
To organise medical services;
To solve transportation problems;
To meet the requirements of the mass media in order to offer the public the best possible information on the Games;
To organise cultural events that are an essential element of the celebration of the Olympic Games;
To write the Final Report on the celebration of the Games in the two official languages and distribute it within two years after the end of the Games.