Olympic Highlights 20/01/2025

IOC

PRESIDENT

IOC President Thomas Bach attended the state funeral of Andrzej Kraśnicki, longtime President of the Polish Olympic Committee, who died on 10 January. The ceremony was held on 18 January in Poznan, in the presence of the President of Poland Andrzej Duda, the Polish Olympic Committee President Radosław Piesiewicz, as well as many Olympic and sports personalities.

During the ceremony, President Bach said: “Andrzej was more than a leader; he was a visionary. His presidency of the Polish National Olympic Committee marked an era of progress and modernisation in Polish sport. He brought together athletes, politicians, business and cultural leaders, channelling their collective strength to elevate sport in Poland to new heights – while always defending and promoting the autonomy of sport. The strong standing of Polish sport in the world today is the result of his tireless dedication”. He went on: “Andrzej was admired for his accomplishments but even more so for his humanity. It was during difficult and challenging times that his big heart and his compassionate human side shone most brightly. Under his leadership, the Polish NOC provided refuge and support to a huge number of Ukrainian athletes and members of their Olympic community. In their hour of greatest need, Andrzej opened his heart and the doors of Polish sport, in a remarkable demonstration of the true spirit of Olympic solidarity. With his humanity, he really did make the world a better place through sport”. He also added: “On a personal note, I will forever cherish the friendship we shared. From the moment we met almost two decades ago, I was struck by his warmth and his unwavering dedication to the values we hold dear. In Andrzej, I was fortunate to know a man with a great heart. A man who cared deeply about people. A man you could always rely on. A man you could trust”. (See also under “NOCs” section).

In Poznan, President Bach had also a meeting with the Polish President, Andrzej Duda, to discuss various topics of mutual interest, including the current geopolitical situation, the support Poland is providing to Ukrainian refugees, and its help to Ukrainian athletes and Ukrainian sport.

At Olympic House, President Bach met World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) President Riccardo Fraccari. Among other things, they discussed the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, where baseball5 will make its debut.

The IOC President had a meeting with the President of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), Marco Scolaris, who was accompanied by Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi. The main topic of discussion was Rekabi’s sporting career and her participation in the IOC’s Women in Sport High-Performance (WISH) programme. The WISH programme, funded by Olympic Solidarity, focuses on developing high-performance female coaches. Following the IFSC President’s proposal, which was supported by the IOC President, Rekabi was appointed as the Athlete Role Model for sport climbing for the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.

The IOC President also held an individual meeting with Marco Scolaris. He congratulated him on the great success of the climbing competition at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and thanked him for his tireless efforts in this respect. The preparations for the climbing events at the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 and Olympic Games LA 2028 were also discussed.

The IOC President also welcomed Paul Caine, President of On Location, the leader in experiential hospitality, on a courtesy visit to Olympic House. The company is the exclusive service provider for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, Milano Cortina 2026 and LA28 hospitality programmes.  

President Bach had a phone call with the former German Ambassador to the United Nations, Christoph Heusgen, who is now Chair of the Munich Security Conference. They discussed the current geopolitical situation.

At Olympic House, President Bach awarded the Olympic Order to scientist and former World Athletics Vice-President Professor Helmut Digel. For decades now, Digel (81) has played a decisive role in shaping sport in Germany and worldwide, the IOC President said in his speech: “Helmut Digel is an exceptional figure in many respects: a sports scientist who, as a thought leader and admonisher, has always put sport and its values at the centre of attention with tireless commitment and great versatility.” Digel's life's work is based on three pillars: his work in German sport as the long-standing President of the German Athletics Federation and as Vice-President and Honorary Member of the German National Olympic Committee, his leadership in international sport as a member of the World Athletics Council, and his academic career. President Bach said: “Dear Professor Digel, you are not only a theorist of sport, but also a man of practical experience. As a former handball player, you have experienced yourself what it means to be part of a team – and you have brought this experience to your later roles. In your work, you have uniquely combined theory and practice, science and sports policy.”

On Sunday 19 January at The Olympic Museum, the IOC President attended the celebrations to mark the 50^th anniversary of the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee (CIPC), which is chaired by Stephan Wassong. Addressing the participants, the President paid tribute to the CIPC’s work: “The idea that sport is universal and serves a higher purpose for all human beings was central to the thinking of Pierre de Coubertin. For half a century, the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee has been at the forefront to promote the study of Coubertin’s work and vision. This impressive global network of historians, scholars, researchers and educators – all of you are a truly unique community of Coubertin experts. Through your dedication to research, analysis and documentation, you ensure that Coubertin’s Olympic vision continues to resonate across generations and around the world.”

The President also spoke with Michael Payne, a marketing consultant and former IOC Marketing Director.

COMMISSIONS

Kristin Kloster, an IOC Executive Board Member and the Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for Milano Cortina 2026, explains how these Games will deliver an unforgettable experience. Read the article here.

OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS

The IOC has reached an agreement with Infront to manage the commercialisation of the IOC’s images archive. The collaboration will run from 2025 to 2028, and will see a dedicated in-house Infront team work on the commercialisation of the historic archive. This features more than 60,000 hours of audiovisual content from all Olympic events, from the first modern Games up to Paris 2024. Infront is also the media rights-holder for the exclusive Olympic broadcast rights agreements in 22 countries across Central and South-East Asia for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, LA 2028 Olympic Games, French Alps 2030 Olympic Winter Games and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, and for the Youth Olympic Games during the period. Read the news release here.

In the framework of the PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme, the IOC Olympic Studies Centre (OSC), with the help of its Grant Selection Committee, has selected four research projects based on their academic quality and link with Olympic studies. For this 26th edition of the programme, 22 applications were submitted by doctoral students, and 13 by early career academics. Read about the selected candidates and their projects here. In addition, discover here the October 2024 issue of the OSC newsletter. Sign-in here to receive the next editions.

The IOC Medical and Scientific Department has been restructured and renamed the Health, Medicine and Science (HMS) Department, as of 6 January 2025. This change coincides with the Department’s new Director, Dr Jane Thornton OLY, taking up her role, and reflects the IOC’s continued leadership in sports medicine and science. Read the news release here.

NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES

Dominican Republic NOC

On 15 January, a number of sports leaders, including NOC President Garibaldy Bautista, attended a commemorative mass to mark the 14^th anniversary of the death of Roque Napoleón “Polón” Muñoz. Alongside his friends and family members, they paid tribute to a man who played a key role in sports administration in the Dominican Republic. Muñoz was the President of the NOC, an IOC Member and a member of the Executive Committee of the Pan American Sports Organisation (now Panam Sports). More info here.

Oman Olympic Committee (OOC)

A physiotherapy course was organised recently by the OOC, represented by the Oman Sports Medicine Committee. The course, held over three days at the Oman Olympic Academy, was attended by physiotherapists from sports federations and committees, as well as healthcare professionals from hospitals. Its aim was to enhance knowledge and practical skills in sports injury management, first aid, diagnosis and treatment. The course is part of a series of initiatives by the Oman Sports Medicine Committee aimed at raising the standards of performance in the field of sports medicine. More details here.

Polish Olympic Committee

On 10 January, Andrzej Kraśnicki, long-time NOC President and recently NOC Honorary President died at the age of 75. He was a well-known figure in Polish and international sport, chairing the NOC (2010-2023), the Handball Association of Poland and the Polish Olympic Foundation. He also held positions within many international sports organisations, such as the European Olympic Committees (EOC), the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). A member and expert in many committees within the wider Olympic Movement, he led the Polish Olympic team at several Olympic Games. During his life, Kraśnicki received many distinctions from NOCs and international organisations, including the Olympic Order and the EOC Order of Merit. At the end of 2024, Polish President Andrzej Duda awarded Kraśnicki the Grand Cross of the Order of Rebirth of Poland, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Polish Olympic movement, the promotion of Poland internationally and the development of international cooperation in the field of sport. Read here the article by the current NOC President, Radosław Piesiewicz, on the NOC’s website.

Spanish NOC (COE)

The 17^th edition of the EOC “All Olympians” (Todos Olímpicos) campaign has just been launched. This education project aims to promote the values of sport and Olympism in the country’s schools. Since its launch in 2008, the campaign has visited over 5,200 educational centres, thereby reaching over 366,000 pupils. From 7 January to 9 June, the 2025 edition should reach 602 centres and over 40,000 children. Fifteen athletes will take part in this year’s campaign, sharing their sporting and personal experiences. Full details here.

Uruguayan NOC

At the end of last year, the Uruguayan postal service launched a special first day cover to commemorate the Olympic Games Paris 2024. NOC President Fernando Ucha unveiled the new stamps, and the postal service presented IOC honorary member Julio César Maglione with a philatelic album, in recognition of his remarkable career and his engagement as president of the NOC, a position he held until September 2024. A book entitled “100 Años del Comité Olímpico Uruguayo”, which traces the NOC’s history, was also presented on this occasion.

ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR THE YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES

GANGWON 2024

19 January marked one year since the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024, the beginning of an event that highlighted outstanding athletic performances, the remarkable dedication of volunteers, and the engagement of young people in sport. K-pop performances played a prominent role in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of Gangwon 2024, as well as the Let’s Play Winter Festival, showcasing Korean culture both domestically and internationally. To commemorate the one-year anniversary of the YOG Gangwon 2024 and celebrate their successful hosting, Gangwon Province organised a special “Homecoming Day” event for its volunteer community. The celebration featured a variety of activities, including sports and cultural events, discussions with Olympic medallists and live concerts. Additionally, the Gangwon 2024 virtual volunteers' community page has been launched. Full news release here.