Olympic Highlights 30/10/2024
IOC
PRESIDENT
From 16 to 27 October, IOC President Thomas Bach went on a trip to Africa. He started in Dakar (Senegal), and his journey then took him to Johannesburg (South Africa), Maseru (Lesotho), Kampala (Uganda) and finally Nairobi, Kakuma and Eldoret (Kenya).
IOC President Thomas Bach began a visit to Africa in Dakar, Senegal, which will host the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2026. He was welcomed by the President of the NOC and the Organising Committee, Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye, and was joined by the African IOC members whose countries he cannot visit on the current tour of Africa.
Joining President Bach on the visit to look at the progress of the project were IOC Vice-President Nawal El Moutawakel, Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) President Mustapha Berraf, Lydia Nsekera, Aïcha Garad Ali, Odette Assembe Engoulou, Filomena Fortes, Tidjane Thiam, Mehrez Boussayene and Aya Medany, and IOC Honorary Member Habu Ahmed Gumel. Together they visited some of the construction sites to see the work underway at a number of venues, met numerous Senegalese athletes and watched some fencing and taekwondo demonstrations. Later in the day, the delegation was invited to a reception hosted by the Senegalese NOC, with local and national dignitaries and the Mayor of Dakar.
The next day, the delegation visited the NOC headquarters for a presentation on the progress of the organisation of the YOG, covering topics such as volunteers and the torch relay, and how these Games can involve the whole of the continent. At a reception given by the State President, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, President Bach thanked him for his clear passion for the Games.
On the second leg of his tour of Africa, President Thomas Bach visited Johannesburg. In South Africa, he was welcomed by the President of the National Olympic Committee (SASCOC), Barry Hendricks, IOC Honorary Member Sam Ramsamy and IOC Member Anant Singh. All three accompanied President Bach throughout the visit, along with IOC Member and ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf.
At the SASCOC headquarters, President Bach joined the “Indaba”, a meeting of the South African athletes, during which he took part in the discussions, and focused on the outcomes and lessons of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
During an hour-long Q&A session, he was asked about subjects ranging from athlete safeguarding and gender balance to the possibility of future Olympic Games being held in Africa. He also had a meeting with the SASCOC Board members and national federation presidents and secretaries general. During these meetings, he congratulated them on their great success at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. He also applauded the recent developments at SASCOC, telling them he was "very satisfied to see SASCOC in ‘calm waters’ and at the same time making very dynamic developments”, emphasising the close connection with the athletes and the promotion of the Olympic values.
In the evening, President Bach was guest at a dinner with members of the SASCOC Board and the South African Minister for Sports, Art and Culture, in the government of national unity, Gayton McKenzie. In his speech, the Minister talked about the unifying power of sport in his country and praised the Olympic Games Paris 2024 for “uniting the entire world”. He also praised the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 and said that South Africa stood ready to do “everything in its power to make them a success for the continent of Africa”.
The next morning, the President held a meeting with the Minister during which they discussed the great success of the South African team at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the very positive developments of the NOC in recent times. In a phone call with the country's Head of State, President Cyril Ramaphosa, the two leaders discussed the geopolitical situation and its consequences for world sport.
During the visit to South Africa, President Bach met with the Chair of the IOC’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. He was also taken to Soweto, where they visited the home of Nelson Mandela. Earlier, President Bach had visited the Nelson Mandela Foundation where the archives of the former South African President and Nobel Peace Prize winner are kept.
The next destination for President Bach on his African tour was Lesotho. Landing the capital, Maseru, President Bach was met by the IOC Member in the country, Matlohang Moiloa-Ramoqopo, and the NOC President Tlali Rampooana. He was accompanied throughout the visit by IOC Member and ANOC President Mustapha Berraf.
They went directly to State House for a meeting with the acting Prime Minister, and discussed sport in the country and its role in development, as well as the important part that sport plays in health and education in the country. President Bach praised the performance of Lesotho’s athletes and the excellent support of the NOC.
