Wednesday, 29 October 2014

UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport completes first UN mission in Jordan

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UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Youth Refugees and Sport completes first UN mission in Jordan

©CIO/Richard Juilliart

29/10/2014

IOC Honorary President Jacques Rogge completed his first mission as Special Envoy of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General for Youth Refugees and Sport.

With the goal of raising awareness on the conditions of youth refugees and the impact of sport for their well-being, Rogge visited Syrian refugees currently living in the UN camp of Azraq, located in the desert 100 kilometres east of the Jordanian capital, Amman. He was accompanied by HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, IOC Member in Jordan and President of the National Olympic Committee.
The Azraq camp formally opened last April and is run by the Jordanian authorities with the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its humanitarian partners. The camp currently hosts 5,000 shelters housing some 18,000 refugees.
During the visit Rogge spent time with refugee families and youth. He also visited the site that will soon host a multi-sport playground financed by the IOC. In addition to providing the facility, the IOC, together with local partners, will also implement a full programme for kids to play sports including football, volleyball, basketball, field hockey, and handball in addition to taking part in the recreational programme already underway in the camp. The facility and the programme will be designed to encourage girls to also participate. Almost all children in the Azraq camp have experienced traumatic forms of violence and sport is considered a key component to their healing process. The sports programme should be operational in the course of 2015 and aims to benefit over 2,000 young people/refugees per year.

©CIO/Richard Juilliart “I am really honoured to have been appointed to this role and grateful to the UN Secretary-General for the trust he put in me. This first mission has been particularly moving and inspiring,” said Special Envoy Rogge. “Refugee populations are largely composed of young people and children and having talked to families today there is no doubt that leisure and physical activities can have a positive impact on their lives in disarray.”
“Sport will improve their physical health, give these refugee youth a sense of enjoyment and hope, and bring structure to their daily routine,” he continued. “We cannot underestimate the important role of sport and I am proud to be here to see that these are not only words but a reality.”
Rogge was appointed Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Youth Refugees and Sport last April in New York when the IOC and the UN signed a historic agreement aimed at strengthening collaboration between the two organisations.
The IOC, which has been working in close collaboration with the UNHCR for two decades, has already seen thousands of refugees benefit from sports programmes and equipment donated by the IOC.
Since 2004, the IOC and UNHCR have organised a “Giving is Winning” programme in the run-up to the Summer Olympic Games. This global solidarity campaign has become an iconic experience through which athletes, officials and sponsors of the Olympic Games, National Olympic Committees , International and National Federations, and other Olympic Movement stakeholders have expressed their support for young people in need, particularly in refugee camps, by donating tens of thousands of clothing items . The campaign has already collected over 170,000 items of clothing, which have reached refugees in 23 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe.
In 2013 and 2014, the IOC, Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung and the UNHCR have joined forces to distribute IOC Sports Kits to more than 180,000 internally displaced young people living in refugee camps in 20 countries throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America.
In Namibia, the IOC, UNHCR, and the local NOC implemented a Sport and Education programme for some 8,500 young people living in the Osire refugee settlement in the centre of the country. The programme was specifically designed to involve young people in sports activities in order to alleviate some of the major problems affecting them, namely teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (such as HIV) and drug abuse.

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The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, helping athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.
For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.
Broadcast quality footage
Please use the following link to download broadcast-quality footage to help you with your coverage of this event: http://vimeopro.com/afpservices/ioc-jordan
password: IOC JORDAN
This video news release includes:
- Footage of Jacques Rogge’s visit to the UN camp of Azraq
- An interview with IOC President Thomas Bach in English and French
Photos
For a selection of photos from this event, please go to www.afpforum.com, or contact images@olympic.org.
VideosYouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia
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Death of Sir Tennant Edward (Tay) Wilson KNZM, OBE, IOC Honorary Member in New Zealand

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Death of Sir Tennant Edward (Tay) Wilson KNZM, OBE, IOC Honorary Member in New Zealand

29/10/2014

It is with great sadness that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has learned of the death of Sir Tennant Edward (Tay) Wilson KNZM, OBE, aged 89.

