Olympic Highlights 05/07/2024
IOC
PRESIDENT
With the Olympic Games Paris 2024 less than a month away, IOC President Thomas Bach outlined the role of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement in promoting inclusion and peace in his opening statement in a panel discussion that was part of the 56th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council taking place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, from 18 June to 12 July.
The “Quadrennial panel discussion on promoting human rights through sport and the Olympic ideal” was chaired by Omar Zniber, the President of the Human Rights Council, and opened by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and the IOC President with keynote addresses. It took place on 1 July, under the theme of “Promoting inclusiveness in and through sports”, which had been proposed by Greece.
“In just 25 days from today, we can celebrate the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” said President Bach. “As it stands now, we are confident to count on the presence of athletes from the territories of all 206 National Olympic Committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team on this occasion, to embody this unifying mission and this unifying power of the Olympic Games. In these times of divisions, wars and conflict, this is a very important and powerful signal for unity and for peace […] Our mission goes hand-in-hand with human rights, especially the most fundamental of human rights: peace.”
President Bach highlighted how inclusiveness was enshrined in the values of the Olympic Games. He explained that, while the Olympic Games could not offer a panacea to human rights issues, the IOC was determined to continue to strengthen the role of sport in promoting peace and fostering inclusive communities. President Bach also highlighted the significant role of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, which will participate in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 with a record number of athletes, describing it as an emblematic symbol of the IOC’s commitment to inclusion. The full opening statement from the IOC President can be found here.
Among the panellists joining the Human Rights Council session was IOC Member Yiech Pur Biel, a refugee from South Sudan who was a member of the first-ever IOC Refugee Olympic Team at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, and who now sits of the board of the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF). In his address to the panel, he shared his insight into how important sport can be in offering a sense of belonging for displaced people. Other panellists were the UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, Alexandra Xanthaki; table tennis Paralympian Najlah Imad Al-Dayyeni; and Ginous Alford, the Director of Sport and Human Rights at the World Players Association. Read the full news release here.
Earlier, at the Palais des Nations, the IOC President visited the exhibition “The Olympic Ideal and the Truce, 776 BC-2024: 2,800 years of history” organised by the Greek and French Permanent Missions to the UN in Geneva. At the exhibition opening last week, Tatiana Valovaya, the Director-General of UN Geneva, said: “Today, as we reflect on the rich millenary history and enduring significance of the Olympics on the eve of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this summer, we are reminded of the power of sport and the Olympic Movement: it can bring people together and enhance community cohesion, foster dialogue and build bridges across differences. Gender equality in sport is also important, and I am encouraged that, for the first time in Olympic history, female athletes will have as many places as male athletes, thereby achieving equal representation.”
President Bach welcomed the United Nations’ appeal to observe Olympic Truce for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, while emphasising the enduring significance of the Olympic Truce. In his solemn appeal to the UN Member States, the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dennis Francis, called on all warring parties around the world to agree to “true mutual ceasefires” for the duration of the Truce. Dennis Francis also highlighted the power of sport and the relevance of the Olympic Games to bring the world together in peaceful competition. See the complete text of the solemn appeal here. Read the full news release here.
On 2 July, the IOC President was in Aachen (Germany) attending the CHIO World Equestrian Festival, which was celebrating 100 years of competition. IOC Member Michael Mronz had invited the IOC President to attend the opening ceremony of this year’s edition. Before the ceremony, the President spoke in front of over 200 VIP guests about the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024. Among the guests, in addition to Mronz, were IOC Members Britta Heidemann and Petra Sörling; Olympic champions Isabelle Werth (dressage) and Franziska von Almsick (swimming); Olympian Kim Bui (artistic gymnastics); and the President of the German NOC (DOSB), Thomas Weikert.
At Olympic House, the IOC President held a consultation call with the IOC Members, during which the two Preferred Hosts for the Olympic Winter Games 2030 and 2034, the French Alps and Salt Lake City-Utah respectively, presented their projects and answered questions from the Members. Karl Stoss, the IOC Member in Austria and Chair of the Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games, presented a summary of the Commission’s reports on each project, which were submitted to the Members in advance.
President Bach attended the conference call with the global network of athlete representatives led by the IOC Athletes’ Commission (AC), which highlighted the final preparations for Paris 2024.
President Bach met IOC Member Gianni Infantino, who is also President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). They discussed the preparations for the football tournaments at the Games in Paris.
During a phone call with Kee Heung Lee, IOC Member and President of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, the IOC President spoke about the preparations for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
With the President of the Senegalese NOC, Mamadou Ndiaye, the IOC President discussed the preparations for the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, for which Ndiaye is also President of the Organising Committee, and the geopolitical situation.
The President had discussions with IOC Vice-Presidents Ser Miang Ng and Juan Antonio Samaranch, IOC Executive Board member Gerardo Werthein and IOC Member David Lappartient. During the meetings, they spoke about several current Olympic topics.
