Olympic Torch Relay to visit every state in Brazil

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29/01/2015

The Olympic flame will travel across 26 states and through 250 cities and towns on a 20,000km journey around Brazil in the lead-up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

As the Organising Committee announced the first details for the Rio 2016 Olympic Torch Relay on 29 January, it was revealed that the flame would be carried by at least 10,000 torchbearers to every corner of Brazil, on a route designed to reach approximately 90 per cent of the population.
As is traditional, the lighting ceremony of the Olympic flame at the home of the ancient Olympic Games, Olympia, will mark the start of the Olympic Torch Relay. From Greece, the flame will arrive in Brazil approximately 100 days before the start of the 2016 Games and will then begin its journey around the country. The culmination of the journey will come on 5 August at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio when the flame will light the Olympic cauldron at the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony.

Carlos Nuzman, President of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, said the Torch Relay would give the opportunity for millions of Brazilians to be involved in the build-up to the Olympic Games. “Upon being awarded the right to host the 2016 Olympic Games, we promised to involve the entire country, thereby ensuring it would be an event made by Brazilians, for Brazilians and with a Brazilian spirit for the world to enjoy. To stage the Olympic Torch Relay across the whole country is to fulfil that promise and give millions the chance to participate in an unforgettable celebration.”
Continuing its longstanding support of the Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola, together with Nissan and Bradesco, will be a Presenting Partner in Brazil. Flavio Camelier, Vice President of Coca-Cola Brazil for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, said: “We are writing yet another chapter in the history of our partnership with the Olympic Torch Relay. Since the Barcelona Olympic Games, in 1992, we believe in its power to thrill, to provide unique moments and to spread the Olympic spirit throughout the whole world.”
The nomination process for the torchbearers will be held throughout 2015 and will be conducted in collaboration with the Presenting Partners, while the design of the torch and more details about the route will be announced later in the year.
Find out more about the Rio 2016 Olympic Torch Relay at www.rio2016.com

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“Getting the couch potatoes off the couch”: IOC joins forces with UNESCO to improve Physical Education in schools

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29/01/2015

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), in partnership with UNESCO and several other international organisations, has cooperated on new Guidelines, released today, urging governments and educational planners to invest in the quantity and quality of physical education that they offer. 

The action-orientated Quality Physical Education (QPE) Guidelines, which are in line with the IOC’s mission to include sport in school curricula worldwide and to promote Olympic values-based education, were presented today during a meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS) at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne.  
IOC President Thomas Bach said: “Physical Education in schools is crucial if we are to get the couch potatoes off the couch. Sport has a central role to play in the education system, not just to fight against obesity and sedentary behaviour, but studies have shown time and again the positive effects physical activity has on the social and intellectual development of young people. Collaborating closely with UNESCO, we will ensure physical education is an integral part of school curricula to promote a healthy mind in a healthy body.”  
Working in schools is the best way to reach young people and tackle inactivity. The Guidelines are a tool to help governments reverse the decline in investment in physical education in schools, which has been happening in many countries recently. They give a framework to help policy-makers reshape physical education policy as well as providing practical advice for implementing the Guidelines.  
In conjunction with the online publication of the QPE Guidelines, and recognising that physical education and sports-related programmes need to reflect local settings, a pilot phase will be launched to test and assist with the implementation of these Guidelines at the national level. The IOC will specifically provide support to five pilot countries, through their National Olympic Committees (NOCs), from March 2015 to April 2016.  
The IOC has long been at the forefront of using sport as a tool for education. Through its Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), the IOC has demonstrated that Olympic values-based education can inspire young people to adopt healthy, active lifestyles built on the values of friendship, excellence and respect. As outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, the IOC will continue to strengthen its partnership with UNESCO to achieve its shared vision that sport is a fundamental human right and that physical education should be available to all individuals. 
For more information, please click here.

Seoul to host 2017 IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport

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©Getty Images

26/01/2015

The 5th edition of this premier international conference in sports and exercise medicine will be held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 1 to 3 June 2017. It is the first time the IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport will be held in Asia, and furthermore, in the host country of the next edition of the Olympic Winter Games in 2018.

Safeguarding the athletes’ health in sports training and competition is the number-one priority for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This Conference, organised every three years, brings together eminent international specialists in injury and illness prevention to collaborate and share the latest findings and views on how best to protect the athletes’ wellbeing on and off the field of play. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the programme features keynote lectures, abstract presentations and workshops, and provides an exclusive opportunity for the world’s leading experts to meet face-to-face. Further details of the programme and registration process will be available closer to the date.

The IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport in Seoul will be followed by a three-day Advanced Team Physician Course (5-7 June) in PyeongChang, the host city of the next Olympic Winter Games in 2018. It will be an incredible opportunity for some 150 team physicians to further improve their knowledge and practice of sports and exercise medicine with less than a year to go to the Games.

Athletes’ health at the heart of the IOCToday, there is growing emphasis placed on the area of injury and illness prevention by the IOC, as well as by National Olympic Committees (NOCs), International Federations (IFs) and national sporting bodies. With the creation of rehabilitation programmes, recovery camps and various preventative measures, the topic is central to sport and athletes’ wellbeing, making this Conference all the more crucial for the sporting world.

Over the last 10 years, there has also been a significant increase in research in this important field, with specialised groups being formed in several countries. Recently, the IOC recognised nine of the best of these research centres for their excellent and invaluable work. These IOC Research Centres for Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health will assist the IOC in researching, developing and implementing effective prevention and treatment for sports-related injuries and illnesses.
Registrations for the Conference will open at the end of 2015 at www.ioc-preventionconference.org.

Background informationHealth risks are inherent to the practice of sport, and protecting the athletes’ health is at the heart of the IOC’s concerns. Through its Medical Commission, the IOC has initiated, coordinated and supported research on a range of topics related to athletes’ health, with the ultimate goal of improving injury and illness prevention. The IOC also records and analyses athlete injuries and illnesses that occur in competition and training at the Olympic Games to gain further knowledge about the effectiveness and weaknesses of
existing programmes.

Learn more about the IOC Medical Commission

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Tokyo 2020 creates Young Athletes’ project

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©Tokyo 2020

23/01/2015

Following its latest Athletes’ Commission meeting, Tokyo 2020 has announced that it plans to create a 2020 Young Athletes project, which will encourage young athletes to set the Tokyo 2020 Games as their goal. The project also aims to encourage young athletes to get more involved in society by becoming involved in a wide range of activities.

Tokyo 2020 Sports Director Koji Murofushi said after the Commission meeting: “Tokyo 2020’s plans to put the athletes first and ensure athlete-oriented Games are very much on track. Among the items on today’s agenda was a particular focus on young Japanese athletes. We have decided to create a new 2020 Young Athletes project, which I will have the honour of leading.”

“Our aim is to encourage young athletes to set the Tokyo 2020 Games as their goal, and in so doing we hope this will enable them to perform to the best of their abilities and broaden their minds. One of the recommendations adopted in the Olympic Agenda 2020 process advocates increased social engagement among athletes; and this project aims to encourage athletes to contribute more to society, increase interactions with local communities and become actively involved in a wide range of activities, such as recovery efforts in disaster-affected areas. We hope that their efforts will inspire people of all ages and demonstrate the power of sport to act as force for positive change.

“My role is to connect with the younger generation; inspire enthusiasm and passion; and urge them to contribute to the building of a fair, equitable and fully-inclusive world – one that has the power of sport firmly at its heart.

“We believe that empowering the next generation of athletes through the 2020 Young Athletes project will be one of the greatest legacies of the Tokyo 2020 Games.”

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Pursuing an Olympic dream: From fighting fires and lawsuits to sliding on ice

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21/01/2015

Even when working as a wildland firefighter or studying law, Morgan Tracey always wanted to go to the Olympics. She therefore made a pact with herself – if she passed the bar exam, she would try skeleton. So in 2010, with her qualification in tow, Morgan headed to the Lake Placid Olympic Training Centre in pursuit of that Olympic dream.

Today, Morgan is a fully-fledged member of Team USA’s bobsleigh and skeleton team as well as a legal assistant at IOC TOP sponsor General Electric (GE). Her ultimate “end goal” – a ticket to the next Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang in 2018 – requires her to juggle work life with training, something she manages with the help of the Athlete Career Programme (ACP).
“An athlete had told me that there’s this programme that allows athletes to train and work and fund their careers, with their training being the most important thing,” explains Morgan. “I was looking then for the ACP not only to give me the ability to put training first, but also to make sure that I was still using the three years that I had spent in law school.”
GE has done just that for the American athlete and lawyer: “The best thing about working for GE and the Athlete Career Programme is that I can work it around my training.”
As Angela Bovee, Programme Specialist for Team USA’s Athlete Career Programme, explains: “Athletes are often the best in the world at what they do, so they have a host of transferable skills that make them top talent in the workplace, too. They just have to realise how those skills of time-management, resiliency and problem-solving can be taken into the corporate world.”
With dedication, hard work, a solid support system and a new employer enabling her to work from home and providing the flexibility required for her to pursue her sporting ambition, Morgan is well and truly on her way to achieving her dream.
In return, Bovee says Morgan is inspiring those around her, as her manager, Rachel Lieberman, supports: “Being able to watch Morgan and see her success, and maybe feel like you’ve had a little part in that, is like bringing a little bit of that dream to all of us.” 
Find out more about the Athlete Career Programme here