Later, at a school in Maseru, the President was able to meet and speak with young athletes, and attend a musical and cultural performance. He also met the manager of Lesotho's Olympafrica centre, which works on grassroots sport in the country.
In a roundtable discussion with athletes from the country at the NOC headquarters, President Bach spoke about the support that the IOC was providing to help support athletes. He also praised the great performance of the athletes at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 to which Lesotho sent three athletes, two female and one male, and achieved seventh place in the men's marathon. All three athletes are Olympic Solidarity scholarship-holders.
President Bach also praised the great supporting role of the NOC for athletes and the remarkable work done by the IOC Member in the country, Matlohang Moiloa-Ramoqopo.
In the evening, President Bach attended a gala which celebrated the achievements of Lesotho’s athletes at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and their great performances. He told the audience: “Lesotho may be small geographically – but it is a country with big passion for sport. Your Olympic athletes have inspired a whole new generation.” President Bach was joined at the event by the country's Sports Minister and the NOC President, both of whom praised the performance of their athletes at the Olympic Games and the power of sport to change the world.
IOC President Bach was welcomed to Uganda by the President of the NOC, Donald Rukare, and the IOC Member in Uganda, William Blick, who accompanied the President throughout the visit.
Together with Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei and fellow Olympians Winnie Nanyondo and Halima Nakaayi, he visited the Uganda Wildlife Authority Centre and planted a tree which is symbolically a part of the Olympic Forest Network – a worldwide network of forests initiated by the IOC.
That evening, there was a Q&A session with Ugandan athletes before a gala dinner. The athletes thanked the IOC for all its support and praised the Olympic Games Paris 2024. They asked about the many opportunities to benefit from the Athlete365 network programmes.
At the gala dinner, President Bach congratulated the Ugandan Olympians on their performances at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. He highlighted that the Games were the "only event in the world that can unite the world in such troubled times". He added that this was only possible because of the IOC's strong stance on political neutrality.
Also speaking at the gala, the President of the NOC and the Sports Minister praised the performances of their athletes at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and highlighted the power of sport to bring their country and the world together.
The next day, at a meeting with the Ugandan Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, President Bach was joined by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. President Bach said: "The National Olympic Committee in Uganda is not only doing a great job with regard to sport, but also in all our efforts to support the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs]. There, we see a number of activities concerning gender parity, sustainable development, climate change, safeguarding of athletes and refugees." The Prime Minister highlighted what she called "our shared vision of empowering refugees through sports, through the IOC's Game Connect initiative". She added: "Sports can serve as a powerful tool for peace, unity and social inclusion; between refugees and host communities.”
The President and the High Commissioner for Refugees then visited a Game Connect project in the urban slums of Kampala, where many refugees live. Game Connect, organised under the umbrella of the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF), helps the mental health and well-being of refugees and their social inclusion through sport in settlements across Uganda. The pair were given a detailed explanation from leaders of the various Game Connect projects and how it works with young refugees. Then the President and the High Commissioner joined in some of the activities with the refugees, who have gone through traumatic circumstances and been forced to leave their countries. Together with the refugees, they played a range of games designed to offer therapy through sport.
Next, President Bach visited the Uganda Olympic Committee headquarters, where he signed the NOC's “Golden Book”, congratulating the NOC on all the great work it is doing to promote sport and the Olympic values. He had a meeting with the UOC's Executive Board, who thanked the IOC for its support and highlighted their athletes’ successes at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Later, the President, accompanied by the High Commissioner for Refugees, met with the President of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, and the First Lady, Janet Museveni, who is Minister for Education and Sport. President Museveni thanked the IOC for "all your support for our local National Olympic Committee", and praised the IOC for the Game Connect initiative that links sport and refugees, adding: "I am interested in how they have linked sport to refugees; this is quite innovative and a great initiative.”
He also praised the success of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and, as the current Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), he fully appreciated the IOC's position on political neutrality and sport, as demonstrated by the participation of athletes from the territories of all 206 NOCs at the Olympic Games in Paris.
The visit to Uganda finished with a farewell celebration hosted by the Uganda Olympic Committee and the government, where those in attendance were treated to an impressive display of Ugandan culture.