The IOC President spoke by phone with India’s Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, who is also a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. The President congratulated him on the latest successful initiative of his Foundation which mobilised over 10 million schoolchildren in the states of Assam and Odisha for the IOC "Let's Move" campaign.
At Olympic House, the IOC President presented an OLY Certificate of Recognition and pin to a number of Olympians who are currently working at the IOC: Romain Détraz (Switzerland, ski cross, Beijing 2022; Finance Department); Ali Hakimi (Tunisia, athletics, Atlanta 1996, Institutional Security); Rodrigo Garza (Spain, hockey, Beijing 2008 - silver medal -, Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000; Athletes’ Department); and Paralympian Théo Gmür (Switzerland, Para Alpine skiing, three gold medals at PyeongChang 2018 and one bronze at Beijing 2022; Medical and Scientific Department). There are 20 Olympians currently working in the IOC administration. Tunisia’s Hatem Ghoula, who competed at the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 (20km race walk), also received an OLY Certificate of Recognition and pin. All of them signed the Olympians Wall.
COMMISSIONS
Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, who is also a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, received the Special Recognition Award at the India Global Forum (IGF)’s 6th Annual UK-India Awards in Windsor, Great Britain. This was in recognition of his exemplary contribution to Indian sport and his inspirational journey. Earlier, he spoke at the Culture and Creativity Forum at the IGF London 2024, highlighting the role of sport in building values like teamwork and integrity in children.
TOP PARTNERS
As the countdown to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 continues, the Worldwide Olympic Partners are preparing to play a fundamental role in making the Games a success. In the “Road to Paris” series, Partners talk about some of the essential support they will be providing and reveal their excitement at helping to shape an unforgettable Olympic experience for fans and athletes alike. Read here the interview with Sarah Vickers, leader of Intel**’**s Olympic and Paralympic Games Office. And here the interview with Cédric Borremans, Head of the Olympics and Paralympics Department, Business Strategy Division for Toyota Europe.
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
The IOC has published an update to the list of the Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) who have been confirmed as eligible and invited to compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Full news release here.
Marking one month to go before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on 26 July, the IOC launched “Sport. And More than Sport” – a new Olympic brand platform. It will debut with an uplifting short film that encapsulates the unique spirit and feeling of the Olympic Games, which will air globally across the Olympic Media Rights-Holder network and Olympic digital platforms, and will run throughout Paris 2024 and beyond. Read the full news release here.
As part of the series following Olympic Solidarity scholarship-holders on the road to Paris 2024, discover the story of Fijian sailor Sophia Morgan here. And read the story of Togolese rower Akoko Komlanvi here.
The IOC has released the 2023 Olympic Solidarity and NOC Services Annual Report, highlighting the support provided to the Olympic Movement throughout 2023, a crucial year in the preparations for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The report showcases the numerous Olympic Solidarity programmes and initiatives that help NOCs and their athletes at every step of the way to the Games. Full details here.
Renowned luxury goods maker Montblanc, in collaboration with the IOC, has announced the release of two writing instruments inspired by the spirit of the Olympic Games. Launched to mark the centenary of its iconic Meisterstück fountain pen, Montblanc’s new collection also pays homage to the 100th anniversaries of the Olympic Games Paris 1924 and the Olympic Winter Games Chamonix 1924. The new writing instruments form part of the IOC’s Olympic Heritage Collection. Full news release here.
With the Olympic Games Paris 2024 less than a month away, the Olympic Studies Centre (OSC) unveiled a suite of new resources on Pierre de Coubertin, all available freely through the Olympic World Library and aim at facilitating a better understanding of Pierre de Coubertin and his educational and humanistic vision for the Olympic Movement. Full details here.
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM)
The UIPM has unveiled a groundbreaking educational course, which consolidates the essentials of the Obstacle world in one place for the first time. Available now on the UIPM Educational Platform, the e-learning course incorporates dynamic video explainers, with picture tutorials and mini games, and will take around five or six hours to finish. The certificate of completion obtained at the end will be a requirement for candidates seeking international certification as Obstacle Judges for future events. Full info here.
International Tennis Federation (ITF)
The ITF has launched the 2024 Tennis Photograph of the Year competition. For the first time ever, the ITF is welcoming entries from both professional and amateur photographers across the world. The closing date for entries is on 27 November, and the winners will be announced in December. More info here. The ITF has confirmed the full entry list for the Paris 2024 Olympic tennis event, which will be held on clay at the Roland-Garros stadium over nine days from Saturday 27 July to Sunday 4 August. A total of 41 nations will be represented, with 184 players competing across five events (men’s and women’s singles and doubles, plus mixed doubles). Full details here.