Sir Tay joined the IOC in 1988 and served on the New Sources of Financing Commission (1989-1993) and Finance Commission (1994-2006). He became an IOC honorary member in 2006.
“Sir Tay was a man full of passion for sport. He believed strongly in the integrity of sport, and spent most of his life working to protect it,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “The entire Olympic Movement will miss him. We express our deepest sympathies to the family of Tay Wilson and the Olympic community in New Zealand.”
During his long career in the Olympic Movement, he held numerous positions: Chef de Mission at the Games of the XXII Olympiad in Moscow in 1980, Deputy Chef de Mission at the Games of the XXIII Olympiad in Los Angeles in 1984, Secretary General of the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association, member of the Association of National Olympic Committees Executive Commission (1989-1993; 1996-2000), Chairman of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) Finance Commission (1985-1993), and ONOC Secretary General (1989-1993). He was also President of the New Zealand Pierre de Coubertin Committee, President of the Pierre de Coubertin Institute, and Life Member of the Special Olympics of New Zealand Foundation.
His work with the Olympic Movement was the crowning achievement of a life-long passion for sport. A rowing champion in his early years, he became New Zealand double sculls junior champion in 1959. Besides rowing, he was also fond of many other sports, such as swimming, hockey, golf and badminton.
The IOC expresses its deepest sympathies to Sir Tay’s family.

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For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.
VideosYouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia
PhotosFor an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr.
To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: images@olympic.org.
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IOC awards 2018-2020 broadcast rights in Canada

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IOC awards 2018-2020 broadcast rights in Canada

28/10/2014

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced that CBC/Radio-Canada has been awarded the exclusive broadcast rights in Canada for the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang in 2018, and the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo in 2020.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “We are pleased that we will continue to work with the team at CBC/Radio-Canada who have demonstrated their support for the Olympic values over many years. In addition, the financial support that CBC/Radio-Canada has committed as part of this agreement will be re-distributed by the IOC to support sport in Canada and around the world, as well as supporting future organisers of the Olympic Games.”
Hubert T. Lacroix, President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada said: “Today we are fulfilling a promise made in our strategic plan to take a leadership role in broadcasting the Olympic Games to all Canadians, when, where and how they want. As Canada’s public broadcaster, we have a proud history of supporting and promoting our amateur athletes and helping to share their stories. The Sochi Winter Games of 2014 were the most watched in history. I am excited to think about what will be possible in 2018 and 2020 when, together, with our partners at Bell Media and Rogers Media, we will bring our athletes closer to home more than ever before.”
IOC member Gerardo Werthein, a member of the IOC’s TV Rights and New Media Commission, said: “Both the IOC and our host broadcast organisation, Olympic Broadcast Services, have an excellent working relationship with CBC/Radio-Canada, and we look forward to continuing this until 2020.”
CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s national public radio and television broadcaster, has acquired the rights across all broadcast platforms, including free-to-air television, subscription television, internet and mobile phone in all languages. The agreement also includes the right to broadcast all editions of the Youth Olympic Games until 2020.
The IOC has an existing agreement with CBC/Radio-Canada to broadcast the Olympic Games Rio 2016: http://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-awards-2014-and-2016-olympic-games-broadcast-rights-in-canada/170309

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Monday, 27 October 2014

Honorary President Rogge underscores role of sport in fighting obesity at World Health Summit

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Honorary President Rogge underscores role of sport in fighting obesity at World Health Summit

©Getty Images

23/10/2014

IOC Honorary President Jacques Rogge urged that more be done to promote active and healthy lifestyles among young people, as obesity and physical inactivity remain two of the main risk factors for non-communicable diseases, during a keynote speech at the World Health Summit in Berlin (Germany).

Rogge, representing International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, highlighted the important role sport and Olympism can play in the education of young people and improving their health and fitness.
“Sport strengthens not only the body, but also the mind,” stated the Honorary President. “It is also an ideal way to integrate minorities into the mainstream of society and it teaches the essential values of the Olympic Movement: the pursuit of excellence, respect and friendship.”
However, he expressed his grave concern that too many young people today are physically inactive, leading to obesity and various diseases. President Rogge stressed that sport and physical activity play a great role in addressing this worrying societal trend.
During his speech, the IOC Honorary President also warned: “The practice of sport also comes with certain risks such as doping, injuries and overload. The IOC addresses these risks through an exemplary collaboration with the International Federations (IFs) and the National Olympic Committees (NOCs).”
Promoting health through sport
The protection of athletes’ health and encouraging people across the globe to lead active and healthy lifestyles are key priorities for the Olympic Movement. As physical inactivity remains an important threat to the general health of societies across the globe, the IOC has moved beyond primarily handling anti-doping activities in the world of sport to taking an active role in the promotion of health through sports participation.
The IOC also works closely with a number of United Nations agencies, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), with which a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 2010. Our shared mission is to encourage healthy lifestyles and grassroots sports activities worldwide, and thus reduce the risk from non-communicable diseases such as obesity.
About the World Health Summit
Bringing together opinion leaders, decision makers and stakeholders from all health-related fields, politics, civil society, academia and the private sector, the World Health Summit is an annual event that attracts over 1,200 participants from all over the world, acting as both a forum and a framework to address the scientific and global health agenda.