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How to be an ambassador of sport and champion in life

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19/01/2015

Being the best athlete you can be is not only about your performance on the field of play, it is also about how you perform off the field of play.

As well as being a two-time world champion canoeist, long-time friend of the Youth Olympic Games Jess Fox embodies the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect and has pledged her commitment to giving back to the sport she loves by setting a good example for the next generation.
We caught up with the Australian YOG champion at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games, where she was passing on her experience to her young compatriot athletes as a Young Ambassador.

Check out our awesome new film on our brand new Compete, Learn & Share gateway: yogger.olympic.org
Here you can find a whole catalogue of resources and tools designed to help you become an ambassador of sport and a champion in life. And don’t forget to share your experience with us via our Tell Us Your Story function!

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Rio 2016 ticketing programme launched

©Rio 2016

16/01/2015

A new web portal enabling spectators to secure tickets to Rio 2016 Olympic Games has been launched by the Organising Committee this week.

Those hoping to attend should register their interest at www.rio2016.com/tickets in order to be sent information and alerts for the key ticket purchasing dates.
A key aim of the Ticket Programme for the Olympic Games is to ensure that everyone has a fair chance at securing a place at the Games, and underlines Rio 2016’s ‘Games for All’ concept.
The ticketing programme for residents of Brazil is divided into four key stages. Following the registration stage, applications for tickets can then be made in March, when two lottery draws will take place. A resale of remaining tickets will then occur in October, and finally box office tickets will be available for purchase in June 2016.
In recognition of the long-lasting partnership between Visa and the Olympic Games, only Visa cards will be accepted in payment for tickets. For any purchase online via Rio’s Ticket Portal, only Visa cards will be accepted (Credit, debit and prepaid virtual cards). Payments in cash will only be accepted at Rio’s ticket offices, open from June 2016.
“Spectators will experience this journey like an athlete, preparing and going through stages until the glory of arriving at the Games,” said Rio 2016 Ticketing Director Donovan Ferreti. “With so many attractions, it is necessary to get organised early to ensure you don’t miss the best of the event.”
Non-residents of Brazil should still register their interest via the website in order to receive alerts and information regarding ticket purchase in their territory. Applications for tickets must be made to the relevant National Olympic Committee or its authorized ticket reseller and information regarding this will be made available on the Rio 2016 website in March.
More information about the Ticket Programme can be found at www.rio2016.com/tickets.

POCOG finalises venues as fourth PyeongChang 2018 Project Review concludes

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©PyeongChang 2018

16/01/2015

The venue master plan for the PyeongChang 2018 Games has been finalised, it was announced at the conclusion of the fourth project review visit (15-16 January 2015) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission to the coastal city of Gangneung. While good progress has been made since the IOC’s last visit, the Chair of the IOC’s Commission, Gunilla Lindberg, also stressed that timelines remain tight, including ahead of test events starting in 2016.

Speaking after the meeting, Chair Lindberg said, “As we enter the delivery stage of the Games, some key priorities have been identified, and this has retained the full attention of President Cho, who is leading the organisational effort. Timelines in a number of areas remain tight, including for test events, so the PyeongChang Organising Committee (POCOG) and its partners must continue to accelerate their work and reorganisation in order to ensure the successful delivery of the venues and related services.” She continued, “The approval of the Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations by the IOC created the opportunity for the Korean organisers to propose hosting sports or disciplines outside the host city in order to maximise legacies and minimise costs where feasible. Since then, both POCOG and their Government partners have made it clear that they will maintain their current venue plan. As a result, the venue master plan is now finalised.”

At the opening of the meeting, Yang Ho Cho, the President of POCOG, said, “I feel great responsibility to ensure PyeongChang’s success. You have my assurances that I am fully committed to the Games through 2018.” He continued, “I ask everyone here today to contribute to our objective of successful Games.”