Arriving in Kenya on the final leg of his tour of Africa, IOC President Bach was welcomed by IOC Member and Kenyan NOC President Paul Tergat, and IOC Member and IOC Athletes’ Commission member Humphrey Kayange.
Together with ANOCA President and IOC Member Mustapha Berraf, they remained with the President during his time in Kenya.
The first of three days was mainly with the NOC, national sports federations and Kenyan athletes. The second included a meeting with the Kenyan President and a visit to see Olympic legend Kip Keino; and the third concentrated on a visit to the refugee camp in Kakuma and the work of the Olympic Refuge Foundation, with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
After arriving in Nairobi, the President held an informal meeting with leaders of Kenyan national sports federations. The IOC President highlighted the great success of the Kenyan NOC, as demonstrated at the historic Olympic Games Paris 2024, where Kenya won 11 medals, the most of any African nation.
"Athletes from the territories of all 206 NOCs and the Refugee Olympic Team were able to come together, competing and living peacefully together, sending a strong message of our unifying mission."
President Bach said that the "athlete-centred approach of the Kenyan NOC [was] a shining example to other NOCs".
In the discussion, there were questions on safeguarding, anti-doping, the Olympic sports programme, gender equality and the possibility of Olympic Games in Africa.
At a sports demonstration with local children, he joined displays of fencing, karate, taekwondo, judo, lacrosse, gymnastics and flag football, before taking questions from the students.
In a visit to State House, President Bach was able to congratulate the Kenyan President, William Somoei Ruto, on the performance of the Kenyan team at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, under the great leadership of NOC President Paul Tergat. Mentioning also Humphrey Kayange, he praised the work of the two Kenyan IOC Members and their excellent work within the IOC, which is highly recognised. He also praised President Ruto for his leadership and for his seamless cooperation in respect of the NOC’s autonomy.
President Bach also commended the Kenyan President for the great work his government is doing for refugees.
The Kenyan President congratulated the Kenyan NOC for its success at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and confirmed his full support for the NOC and Kenyan athletes. He praised the IOC for the success of the Games, and particularly the achievement of having athletes from the territories of all 206 NOCs and the Refugee Olympic Team at the Games; and he thanked the IOC for the work it is doing for refugees in Kenya.
In a discussion on the fight against doping in Kenya, President Ruto confirmed that this was a high priority for him. He informed President Bach that he has given instructions to the government that all the necessary funds and human resources will be made available to the National Anti-Doping Agency.
President Bach then headed to Eldoret, the so-called “City of Champions”, to be reunited with his friend and founding member of the IOC’s very first Athletes' Commission, legendary Olympic champion Kip Keino.
He was welcomed in Eldoret by Keino and the Governor. Signing the golden book at County Hall he told them, "Not only is Eldoret the home of champions but it is the home of champions with big hearts. Here, you live the Olympic values, welcoming athletes from around the world and the Refugee Olympic Team. You are opening your doors and offering so many opportunities."
He also visited the Kip Keino School and orphanage. The IOC President inaugurated the new administration block for the school, which has more than 900 local pupils.
The final day of the Africa tour saw a visit with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi to Kakuma, a refugee camp with 300,000 inhabitants.
In the camp, President Bach was able to see the great work being done by the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) to bring sport to the camp. Working with a number of agencies, the Foundation also uses sport to help the refugees with issues related to gender-based violence and mental well-being.
Thanks to the ORF “Play 2 Protect” programme operating in the camps, 2,745 adolescent girls, young women and boys have received gender-based violence (GBV) clinical services. The majority are young women and girls. In all, more than 23,600 refugees have received psychosocial support, with a 30 per cent reduction in GBV experiences between 2020 and 2023 as a result of this project.
Speaking at the camp, President Bach said: "Kakuma refugee camp is the cradle of the Refugee Olympic Team. Half of the first ever Refugee Olympic Team trained here in 2016. It is also the cradle of many of the ideas that lead us in the Olympic Refuge Foundation: Putting sport at the disposal of both the host and refugee communities.” And he thanked the UN High Commissioner, saying, “none of this would have been possible without him.”
