Olympic Highlights 06/02/2023
IOC ACTIVITIES
PRESIDENT
This week, IOC President Thomas Bach welcomed the members of the World Rowing Executive Committee, chaired by IOC member Jean-Christophe Rolland, ahead of their meeting at Olympic House. IOC Executive Board Member Denis Oswald and IOC member Tricia Smith were part of the meeting. They discussed the preparations for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and various other Olympic topics.
At the IOC’s request, the Iranian NOC visited Olympic House in Lausanne this week. Intensive discussions took place with the NOC Relations Department about the situation of Iranian athletes and sport in Iran in general, and the role of the Iranian NOC in protecting the athletes and the members of the Olympic community within the current context of the country. The NOC President also had a meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach. The IOC President expressed the IOC’s grave concerns with regard to the humanitarian situation of a number of athletes, and the financial guarantees that athletes and teams have to provide to their National Federations before travelling abroad to take part in international sports competitions. The Iranian NOC made clear commitments to pursue and expand its efforts to safeguard the athletes’ rights, from both a humanitarian and a sporting perspective, and to continue to act in accordance with the Olympic Charter and fully respect the principle of non-discrimination. The IOC President requested a written report from the Iranian NOC on all these issues, and also asked for a further report about the status of women in sport in Iran. Full news release here.
Also this week, IOC President Thomas Bach met the President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Sarah Keane, accompanied by CEO Peter Sherrard. The topics discussed included the upcoming Olympic Games and the international situation.
President Bach welcomed a delegation from the Syrian NOC, led by its President, Feras Mouala. The IOC President was informed by the Syrian NOC President that, despite the ongoing war in his country, Syrian athletes were very successful, having won their first Olympic medal at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Having also successfully competed in the Mediterranean Games, the NOC is determined to have a strong team for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The preparations for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028, the international situation and the relevant position of the Olympic Movement were the main subjects discussed during the President’s meeting with incoming USOPC President Gene Sykes, who took up his position on 1 January this year.
President Bach and International Surfing Association (ISA) President Fernando Aguerre this week discussed the preparations for the surfing events at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
During his meeting with IOC member and Canadian NOC President Tricia Smith, the President thanked her for the NOC’s excellent programme to support the refugee athletes. They also discussed the international situation and the relevant position of the Olympic Movement.
The President held a meeting with IOC member David Lappartient, who chairs the IOC Esports and Gaming Liaison Group. The main topics addressed were the first Olympic Esports Week, scheduled to take place in Singapore from 22 to 25 June, the international situation and the relevant position of the Olympic Movement.
This week, the IOC President also held a virtual meeting with European Commission Vice-President Margarítis Schinás, and had a phone call with the EU Commissioner responsible for sport, Mariya Gabriel. In both meetings, they discussed the international situation and its consequences on sport, and emphasised the autonomy of sport as a core principle of the EU Sport Model and EU policy.
Also at Olympic House, the IOC President presented a diploma and OLY pin to Brazilian canoeist Sebastian Cuattrin, who took part in four consecutive editions of the Games (1992 to 2004). Cuattrin then signed the Olympians Wall, in the presence of International Canoe Federation (ICF) President Thomas Konietzko and Secretary General Richard Pettit. In a meeting, the IOC President and the ICF President discussed the international situation and the relevant position of the Olympic Movement, as well the preparations for the future Olympic Games.
Through IOC member Guy Drut, French artist Cyril Nardon presented to the President his paintings, including one of all nine IOC Presidents, using cutting-edge technology.
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
One year after the Games, all the Beijing 2022 venues are being enjoyed by the public and local athletes, and the winter sports industry in the country is booming. Driven by Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5, the Games have engaged 346 million Chinese in winter sports since 2015, and created lasting, wide-ranging social and economic benefits for local people. Read the full news release about the Olympic legacies of these Games here.
During their recent visit to Uganda, Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) representatives attended the Game Connect Sports Gala marking the second year of the programme. More than 400 refugees and young people from five settlements across the country came together at the Palabek Refugee settlement in Northern Uganda for some friendly competition and to promote sport for better mental health and community identity. The Kampala settlement took the trophy for netball, while Adjumani won the football tournament. Every team was mixed gender and included people with disabilities. Full news release here.
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
World Aquatics
World Aquatics and the Bahrain Olympic Committee have announced plans to create a new Centre of Excellence and Regional Office in Bahrain. Elite athletes will have access to the Centre, enabling them to enhance their training opportunities. Development athletes will also use the new facility, receiving on-site coaching and educational support through World Aquatics’ development programmes. Centres of excellence are currently operating in Thanyapura (Thailand), Dakar (Senegal), Cape Town (South Africa) and Davie (Florida, USA). Full info here.
International Basketball Federation
On 2 February, the FIBA Executive Committee held its first meeting of 2023, an important year on the international basketball calendar. The following key topics were discussed during the meeting: FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and Qualifiers, FIBA Women's Continental Cups, Club Competitions, 3x3 competitions and Strategic Objectives. Full info here.
International Modern Pentathlon Union
The UIPM has released key obstacles resources for organisers and judges. The UIPM Obstacle Catalogue provides visual and technical details of the obstacles that will make up each of the courses built for the various modern pentathlon competitions to feature the new discipline in 2023. The Obstacle Module e-learning course, for UIPM judges, is now available on the UIPM Educational Platform for officials who are certified in the other modern pentathlon disciplines under the UIPM Judges Certification Programme. More details here.