Day one of the two-day meeting included a visit to a number of the new venues being built for the Games, including the Gangneung Ice Arena, Gyeongpo Oval, Yulgok Hockey Centre, Kwandong Hockey Centre, Jeongseon Alpine Centre and the Alpensia Sliding Centre. This was followed by executive meetings, part of which was joined by Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon.

Governor Choi confirmed that, from the region’s side, everything was being put in place to deliver the Games successfully. He also emphasised that the delivery plans for the upcoming test events were settled, allowing preparations to move ahead at full speed.
This was followed on day two by progress reports on all key areas of the Games organisation. Some of the areas covered included athlete and National Olympic Committee services, sport, venues and infrastructure, marketing, accommodation, transport, technology, people management, test events and legacy.

The Project Review meetings are technical visits to the host city, which are attended by the Coordination Commission Chair and IOC staff, and serve as interim updates between full Coordination Commission visits. The next update to the IOC will be the Coordination Commission visit in March.

Wrestlers take to the floor alongside IOC President for launch of “Super 8” campaign

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©IOC / Christophe Moratal

15/01/2015

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach joined United World Wrestling (UWW) President Nenad Lalovic and Olympic wrestlers at The Olympic Museum in Lausanne this week to kick off UWW’s “Super 8” campaign promoting gender equality in the sport.

IOC President Thomas Bach and various representatives of the IOC and UWW watched as the athletes began a demonstration of popular wrestling techniques. Later, along with IOC Executive Board member and Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission Claudia Bokel, the President took to the floor and was coached on a takedown technique.
An eight-week programme that will conclude on International Women’s Day on 8 March, the “Super 8” campaign brings together eight female wrestlers, including three Olympic champions, for two months of activities to raise awareness of women’s wrestling and increase female participation at all levels of the sport. This initiative follows the International Federation’s pledge in 2013 to ensure gender equity in wrestling.
UWW President Lalovic stated: “We’re committed to matching the IOC and President Bach’s pledge to ensure more opportunities for female athletes around the world. This event is only the beginning of our progress. I know that we are united in our goals.”

Olympic silver medallist Claudia Bokel also attended a meeting of the wrestling body’s newly-formed Athlete Commission and participated in a panel discussion on women in wrestling and international sport.
Speaking at the event, Bokel said: “This was a great day spent with a wonderful group of female athletes and leaders. This positive action is working well for wrestling, and I think it opens the way for future development. In the end, this is really about the sport and the athletes.”
For more information, visit UWW: http://unitedworldwrestling.org/.

2024 bid process gets underway with new Invitation Phase as IOC begins to implement Olympic Agenda 2020 Reforms

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15/01/2015

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today launched the bid process for the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in 2024 with an Invitation Phase. It is the first bid process following the adoption four weeks ago of Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement. Interested National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and potential bid cities are invited to discuss their initial ideas with the IOC and receive various levels of assistance and feedback ahead of the 15 September deadline for officially committing to a bid. There has been strong interest in hosting the 2024 Olympic Games, with the NOCs of Germany, Italy and the United States already indicating their intention to bid.