World Sailing
World Sailing has launched the application for membership of its commissions and committees. The candidates have until 1 August 2024 to apply. Full info here.
World Athletics
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, who is also an IOC Member, was in Ukraine at the end of June. He attended the Ukrainian Championships in Lviv and met the competitors, many of whom have benefitted from the World Athletics Ukraine Fund over the past 24 months. The competition doubled up as the country’s Olympic trials for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Ahead of the championships, Coe also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. The Ukrainian President thanked World Athletics for the assistance provided to Ukrainian athletes and their families over the past two years. Full news release here.
World Triathlon
On 24 June, World Triathlon operated the race number allocation draw for the Paris 2024 Olympic triathlon. The draw assigned transition spots to the 42 National Federations with athletes qualified for the Olympic Games. The final athlete names and start lists will be confirmed in the coming days. The Olympic triathlon men’s race is scheduled on 30 July, with the women’s race on 31 July and the mixed relay on 5 August. Full details here.
WINTER IFS
World Curling
The 2025 World Junior Curling Championships will be held in the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo (Italy) from 12 to 21 April. This event will also serve as a test event for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. More info here.
RECOGNISED IFS
International Bandy Federation (FIB)
At its recent meeting in Stockholm (Sweden), the FIB Congress elected the new Executive Committee (EC), including Henrik Nilsson from Sweden as FIB President. For the first time in the FIB’s history, a female EC member, Chanel Gilomen from Switzerland, was elected. The Congress ratified the members of the FIB Athletes’ Committee, who elected Rebecca Draper from the USA as Chair. She will join the FIB EC with full rights, becoming the second woman to join the EC. All these decisions are part of the broader governance reform of the FIB, including amendments to the FIB Statutes applying key good governance principles.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
Albanian NOC
The 30th General Assembly of the NOC was held on 29 June. The NOC President, Fidel Ylli, emphasised the commitments and projects implemented by the NOC and highlighted the significant investment by the NOC and the Albanian Government in the project “Sport Teams in Schools”, promoting sport among young children. Special attention was given to supporting elite athletes and federations, and to the preparations of Team Albania for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. During the General Assembly, three legendary athletes were honoured with the NOC Olympic Order for their special contributions: Viktor Papavangjeli in basketball, Niko Zguro in wrestling and Kastriot Malaj in athletics. Info at www.nocalbania.org.al.
Argentinean NOC
On 28 and 29 June, the NOC’s Sustainability in Sport Commission organised the second Argentinean Congress on Sustainability in Sport entitled “Deporte y cuidad ambiental: La Medalla Olímpica del Futuro” (Sport and environmental protection: the Olympic medal of the future), with the support of Olympic Solidarity. The Congress was opened by NOC President Mario Moccia and South American Sports Organisation (ODESUR) President Camilo Pérez López Moreira, who is also an IOC Member. The participants, who included representatives of the national federations affiliated to the NOC, provincial and municipal sports authorities and club leaders, followed a variety of presentations. The main aim of the Congress was to produce proposals on how to create a national environmental policy for sport. More details here.
Australian Olympic Committee (AOC)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined AOC President Ian Chesterman and Olympians past and present at an Australian Olympic team fundraising dinner in Melbourne. The Prime Minister’s dinner, attended by 800 people from the business sector and the community, including the Chair of the AOC Athletes’ Commission, Cate Campbell, and the Chef de Mission for the Australian team Paris 2024, Anna Meares, raised valuable funds to send the Australian team to the Games. Chesterman thanked Prime Minister Albanese, who a day earlier had announced a significant funding boost for Australian Olympic and Paralympic sports for the next two years. The funds will go directly to athletes and to supporting Australia’s Olympic sports. The dinner also honoured the 25 flagbearers of Australian teams through the history of the Olympic Summer Games, with nine flagbearers, including basketball player Patrick Mills, present on the night. Chesterman also welcomed the announcement of the Australian Olympic team song, “Higher”, which was performed for the first time by award-winning Indigenous artist Jessica Mauboy. She will perform the song again at the Paris announcement of the two Australian flagbearers for the Opening Ceremony. Info at www.olympics.com.au.
Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC)
One month before the opening of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the HOC organised the official photo shoot for Team Hellas at its headquarters. Most of the athletes who have qualified for the Games participated in the session, alongside their coaches and members of the HOC’s Plenary Session. HOC President and IOC Member Spyros Capralos welcomed the Olympic team, with Chef de Mission for Paris 2024 Petros Synadinos, Deputy Chef de Mission Iakovos Filippousis and Olympic Attaché Michalis Fysentzidis also in attendance. More info here.