WINTER IFS
International Ski Mountaineering Federation
During its last meeting, the ISMF Council agreed to grant full membership status to the Ukrainian and Armenian National Federations. Their membership will now be put to the ISMF Plenary Assembly, which will take place in October, for ratification. More details here.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
Brazilian Olympic Committee
The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) has paid tribute to Polyvios Kossivas, who died in Greece on 18 January at the age of 71 and who was – for the COB – one of the protagonists in an important chapter in the history of Brazilian Olympic sport. During the Olympic Games Athens 2004, Kossivas (l. on photo), a spectator at the marathon race, helped Brazilian runner Wanderlei Cordeiro De Lima (r.), who was leading the race but had been knocked down by another spectator. Kossivas helped him get up and continue his race. A few months after the Games, Kossivas went to Rio at the invitation of the COB to receive the Olympic Brazil Award, which was presented by Cordeiro de Lima. Later in 2004, the IOC awarded the athlete the Pierre de Coubertin Medal in recognition of his exceptional demonstration of fair play during the marathon in Athens. Full details here.
Colombian NOC
On 27 January, at the NOC headquarters, Alberto Galvis Ramírez was sworn in as President of the Colombian Olympic Academy for a two-year term from 2023 to 2025. He takes over from Guillermo González, who led the Academy for four years. Galvis Ramírez was previously Secretary General of the Academy, as well as coordinating the NOC’s communications and serving as Director of its Olympic Review. More details here.
Dominican Republic NOC
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises is to work closely with the NOC to help it reach ISO standards in the transparent management of its resources. This announcement was made by the Minister, Víctor “Ito” Bisonó (r. on photo), during a visit to the Ministry by NOC President Garibaldy Bautista (l). The Ministry will thus support the initiatives aimed at obtaining ISO certification for the NOC’s new management. More details here.
Hellenic Olympic Committee
The two-year European project “Together in Sport” has been successfully completed, as announced in a press release from the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC). The project was implemented by the HOC in cooperation with the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and the NGO METAdrasis, which works to facilitate the reception and integration of refugees and immigrants in Greece. The main objective of the programme has been to promote social cohesion through sport.
Uruguayan NOC
On 1 February, the world’s oldest Olympian, Uruguayan sailor Félix Sienra Castellanos, died at the age of 107. He had celebrated his birthday only 10 days before. Sienra Castellanos, who competed in the sailing competitions at the Olympic Games London 1948, devoted his life to the practice of law and sport. He was involved in the administration of sailing for many years, and served several terms as Vice-President of the Uruguayan NOC. In 2016, he was awarded the NOC Olympic award in gold, a distinction given to major figures in the Olympic Movement in recognition of their considerable contribution to the development of Olympic sport.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
PARIS 2024
Since 2022, Paris 2024, the French NOC and the French Civic Service Agency have allowed 57 young French people from all backgrounds the chance of a unique civic experience all over the world. They moved for a year to one of the NOCs and National Paralympic Committees on the five continents, to carry out volunteering missions as part of the “Generation 2024” programme. This is co-financed by the IOC, the French-speaking NOCs Association (AFCNO) and the Civic Service Agency, with the support of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee. News release here. In addition, with less than 600 days to go before France hosts its first Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 has unveiled the competition schedule. The Paralympic Games will be held from 28 August to 8 September 2024. Full news release here.
Los Angeles 2028
Children across Los Angeles enjoyed more opportunities to play sport at little to no cost in 2022 thanks to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Los Angeles 2028. Last year, 90,000 kids enrolled in PlayLA, the youth sports programme developed by the local Organising Committee (LA28) and delivered by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. The initiative, made possible by the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee and the IOC, is making sport more accessible to children and young people between the ages of 5 and 17 ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028. The investment is the single largest commitment to youth sports development in California. Full news release here.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES
GANGWON 2024
The IOC has now launched the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024 Medal Design Competition. Creators from all over the world, regardless of their level of design experience, are invited to submit their creations by 8 March 2023 via the dedicated medal design competition website. The winning design will be selected at the end of the month. The competition is specifically to design the obverse (front) of the medals, while the reverse will be designed by the Gangwon 2024 YOG Organising Committee, and will reflect elements of Korean culture plus the YOG emblem. Full details here.
RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
International Paralympic Committee
Following an extensive International Federation application and review process, the IPC Governing Board has approved 22 sports for inclusion in the LA28 Paralympic Games. In accordance with the IPC Handbook, an Organising Committee for the Games may also propose to the IPC one or more additional events in new sports, with consideration for their inclusion at the absolute discretion of the IPC Governing Board. More details including the list of the 22 sports here.
World Antidoping Agency
WADA is inviting its stakeholders to participate in a Skills Survey for anti-doping practitioners specialised in testing. The survey is aimed at gathering insights from anti-doping practitioners who occupy testing-related roles, to help WADA further develop its Global Learning and Development Framework (GLDF). The deadline for completion is 28 February 2023. Details here.
International Association of Olympic Collectors
The IAOC has announced the opening of the official website of the Paris 2023 Olympic Collectors’ World Fair: www.wocfparis2023.org. This 27th edition will take place from 23 to 25 June – almost one year out from the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Details at www.aicolympic.org.