Swift response from NOC of Sierra Leone aids fight against Ebola

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Swift response from NOC of Sierra Leone aids fight against Ebola

24/10/2014

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has commended the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Sierra Leone for supporting the United Kingdom’s Joint Ebola Task Force in setting up an Ebola treatment facility with immediate effect in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

An official from the UK Joint Ebola Task Force said hundreds of lives could potentially be saved as a result of the swift approval by the NOC, coordinated by the IOC, to allow work to begin on the site at the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology (MMCET). Earlier this year, the Sierra Leone NOC started work at the college on its Olympic Africa project to develop sporting infrastructure in the country. The project includes a 400-metre athletics track, football pitch and facilities for other Olympic sports such as tennis, volleyball, basketball and aquatics.
The UK Government has plans to build six Ebola treatment centres in Sierra Leone, one of the countries hardest hit by the recent outbreak of the virus, which has already claimed over 4,500 lives in seven affected nations (Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain and the United States of America).
According to the United Nations, as of last week, a total of 9,216 probable, confirmed and suspected cases of Ebola virus disease have been reported in the seven countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes Ebola as a virus that causes an acute, serious illness that is often fatal if untreated (average fatality rate is around 50 per cent). The current outbreak is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the disease was first discovered in 1976. There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than in all others combined.
For more information on Ebola, please visit the UN’s Global Ebola Response website.

IOC statement on the death of South African Olympian Mbulaeni Mulaudzi

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IOC statement on the death of South African Olympian Mbulaeni Mulaudzi

25/10/2014

The IOC was saddened to hear the news that South African Olympian and former world 800-metre champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi has died at the age of just 34.

"Our sympathies go to his family and friends, and to the whole sports family of the rainbow nation of South Africa. Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was a true Olympian and a fine athlete. A World Champion, he always showed huge commitment to his craft," said the President of the IOC, Thomas Bach. "He proudly represented his new nation around the world, and at home his successes inspired a new generation of young people to take up sport. He will be missed by the Olympic family."
Mulaudzi, who was killed in a car crash on his way to a Johannesburg athletics meeting, was South Africa's flag bearer at the opening ceremony at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where he won silver.

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Olympic Agenda 2020 discussions culminate in 20 + 20 recommendations

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Olympic Agenda 2020 discussions culminate in 20 + 20 recommendations

©IOC/Christophe Moratal

23/10/2014

The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) agreed today on a set of 40 recommendations that will shape the future of the Olympic Movement. The recommendations will be presented, discussed and voted upon by the full IOC Membership at the 127th IOC session in Monaco on 8 and 9 December.

The EB spent two days fine-tuning each of the proposals during meetings in Montreux. The recommendations are centred on the three themes of sustainability, credibility and youth.
Some of the key areas addressed were possible changes to the bidding process, shaping it more as an invitation and to reduce costs. More flexibility with regard to the composition of the Olympic programme was also recommended, while respecting the limitations of athletes, coaches and other support personnel. The launch of an Olympic TV channel was proposed, along with measures to strengthen the governance of the IOC and Olympic Movement.
All the recommendations will be made public in mid-November after the IOC members have had the opportunity to study them.
“We have concluded here a very constructive and fruitful meeting of the IOC Executive Board,” IOC President Thomas Bach said. “The 40 detailed recommendations are like individual pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, which when put together give us a clear picture of what the future of the Olympic Movement will look like.”
The chairs of the 14 Working Groups established to refine the Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations summarised their work during presentations to the Executive Board over the last two days. As well as members of the Olympic Movement, the Working Groups also consisted of experts from civil society, including the United Nations, Google/YouTube, Transparency International, the Clinton Foundation and the World Bank. The recommendations were also debated by the IOC commissions, two Olympic Summits and the 126th IOC Session in Sochi. In total, some 1,200 ideas from 270 direct contributions, including more than 40,000 submissions from members of the public, were received during the process.

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The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, helping athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.
For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.
VideosYouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia
PhotosFor an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr.
To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: images@olympic.org.
Social mediaFor up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Thursday, 23 October 2014

Teleconference with the IOC President – Information to the Media

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INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PRESS RELEASE

Teleconference with the IOC President – Information to the Media
IOC President Thomas Bach will hold a teleconference on Thursday 23 October 2014 at 14:30 (Swiss time, GMT+2) to give an update on the discussions held during this week’s meeting of the IOC Executive Board (EB) in Montreux.
Details of the teleconference are as follows:

When: Thursday 23 October 2014
Time: 14:30 (Swiss time, GMT+2)

Dial-in numbers:
+41 (0)58 310 50 00 (Europe)
+44 (0)203 059 58 62 (UK)
+1 631 570 5613 (USA)

For a full list of numbers in your country, please click here.

