OLYMPIC ORDER AWARDED TO OUTSTANDING ATHLETES

Lausanne, 19 June 2001 - The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will be awarding the Olympic Order to ten top athletes on Olympic Day, which will be celebrated at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne on 23 June 2001.

The athletes who will receive this Olympic distinction are:

Name

Sport Country Olympic achievements

Myriam BEDARD Biathlon CAN - 2 gold medals: 1994 (7.5 km and 15 km) - 1 bronze medal: 1992 (15 km)

David DOUILLET Judo FRA - 2 gold medals: 1996, 2000 (+ 100 kg) - 1 bronze medal: 1992 (+ 95 kg)

Krisztina EGERSZEGI Swimming HUN - 5 gold medals: 1988 (200m backstroke); 1992 (100m and 200m backstroke, 400m medley); 1996 (200m backstroke) - 1 silver medal: 1988 (100m backstroke) - 1 bronze medal: 1996 (400m medley)

Cathy FREEMAN Athletics AUS - 1 gold medal: 2000 (400m) - 1 silver medal: 1996 (400m)

Kazuyoshi FUNAKI Ski jumping JAP - 2 gold medals: 1998 (K120 individual and team) - 1 silver medal: 1998 (K90 individual)

Haile GEBRE SELASSIE Athletics ETH - 2 gold medals: 1996, 2000 (10,000m)

Alexandre KARELIN Wrestling RUS - 3 gold medals: 1988, 1992, 1996 (100-130 kg) - 1 silver medal: 2000 (97-130 kg)

Marco MARIN Fencing ITA - 1 gold medal: 1984 (team sabre) - 2 silver medals: 1984, 1992 (individual sabre) - 1 bronze medal: 1988 (team sabre)

Naim SULEYMANOGLU Weightlifting TUR - 3 gold medals: 1988, 1992 (56-60 kg), 1996 (59-64 kg)

Pirmin ZURBRIGGEN Alpine skiing SUI - 1 gold medal: 1988 (downhill) - 1 bronze medal: 1988 (giant slalom)

Olympic Order The Olympic Order is awarded to a person who has illustrated the Olympic ideal through his action, has achieved remarkable merit in the sports world, or has rendered outstanding services to the Olympic cause, either through his own personal achievement or his contribution to the development of sport. The personalities who have already received the Olympic Order include Fanny Blankers-Koen, Jean-Claude Killy, Bertrand Piccard, Jesse Owens, Steffi Graf, Alberto Tomba, Indira Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

Olympic Day The idea of an Olympic Day was adopted at the 42nd IOC Session in St Moritz in January 1948. The National Olympic Committees (NOC) were entrusted with the organisation of this event and asked to choose a date between 17 and 24 June to show their wish to commemorate the founding of the IOC at the Sorbonne in Paris, on 23 June 1894, when Pierre de Coubertin secured the restoration of the Olympic Games. Olympic Day was first celebrated on 23 June 1948.

Since 1987, Olympic Day has been marked by the staging of fun runs by the NOCs. This is one of the activities of the IOC’s Sport for All Commission, whose specific purpose is to promote mass sport. When: Saturday 23 June 2001 – 5 p.m.

Where: Olympic Museum - Auditorium 1, Quai d’Ouchy CH - 1006 Lausanne Tel.: (41.21) 621 65 11 Fax: (41.21) 621 65 12

Accreditation: Media representatives wishing to attend the ceremonies are asked to confirm this by contacting the IOC Department of Communications, tel.: (41.21) 621 6111, fax: (41.21) 621 6351, and to collect their badge at the Museum reception desk when they arrive.