The 40 reforms that make up Olympic Agenda 2020 were unanimously adopted by the 127th IOC Session in Monaco in December 2014. Through Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC has demonstrated its commitment to safeguarding the uniqueness of the Olympic Games and strengthening sport in society. Implementing the reforms in the bidding process has already begun, as it has in a number of other areas, including the setting up of an Olympic Channel.
Changes to the 2024 Olympic bid process centre on:
- Shaping the bid process as an invitation
- Strengthening the evaluation of bid cities to more clearly highlight key opportunities and risks
- Reducing the cost of bidding and organising the Games
The IOC will contribute approximately USD 1.5 billion* to the organisation of the 2024 Olympic Games.
Through these changes, the IOC is emphasising that bidding for the Games is not a tender for a franchise, and that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The bid process is about making proposals and offering solutions that will deliver excellent Games, with no compromise on the field of play for the athletes while also meeting the needs of the city and region to ensure the Games leave a positive, long-term, sustainable legacy. 
Potential bid cities are encouraged to place greater emphasis on the use of existing venues, and temporary and demountable venues where no long-term need exists or can be justified.
NOCs are invited to inform the IOC of their interest in bidding for the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in 2024 at their earliest convenience. The IOC will then contact these NOCs to determine the best way the IOC can assist them during the Invitation Phase. To assist interested cities and their NOCs to develop a project that best meets each city’s unique long-term development needs, the IOC will make available the “core requirements” necessary to organise the Games.
The deadline for NOCs to officially launch a bid for the 2024 Olympic Games is 15 September 2015 – the start of the Applicant City Phase that will continue through to the start of the Candidate City Phase in April/May 2016. The election of the host city will take place in the summer of 2017.  
In keeping with the IOC’s commitment to good governance, transparency and ethics, the Host City Contract, Evaluation Commission reports and other documentation will be made public on www.olympic.org. Click here for the letter and outline of the three bid phases sent to the NOCs today.
Details of the second and third phases of the bid process are as follows:
Applicant City Phase
COMMITMENT TO BID AND DEVELOPMENT OF BID CONCEPT
- 15 September: deadline for NOC and City to submit letter to IOC confirming the Application
- IOC makes available to Applicant City and their NOC the full package of bid documentation: full list of Olympic Games “requirements”; Applicant and Candidate City procedures and Questionnaires; Olympic Charter; Host City Contract – including details of the IOC’s contribution to the organisation of the Games
- Focus on sustainability and legacy through the maximum use of existing, temporary and demountable facilities
- IOC hosts Applicant City seminar
- Applicant Cities submit Application File to the IOC
- IOC evaluates applications and makes a report to the IOC Executive Board
- IOC Executive Board selects Candidate Cities
Candidate City Phase
DEVELOPMENT OF DETAILED GAMES PLAN
- Cities participate in IOC Olympic Games Observer Programme, Rio 2016
- Cities participate in Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games debrief in Tokyo
- IOC organises workshops with Candidate Cities – tailored to needs
- Candidate Cities submit Candidature File to the IOC
- Candidate Cities make presentations to the following meetings only: ANOC General Assembly in 2017, International Olympic Summer Sports Federations, IOC Candidate City Briefing, IOC Session in Lima, Peru 
- IOC Evaluation Commission visits each Candidate City and publishes report
- Election of the Host City by the 130th IOC Session in Lima, Peru, Summer 2017 (dates TBC)
- Host City and IOC sign the Host City Contract
 
* Details of the IOC contribution to the 2024 OCOG to be included in the Host City Contract made available to Applicant Cities in September 2015 

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Bjørn Dæhlie: Remembering Lillehammer

14/01/2015

In the latest of our exclusive video interviews, the greatest cross-country skier of all time, Bjørn Dæhlie, recalls his finest hour.

In the 1990s, Norway’s Bjørn Dæhlie established himself as the most successful cross-country skier in history, notching up 29 Olympic and world championship podiums, including eight golds at the Winter Games and seven world titles. Additionally, he scored a total of 46 victories in the FIS World Cup and won no less than six large crystal globes. Up until Sochi 2014, when he was overtaken by his compatriot, the biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen, he held the record for the most Olympic medals won by a winter athlete, with 12 in total, achieved over the course of three editions of the Games (Albertville 1992, Lillehammer 1994 and Nagano 1998).
On the Saisies cross country course at Albertville 1992, Dæhlie made a blistering Olympic debut, finishing on four of the five podiums in the men’s cross country events. His first triumph came in the 25km pursuit, and he followed that up with golds in the 50km and then in the 4x10km relay alongside Terje Langli, Kristen Skejdal and his role model Vegard Ulvang. He added a silver in the 30km and finished just off the podium in the 10km.


He was equally imperious when the Winter Games came to his native Norway two years later, again taking medals in four of the five cross country events at Lillehammer 1994: gold in the 10km and 25km pursuit, and silver in the 30km and the 4x10km relay. Once more he narrowly missed out on a ‘full house’ of medals, finishing fourth in the 50km.
It was déjà vu all over again at Nagano 1998, though this time three of Dæhlie’s four medals were gold, as he topped the podium in the 10km, the 50km and the 4x10km relay (this time with Thomas Alsgaard, Erling Jevne and Sture Sivertsen), adding a silver in the 15km.
The following year, after picking up his latest large crystal globe in the 1999 FIS World Cup, Dæhlie announced his retirement from competition. A national icon in Norway, he went on to forge a successful business career.
Dæhlie enjoyed a truly fabulous career, packed with triumphs and highlights… but what does he regard as his greatest moment as an Olympian? The date is 17 February 1994. The place is Lillehammer, in his native Norway. Wearing the N°1 bib, he entered the stadium for the final 100m of the 10km, cheered on by the delirious crowds that that flanked the home straight. The Norwegian even managed to take the time to salute the local fans, before crossing the finish line and doing a triumphant 360° pirouette on his skis to celebrate an emotional victory. “When I look through the whole of my career, at all my moments in cross country, this was the most fantastic,” he says…

Tokyo 2020 celebrates 2020 days to go

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©TOKYO 2020

12/01/2015

The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee has celebrated 2020 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad by gathering together 20-year-old athletes and hundreds of excited spectators to form a giant ‘2020’.