During the visit, he was accompanied by the two IOC Members in Kenya, Paul Tergat and Humphry Kayange, and IOC Member in Rwanda Felicite Rwemarika, who was herself a refugee in her childhood. The end of the visit to Kenya and President Bach’s African tour was marked by a farewell dinner hosted by the Kenyan NOC.
Before travelling to Senegal, the IOC President received IOC Member Giovanni Malagò, who is also President of the Italian NOC and the Organising Committee for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The two men reviewed the progress of preparations for these Games.
At Olympic House, the IOC President welcomed swimmer Emma McKeon, the most decorated Australian in Olympic history with 14 Olympic medals in three editions of the Games. At Paris 2024, she became Australia’s most successful gold medallist ever, with six golds. The IOC President presented her with an OLY Certificate of Recognition and pin, before she also signed the Olympians Wall.
IOC MEMBERS
On behalf of the IOC President, IOC First Vice-President Nicole Hoevertsz welcomed the presidents, secretaries general and other representatives of IFs at the IF Forum on 21 October in Lausanne.
She encouraged them to embrace change and be ready to innovate, while being guided by the Olympic values and looking to the future of sport with great confidence. The theme of this year’s IF Forum, which was held at the Olympic Museum until 23 October, was “Ensuring your IF is match fit and future-ready”. In a rapidly changing world, Hoevertsz explained that it is now the moment to consider “what innovation and change are needed to be ‘future-ready’ – because the times, they are a-changing.” She also explained how the Olympic AI Agenda “provides a holistic approach of how the world of sport can embrace the potential of AI.” She pointed out that the Olympic values are at the heart of this approach, ensuring AI technology to be available for everybody in the Olympic Community, in order to grant access to sport to more people and support athletes in many ways. Read full news release here, including Hoevertsz’s full speech.
IOC Member Kolinda Grabar Kitarović became an ex-officio member of the Croatian Olympic Committee Executive Committee. She was elected during the 74th Session of the NOC Assembly. See also under ‘NOCs section’.
OTHER OLYMPIC NEWS
The inaugural Human Rights First “Spotlight Award” was presented to the Refugee Olympic Team Paris 2024 during a ceremony in New York City. This Award recognises organisations and individuals that inspire others through their dedication to human rights and impactful advocacy whilst elevating marginalised voices.
Accepting the award on behalf of the team, Olympic athlete, IOC Member and Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) Board member Yiech Pur Biel reflected on the significance of this honour: “The purpose of this team, then and now, is twofold. To support refugee athletes to continue their athletic career and compete on the world stage. And secondly, to bring attention to and change views towards the 120 million people across the globe who, like me, have been forced to flee their homes.” Full news release here.
Discover here one notable initiative of the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF): Sport Coach+, a programme carried out in collaboration with the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) Psychosocial (PS) Reference Centre, which trains coaches in Ukraine and surrounding countries to better support young refugees’ mental well-being.
Over the past weeks, the Olympic Movement Unit for the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (OM Unit PMC) has been present in some key forums and discussions. On 7 October in Porto, Portugal, the ninth meeting of the Follow-Up Committee of the Council of Europe (CoE) Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (Macolin Convention) took place, in which the IOC has observer status representing the whole Olympic Movement. On this occasion, the Unit presented its work to safeguard the integrity of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, with a focus on the intelligence, awareness-raising and capacity-building work, and actively contributed to the discussions. The following day, the CoE organised a conference on the “10 years of the Macolin Convention”.