Olympic Committee of Israel
One month before the opening of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the NOC marked Olympic Day with a festive event including Olympic and Paralympic athletes, children and young people at the Meir Medical Centre. This is the second year running that the NOC has chosen to dedicate this day to the children of the Meir Sport and Health Centre, where Olympic athletes have been volunteering during the past two years. The Centre has been the official medical accompanier of the Olympic team for over two decades. The event was opened by Yael Arad, IOC Member and NOC President, together with Yaron Mushkat, the Centre’s CEO. About 130 children who took part were able to experience various Olympic and Paralympic sports. More info at www.olympicsil.co.il.
Kazakhstan NOC
To celebrate Olympic Day, the NOC organised various events within the “Sport is for All” concept. The events started with the traditional "Olympian is Born" campaign, welcoming all babies born in the country on 23 June. The main part of the festive programme was held in the capital, Astana, with competitions in basketball, water polo, interactive hockey, swimming and triathlon. In total, more than 1,000 people, including many children, joined the celebration over several days. In addition, the official uniforms of Kazakh national team at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 were handed over to the National Museum Fund. Full details here.
Moroccan NOC
The NOC recently organised a visit to the Jacques Chirac school in Rabat to mark Olympic Day. In addition, at the end of June, the NOC’s medical and administrative staff took part in one of WADA’s Anti-Doping Education and Learning (ADEL) courses, organised in Rabat by the Moroccan Anti-Doping Agency, to prepare for their participation in the Games in Paris. More details on www.cnom.org.ma.
Oman Olympic Committee (OOC)
A meeting was held recently between Taha bin Sulaiman Al-Kishri, OOC Secretary General, and Amjad Malik Aziz, Secretary General of the Asian Sports Press Federation (ASPF). The partnership between the NOCs and sports institutions in Asia and the ASPF, and the exchange of experiences in the media generally, and sports journalism in particular, were discussed, together with opportunities to enhance the role of sports media in the region and their importance in promoting sports culture and spreading the Olympic values among young people. More details here.
Paraguayan NOC
Olympic Week concluded on 22 June with an Olympic run that brought together the Paraguayan Olympic family and numerous athletes on the promenade in Asunción. During the week, the NOC organised a range of activities aimed at promoting the Olympic values and the benefits of sport. Info at www.cop.org.py.
Spanish NOC
Sailor Támara Echegoyen and canoeist Marcus Cooper will be the flagbearers for the Spanish team at the Opening Ceremony of the Games in Paris. Echegoyen was an Olympic champion at London 2012, and finished fourth at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. For his part, Cooper won gold at Rio 2016 and silver at Tokyo 2020. The two athletes were chosen by the presidents of the national Olympic sports federations at a meeting held on 26 June at the NOC headquarters. More details here.
United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC)
The USOPC’s Board of Directors has voted to extend USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland’s contract. With the five-year contract renewal and extension, she will continue to lead the US Olympic and Paralympic Movement through LA 2028 and beyond. Since joining in August 2018, Hirshland has propelled the USOPC forward with her strategic vision and dedication to athlete well-being. Notably, she has prioritised athlete protection, rights and support, ensuring a safe and empowering environment for all. Looking ahead, her leadership will be instrumental in achieving the goals of the 2024-2028 Strategic Plan, developed in collaboration with athletes and National Governing Bodies. More details at www.usopc.org.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
PARIS 2024
Paris 2024 has set itself the goal of halving the carbon footprint of the Games compared with the average of London 2012 and Rio 2016. Less than a month before the Games begin, Paris 2024 presented the latest developments regarding its climate commitments in two key areas: reduction of Games-related emissions and support for carbon avoidance and capture projects. Discover all the details here. Paris 2024 has also announced the opening of its megastore, the flagship store for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, located on the Champs-Élysées. Furthermore, the symbolic milestone of one million ticket sales for the Paralympic Games has been reached, with two months to go before the Opening Ceremony of these Games.
With just two months to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, a giant Agitos - the symbol of the Paralympic Movement - was installed on the French capital’s iconic Arc de Triomphe on 28 June. The installation marks the first time in history a giant Paralympic Agitos has been displayed in a host city before the start of the Olympic Games. Full news release here on the International Paralympic Committee (IPC)’s website.
recognised organisations
Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF)
ASOIF has published the results of the Fifth Review of International Federation Governance, entitled “Progressing towards better International Federation governance”. For the first time, all 32 member federations met the target set. The aim of the project, led by ASOIF’s Governance Task Force, is to promote and ensure a culture of good governance within the IFs and help drive continuous progress. In addition to the main findings, the report includes an overview of the changes in scores, from the First Review in 2017 to the Fifth Review, highlighting the IFs’ significant progress and summarising important developments. Full details here.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
WADA has announced the Athlete Engagement programme teams for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. Together, both events will feature more than 14,000 athletes, representing over 200 National Olympic and Paralympic Committees. WADA’s Athlete Engagement teams will be stationed in the Paris 2024 Village to deliver the “One Play True Team” campaign, which aims to raise awareness about doping-free sport. Details here.