Playback:
There is also the chance to dial in and re-listen should the time/date not be convenient for you. The playback will be available one hour after the conference for 48 hours. Participants requesting the digital playback can dial:
+41 (0)91 612 4330 (Europe)
+44(0)207 108 6233 (UK)
+1 631 982 4566 (USA)
You will be asked to enter the Code 17900 followed by the #sign.

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IOC grants provisional recognition to Kosovo Olympic Committee

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IOC grants provisional recognition to Kosovo Olympic Committee

22/10/2014

The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today granted provisional recognition to the Kosovo Olympic Committee and proposed that the NOC be granted full recognition at the next IOC Session to be held in December in Monaco.

The NOC of Kosovo was established in 1992 and has more than 30 affiliated National Federations (NFs), 13 of which are Olympic sports federations. Of these, six* are full members of their respective International Federations (IFs), while the other seven** are provisional or associate members of their respective IFs.
The EB noted that the NOC of Kosovo has met the requirements for recognition as outlined in the Olympic Charter. These include the sport and technical requirements as well as the definition of “country” as defined in Rule 30.1 – “an independent State recognised by the international community.” Kosovo is recognised as a country by 108 of the 193 UN Member States.
The decision was taken by the Executive Board in the interests of the athletes in Kosovo and to remove any uncertainty they may have. It will allow them to take part in qualifications for the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and in future editions of the Games.
*Table tennis, archery, judo, sailing, weightlifting, modern pentathlon
**Wrestling, boxing, curling, taekwondo, gymnastics, skiing, handball

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The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, helping athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.
For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.
Videos
YouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia
Photos
For an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr.
To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: images@olympic.org.
Social media
For up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Raibania - Hatigarh - Baleswar - Odisha - 756033 - India.

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Raibania - Hatigarh are two twin village. The name of the village is changed what was the name in old days. Sankhabhanga or Sardarband, Subarnarekha river and the Bay of Bengal are closely associated to the villages located nearby. Once there was a vast area with a so called civilization related to the lost habitat of a certain clan. The famous local dialect "fi-fu.. fi-su.." is common identity of the Roop Nagar of India where many story tellers would travel frequently to compose the storylines. The 'Mahatsabha' festival and prayer offering to the Basil plant on the podium (Tulsi Mancha) are important features in the very name of the place.


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Tuesday, 21 October 2014

Contribution of the IOC and of sports bodies essential to Switzerland, says Ueli Maurer

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Contribution of the IOC and of sports bodies essential to Switzerland, says Ueli Maurer

14/10/2014

IOC President Thomas Bach today welcomed the head of the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports (DPPS), Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer, for a meeting at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne.

During the meeting the two leaders addressed various subjects, including the strategic plan for the future of the Olympic Movement, Olympic Agenda 2020. President Bach informed the Federal Councillor about the progress made in the themes which will be addressed by the IOC Session in Monaco in December.
Relations between the IOC and Switzerland, and the 2015 celebration of the 100th anniversary of the IOC’s presence in the country were also discussed.
The recent developments in the area of the fight against illegal betting in sport, for which the IOC has created a USD 10 million fund, and the recent adoption of a Council of Europe convention enforcing the support of governments were also addressed during the meeting.
On this occasion, the IOC President stated: “This meeting was the opportunity to raise some points of mutual interest, including the role played by sports bodies within society, in particular with respect to education and health; international relations and our increased cooperation with the United Nations; and the joint efforts in the fight against illegal betting. In this respect, I would like to thank Mr Maurer for the success of the meeting of sports ministers held recently in Macolin, during which a convention was signed. This fight is important for the IOC and can be fought only with support from governments.”
The Federal Councillor then took the floor: “Switzerland is not only about its international political bodies, but attaches particular importance to sports organisations, notably the IOC, whose headquarters we are very proud to host in Lausanne. Sport plays an essential role in our society, and we owe it to sport to provide it with the place it deserves. With this aim, continuing efficient and fruitful cooperation with the IOC is of the utmost importance.”
Federal Councillor Maurer was accompanied by the Director of the Federal Office of Sport (OFSPO), Matthias Remund. On the IOC side, Director General Christophe De Kepper also took part in the meeting.
After the meeting, Ueli Maurer signed the IOC guest book and the two leaders also answered questions from press delegates.

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For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our website at www.olympic.org.
VideosYouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia
PhotosFor an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr.
To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: images@olympic.org.
Social media
For up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

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Wednesday, 29 October 2014