This Conference was organised within the wider framework of the 18th CoE Conference of Ministers Responsible for Sport. IOC Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Paquerette Girard Zappelli delivered a short opening address to the more than 150 participants, underlining the IOC’s support to the Convention from its conceptualisation phase until today. The Head of the OM Unit PMC, Friedrich Martens, was also part of a panel, and he highlighted the importance of the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions - which fully mirrors the Macolin Convention - for the athletes and the strong work of the Unit in preventing competition manipulation. On 15 October, the OM Unit PMC attended INTERPOL’s International Match-Fixing Taskforce (IMFTF) annual meeting. A presentation was delivered to the more than 100 participants, law enforcement officers specialising in the fight against competition manipulation, and the long-standing partnership between IOC and INTERPOL was highlighted and appreciated by all the law enforcement and sports representatives present. Within the framework of the meeting, a regional IOC-INTERPOL workshop was organised for six countries: Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland and Croatia. NOC Single Points of Contact on Integrity in Sport (SPOCs), law enforcement officers and state officials from these countries had the chance to further understand the phenomenon, exchange good practices and lessons learnt from their work, cooperate in hypothetical case scenarios and further commit towards enhancing their national cooperation.
Sport will have a prominent place at the 12th edition of the World Urban Forum (WUF) that will take place from 4 to 8 November in Cairo, Egypt. The (OC will be involved in four key events that will demonstrate how sport can contribute to urban development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as build new partnerships and relations with key stakeholders in this field. Learn more here.
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
FIBA has unveiled an exciting new digital platform with an ultimate go-to platform for basketball enthusiasts and a new institutional website. The FIBA Basketball website offers the perfect blend of FIBA's competition content, including news, videos, photos and brand new editorial features. FIBA has also completely revamped its corporate website, about.fiba.basketball, dedicated to audiences more interested in the institution. Full details here.
International Canoe Federation (ICF)
An International Canoe Federation Sports Education Centre (ICFSEC) is set to be established at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, to promote paddle sports. The ICF has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Chinese Canoe Association (CCA) and Zhejiang University that focuses on education, research, training coaches and referees, and branding among other areas. The collaboration will also see the parties work together to strengthen the position of paddle sports within university sport and at the Asian Games. Full details here.
International Tennis Federation (ITF)
The ITF has concluded its 2024 Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Hong Kong, China, marking the first time the event has been held in Asia since 2017. With delegates from 131 nations in attendance, the conference kicked off on 10 October with the ITF’s ITF2024+4 strategy and a transformative digital vision to enhance tennis access, enjoyment and engagement. The ITF also emphasised its commitment to driving growth and innovation while ensuring a fair, clean and safe sport for all. The 2025 ITF Conference & AGM will be hosted by the Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation in Riyadh. More info here.
World Rowing
Following public nominations, the World Rowing Executive Committee has selected the finalists for the 2024 World Rowing Awards. The awards will be presented during a Gala Dinner on 9 November in Seville, Spain. Discover the finalists here.
World Triathlon
On 21 October, in Torremolinos, Spain, the 37th Congress of World Triathlon elected Antonio Fernandez Arimany as the third President of World Triathlon. He succeeds IOC Member Marisol Casado, who steps down after 12 years. Elections were held for the Executive Board, all nine Committees and Commissions and the Tribunal. The Congress members were presented with the event schedule for 2025. Full details here.
WINTER IFS
International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF)
Meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, the ISMF Plenary Assembly focused on preparations for the Olympic Winter Games and the election of a new Council member, while also welcoming four new federations. Officially opened by ISMF President Regula Meier, the Assembly brought together delegates from 23 nations from four continents. A video message from the IOC President was shown. The ISMF’s Annual Report and key amendments to the ISMF Statutes were approved. The day before the Assembly, the ISMF hosted a workshop for National Member Federations to review the past season’s highlights and discuss upcoming projects. Details here.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
NOC Azerbaijan
The NOC, in partnership with the IOC, the European Olympic Committees (EOC), and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), hosted the fourth edition of the Digital Communication and Social Media Seminar (DCSMS IV), a landmark event focused on advancing digital communication within the sports world. The NOC collaborated with Olympic Solidarity, whose funding made the seminar possible. The IOC Digital Engagement and Marketing and Athletes' departments played key roles in shaping the seminar's content, providing invaluable expertise and support to participants. The EOC and ANOC played a crucial role by providing both funding and organisational support, while the International Judo Federation’s New Technologies and High-Performance Commission contributed essential technical assistance, including high-speed internet, which ensured seamless technological operations and facilitated the smooth delivery of the seminar’s hybrid format. Representatives from more than 20 NOCs and nine athletes' commissions, all united by a shared vision to enhance digital engagement across the Olympic Movement, took part. More details at www.olympic.az.
Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC)
The CTOC, in conjunction with its Peace through Sport Committee, hosted the 2024 Olympic Peace Triathlon at National Taiwan Normal University on 12 October. The event, which embodied the spirit of "Integration by Sports", attracted a diverse group of participants, particularly athletes with disabilities, making it the highlight of the occasion. A total of more than 150 participants, among them 19 athletes with autism, hearing impairment, diabetes, visual impairment and other physical disabilities, participated in this fun, harmonious and educational event.
Earlier, an International Gender Equity and Sports Seminar was held with the theme of Self-Empowerment: On the Way to Spark. Organised in Taipei by the CTOC and co-hosted by the Sports Administration of the Ministry of Education, the seminar was supported by the CTOC’s Gender Equality Committee. With a focus on empowering women in the sports industry, the event welcomed 117 participants, including experts, scholars and athletes, for discussions and interactive sessions on advancing gender equality in sport. Info at www.tpenoc.net.
NOC of Croatia
At the 74th session of the Croatian Olympic Committee Assembly, held in Zagreb, Zlatko Mateša was unanimously re-elected as the NOC President for the 2024-2028 term. At the same session, the NOC also elected four Vice-Presidents and 16 NOC Executive Committee members. Full details: here
Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC)
The achievements of Team Hong Kong, China, at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 were commemorated during a ceremony at the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) Connect Hall. Alongside official guests such as Timothy Tsun Ting Fok, SF&OC President and IOC Honorary Member, and Carlson Tong, Chairman of HKEX, Paris 2024 Olympians Tang Chun Man (badminton), Tse Ying Suet (badminton), Lee Ho Ching (table tennis) and Wong Chun Ting (table tennis) struck the "gong" at the market closing ceremony. The gong striking session was then followed by a cheque presentation ceremony, where Fok represented the SF&OC Sports Legacy to receive a donation of HKD 1 million from the HKEX Foundation. The Sports Legacy Scheme, run by the Hong Kong Athletes Career and Education Department of the SF&OC, aims to provide opportunities for students, retired athletes and athletes who are planning to retire to pursue their passion for sport. Full details here.
In his 2024 Policy Address, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region put forward a number of initiatives to strengthen support for sports development in Hong Kong. The SF&OC welcomed these initiatives and will play an active role in facilitating their implementation. The Policy Address proposed reforming the governance of national sports associations. It also suggested enhancing coach training and exploring the feasibility of introducing a standardised accreditation system for coaches. More details here.
Olympic Committee of Israel
The NOC, in collaboration with its Athletes’ Commission, initiated a sporting activity inspired by the Olympic values for 160 orphaned children and teenagers. The goal of the activity was to provide the orphans with inspiration and support, offering them an empowering and enjoyable experience alongside Olympic athletes, to help them cope with their loss and the many challenges they face. This initiative reflects the deep commitment of Olympic athletes to social action and supporting Israeli society, particularly children and teens. Alongside the NOC President, IOC Member Yael Arad, NOC CEO Gili Lustig and NOC Head of Education Yarden Har Lev, the participating athletes included Girmaw Amare, Maayan Davidovich, Yuval Freilich, Yam Wolczak, Nufar Edelman, Nina Amir, Gili Cohen, Shahar Kleiner and Nitai Hasson. Details at www.olympicsil.co.il.
Paraguayan NOC
NOC President Camilo Pérez López Moreira, who is also an IOC Member, recently met his Uruguayan counterpart, Fernando Ucha Martínez, on an official visit to Montevideo (Uruguay). The two NOCs signed a cooperation agreement that aims to promote athlete training in the two countries. This agreement is an important step towards greater sporting cooperation between Paraguay and Uruguay, strengthening the links between the two nations with a view to a more competitive and solid future for sport in South America. Info here.
Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC)
Maximilian Maeder, an 18-year-old kite foiler, was recently honoured at the SNOC Major Games Programme (MAP) Awards Presentation and Appreciation Dinner for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. He won a bronze medal in the men’s kite event off the coast of Marseille, marking a historic milestone as Singapore’s first Olympic sailing medallist. The ceremony was attended by Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, and SNOC President Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law, alongside a Team Singapore contingent. The SNOC’s MAP is a programme designed to reward Singaporean athletes who bring home medals from major events like the SEA Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the Olympic Games. Full details here.
Spanish NOC (COE)
The COE and the Spanish Ministry of Defence have joined forces to facilitate the inclusion of high-level athletes in the armed forces through their selection processes. The announcement was made during an event held at the COE headquarters, in the presence of Defence Minister Margarita Robles, COE President Alejandro Blanco and Olympic medallist and army corporal Carlos Arévalo. More details here.
The COE also presented the Sustainability Movement (MOES), a new community that brings together sport and sustainability, and the ambassadors for this project. This initiative features on a single platform all the actions and tools the COE has developed in the area of environmental and social sustainability in sport. This initiative is partially financed by Olympic Solidarity. Full details here.
RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS
Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC)
ANOC has announced a strategic partnership with SeaTheFuture, a leading conservation organisation committed to protecting the ocean, underscoring ANOC’s ongoing commitment to minimising its impact on the environment. Through this collaboration, the details of which can be found here, ANOC will promote SeaTheFuture’s innovative and impactful sustainability projects to NOCs across the globe. This will serve to encourage Olympic stakeholders to take active steps in contributing to the preservation of the ocean and its species. ANOC will encourage NOCs to become signatories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Sports for Nature Framework. In doing so, NOCs will commit to sustainable practices, with SeaTheFuture acting as a partner to help them achieve their environmental goals and contribute to preserving nature. Full news release here.
Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF)
During its meeting in Lausanne on 21 October, the ASOIF Council addressed a number of strategic items related to its members, the Olympic Games, as well as its internal organisation. The meeting, chaired for the last time by incumbent President Francesco Ricci Bitti, took place ahead of the presidential handover to President Elect Ingmar De Vos, who is also an IOC Member, on 1 January 2025. The Council discussed the success of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the related distribution of revenues from the IOC to the IFs. Regarding the internal organisation, the Council appointed James Carr as Executive Director as of 1 January 2025. He will take over from Andrew Ryan, who will retire after having served the association in this role for almost 19 years. More info here.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
During the 2nd edition of the Central and Eastern European Anti-Doping Summit held in Belgrade, Serbia, WADA President Witold Bańka delivered a keynote speech which highlighted the importance of collaboration between the Anti-Doping Organisations in Central and Eastern Europe and around the world. The Summit was organized by the Central European Anti-Doping Organisation, a partnership of nine National Anti-Doping Organisations from Austria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia that work together towards the common goal of harmonising and strengthening the anti-doping system in the region. More than 60 participants from 26 different countries attended this year’s Summit. More info here. In addition, please find here the list of scientific research projects provisionally approved to receive a total of USD 1.4 million funding through the WADA’s Scientific Research Grant Programme.
Fédération Internationale Cinema Television Sportifs (FICTS)
From 5 to 9 November 2024, Milan, Italy, will host the 42nd edition of the Sports Movies & TV – Milano International FICTS Festival. The Festival is organised by the FICTS, chaired by Franco Ascani, in collaboration with the Lombardy Region and the Milano Cortina Foundation. The event will provide an international overview, with 135 screenings selected from 1,965 works from around the world, including 35 world and European premieres, and exclusive images from the Olympic Games. A significant moment of the event will be the presentation of the “Golden Star” – the highest FICTS award – to IOC President Thomas Bach and the Italian Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi. To mark the Olympic Games Paris 2024, an “Olympic Images – Olympic Emotions” space will showcase the best images from these Games. More info at www.sportmoviestv.com.