This latest milestone for the Games coincides with Coming of Age Day in Japan, which celebrates young people who have turned 20 in the last year and have officially reached the age of majority. Olympians and athletes joined hundreds of young people, all aged 20 years old, to mark this special day with events in the plaza in front of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee headquarters, as well as in areas of the Tohoku region affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Among those attending the ceremony were swimmer Kosuke Hagino, a bronze medallist at the London 2012 Olympic Games. “We are extremely thankful that so many young 20-year-olds turned up to show their support, even though it was quite cold today. I really felt that there is an increasing interest in and expectations towards the 2020 Games. I would love to be able repay everyone’s support by winning a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” he said.
Joined by 20-year-old swimmers Akihiro Yamaguchi and Daiya Seto, gymnast Akiho Sato and para-cyclist Miho Fujii, Hagino took part in a public discussion session.

“It is a fantastic coincidence that this milestone happens to be on Coming of Age Day in Japan. 2020 days to go to Tokyo 2020 celebrated with 20-year-olds; that is a lot of young adults representing a wealth of hopes, dreams and expectations towards the Games. Tokyo 2020 is about inspiring young people through sport, and today we were delighted to have the opportunity to broaden the network of young people eagerly looking forward to the Opening Ceremony in 2020 days’ time,” said Tokyo 2020 Sports Director Koji Murofushi.
Coming of Age Day ceremonies in the disaster-affected areas of Tohoku were held with a special Olympic flavour. Olympic gold medallist Ryota Murata joined Paralympians Shinji Negi and Aki Taguchi for the celebrations in Morioka City, Iwate prefecture; London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Satoshi Shimizu and Paralympic medallist Junichi Kawai took part in the festivities in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi prefecture; while Olympian Fumie Suguri and Paralympian Yusuke Hatsuse participated in the event in Minamisoma City, Fukushima prefecture.
Coming of Age Day (Seijin no Hi) is a Japanese public holiday established in 1948. Festivities and gatherings are organised by municipal authorities across Japan on the second Monday of January each year, and young females typically dress in traditional Japanese kimonos for the occasion.

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Letter to President Hollande and to the French people from IOC President Thomas Bach

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©IOC/Ian Jones

08/01/2015

"It was with an enormous sense of shock and grief that I heard of the appalling attacks which took place in Paris on Wednesday. Such barbaric acts are an attack on the values of all civilised people from whatever country, religion or creed. 
Let me assure you that the entire Olympic Movement, just as all right-thinking people, stand shoulder to shoulder with you and the people of France today. This was a shocking, brutal attack not just on France but on the values for which we all stand, and the values on which the Olympic Movement is also built. France is a country which stands for the civilized values of tolerance, friendship and respect. Those guns were aimed not just at journalists but at freedom of speech and the values for which France stands so strongly.
As you so rightly said, ‘this was an act of exceptional barbarism’. But these terrorist atrocities will only serve to unite the people of France to stand together against such mindless violence and we in the Olympic Movement stand side by side with you and with France in solidarity."

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New Year Message from IOC President Thomas Bach

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©IOC/Ian Jones

05/01/2015

"2014 was a momentous year for the Olympic Movement. After almost 18 months of debate and discussion we reached a strong consensus within the Olympic Movement on Olympic Agenda 2020. The unanimous approval of the 40 recommendations that make up Olympic Agenda 2020 gives us a clear vision of where we are headed and how we can protect the uniqueness of the Games and strengthen Olympic values in society.

It is critical that in 2015 we capitalise on the momentum and energy we have created. We are already moving to the implementation of our strategic roadmap for the future:  Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations will be fully applied in the bid process for the Olympic Games 2024, which opens on 15 January 2015. A new invitation phase will be offered to cities interested in hosting the Games so that they can discuss their initial interest with the IOC. We can already see strong interest around the world in those Games.  The Olympic Winter Games 2022 bid process is already underway, but elements of Olympic Agenda 2020 will be implemented where possible, especially with regard to the IOC assisting bid cities in reducing costs and ensuring a sustainable legacy.

Work continues on the Olympic Channel which will provide a platform for the promotion of Olympic sports, athletes and the Olympic values beyond the period of the Games. We will start developing the brand and “look” of the Channel, as well as working with the TOP sponsors on collaboration.  The corporate structure of the Channel will be developed, and we will start to hire the key staff who will launch and run the Channel. The Channel will harness the huge global interest and extend it beyond the Games in a way that will engage audiences, especially young audiences, in the power of what sport can do.
This year, the IOC will celebrate 100 years in Lausanne. Preparatory work will continue on a new building which will consolidate the IOC headquarters in one location in Lausanne. The IOC administration will be brought together at Olympic Unity House, resulting in substantial long-term savings, increased working efficiency and energy conservation.
2015 will see the preparations for Rio gathering pace, with one year to go marked on 5 August. The preparations are on a good footing, and support for the Games are on the rise. There will be more than 20 test events during 2015. Rio 2016 should be congratulated on its efforts as we move into the delivery phase.
Even if there are no Olympic Games this year, we will have many outstanding sports events in 2015 with Continental Games and many World Championships in Olympic sports which will help foster unity amongst the stakeholders of the Olympic Movement.
Our work undertaken in collaboration with the United Nations will also play an increasingly important role in the year ahead. Following the UN General Assembly’s recognition of the autonomy of the IOC and sport, we must work to strengthen the autonomy of sport. It is essential that we work with national governments to integrate sport into the UN post 2015 Development Agenda, particularly in the fields of education, health, urban planning, cohesion of society and peace-building.
We will continue to work closely with the UN to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport without discrimination of any kind. In 2015 and beyond, we will work together to produce sporting initiatives to promote social integration and economic development worldwide. 
We head into 2015 united and confident, with an Olympic Movement more successful than ever. We have built on our unity in diversity. Working together, we can accomplish even more in the year ahead.
Happy New Year 2015!"

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Death of Zhenliang He, IOC Honorary Member

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu. A Creative Commons license.

04/01/2015

It is with great sadness that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has learnt of the death of Zhenliang He, IOC Honorary Member in the People’s Republic of China, aged 85.

A career politician, Mr He was instrumental in bringing China back into the Olympic Movement. He was elected as an IOC Member in 1981, serving in the role until 2010, when he became IOC Honorary Member. He sat on the IOC Executive Board three times (1985-1989, 1994-1998 and 1999-2003) and served as an IOC Vice-President from 1989 to 1993.
Mr He is credited with helping Beijing win the right to host the 2008 Olympic Games and to open up China to the world.
He was a firm believer in sport’s ability to educate, and long championed the teaching of the Olympic values as well as sport in school curricula.
“Mr He was a man of culture and art. He was a true advocate of the social values of sport and of our Movement and I would like to pay tribute to the passion and energy he deployed over the years to fulfil his mission as an IOC Member in China. He also helped our Movement better understand his country, its people and outstanding culture. The Olympic Movement has lost one of its most fervent ambassadors,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. 
“For me personally he showed me true friendship and gave me invaluable advice from my very early days as an IOC member. I will always remember this with great gratitude,” the President added.
During his three decades working for the Olympic Movement, Mr He was Honorary Member of the Cultural Commission (1995-1999), Chairman (2000-2009) and then Honorary Member (2009-2015) of the Commission for Culture and Olympic Education, and Vice-Chairman of the Sport for All Commission (1985-1987). He was also a Member of the following Commissions:

• Olympic Solidarity (1981-1987)
• Olympic Movement (1985-1999)
• Apartheid and Olympism (1989-1992)
• Council of the Olympic Order (1989-1993)
• Preparation of the XII Olympic Congress (1990-1993)
• Study of the Centennial Olympic Congress – Congress of Unity (1994-1996)
• “IOC 2000” (1999)
• “IOC 2000” Reform Follow-up (2002)
• 2009 Congress (2006-2009)

In 1964, he became the Deputy Secretary General of the Chinese Gymnastics Association, and later served as the Secretary General of the Chinese Table Tennis Association and the head of the secretariat of the All-China Sports Federation. In 1979, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Secretary General of the All-China Sports Federation and the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC). He served as the Secretary General of COC between 1982 and 1986, Vice-President between 1986 and 1989, and President between 1989 and 1994.
A keen sportsman, Mr He enjoyed swimming, playing table tennis, tennis, football, basketball and golf.
The IOC expresses its deepest sympathies to Zhenliang He’s family. The IOC President has asked for the Olympic flag to be flown half-mast for three days in tribute to a great Olympic personality.

Death of Fidel Mendoza Carrasquilla, IOC Honorary Member in Colombia

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu. A Creative Commons license.

06/01/2015

It is with great sadness that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has learned of the death of Fidel Mendoza Carrasquilla, at the age of 89.

An IOC Member from 1988 to 2006, and Honorary Member since 2006, Fidel Mendoza Carrasquilla sat on the IOC Medical Commission (1990-2006) and the International Olympic Academy Commission (1989-1990). He also occupied numerous positions within the South American sports movement, including that of President of the Colombian National Olympic Committee (1979-1989); Treasurer of the Pan-American Sports Organisation (PASO) (1983-1992); and Secretary General and Treasurer of the Bolivarian Sports Organisation (ODEBO); and he headed Colombian sports delegations on multiple occasions. He was also one of the pioneers of baseball in South America, as he founded the Bogota Baseball League in 1969 and was its President until 1979.
In parallel to his many commitments in sports administration, he obtained a doctorate in medicine and surgery at the National University of Bogota (1953), before specialising in internal medicine and joining the Colombian Institute of Social Security. He was also an Air Force physician for 26 years. In addition, he placed his medical skills at the service of sport as team doctor for various Colombian delegations. In his free time, he practised baseball and softball.
“Fidel Mendoza Carrasquilla was a pioneer and a fervent campaigner for sport in his home country of Colombia and throughout South America. He understood the power of sport to change people’s lives and he worked tirelessly to bring its values across South America. As an IOC member he brought his considerable medical knowledge to the organisation sitting on the Medical Commission for 16 years. He was a great man and a great servant of sport who gave his time and energy to the Olympic Movement. His warm and friendly personality was highly appreciated by all the IOC members. He will be sadly missed by us all,” declared IOC President Thomas Bach.
The IOC expresses its deepest sympathy to the family of Fidel Mendoza Carrasquilla.

Almaty and Beijing submit Candidature Files for 2022 Olympic Winter Games – both cities adapt their bids to reflect Olympic Agenda 2020 “reforms”

KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA The true appellation of Apu. A Creative Commons license.

©Arnaud Meylan (2)

06/01/2015

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today welcomed the Candidature Files of Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Beijing (China)*, the two cities bidding to host the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

Both cities are being encouraged to reflect the spirit of Olympic Agenda 2020 following the unanimous approval of the 40 recommendations at the 127th IOC Session in Monaco on 8 December. Olympic Agenda 2020, a strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, allows for more flexibility in the bid process, a stronger emphasis on legacy, lower costs and improved sustainability.
“This is an important day for the Central Asian region’s winter sports enthusiasts and athletes,” said Mrs Zauresh Amanzholova, Vice Mayor of Almaty City. “Almaty 2022 can be a catalyst for social, economic and sports growth in the region where winter sports facilities are badly needed,” she explained. “Many recommendations of Agenda 2020 were taken into consideration while developing the concept of the 2022 Winter Games. We believe our bid is a perfect fit with this new philosophy and brings essential benefits to the Almaty and Kazakhstani people,” Mrs Amanzholova concluded.

“Today is an important moment for us and a key milestone in the bidding process as we presented our Candidature File to the IOC,” said Mr Wang Anshun, President of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Bid Committee and Mayor of Beijing. “Our Candidature File embodies the requirements of the IOC and the philosophy of Olympic Agenda 2020. The important concept of running athlete-centred, economical and sustainable Games will be represented well in our bid and actual organisation of the Games in 2022,” he added.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “Today is an important day for the Olympic Winter Games in 2022 because we will now have the opportunity to see the vision of the two Candidate Cities. For the Candidate Cities, it is a unique opportunity to present their ideas about the organisation of the Olympic Winter Games, and for us a moment that we have been looking forward to for some time.”
“Working with the two Candidate Cities, we will apply the first reforms which have been approved by the IOC members very recently in Monaco as part of our Olympic Agenda 2020 roadmap. This will be done through ongoing consultation with the Candidate Cities,” he added.
The IOC has informed the Candidate Cities that the 2022 host city can anticipate a contribution from the IOC to the success of the Games of an overall estimated value of USD 880 million. This contribution consists of a share of the revenues from marketing programmes run by the IOC; a contribution related to broadcast revenues; services provided by Olympic Broadcasting Services as the host broadcaster of the Games; and assistance provided to the Organising Committee by the IOC and related entities. In addition, the IOC will also grant other rights and benefits and provide other forms of assistance to the Organising Committee for the success of the Games which are described in the Host City Contract, and this will be made public.
Changes that already apply to the 2022 bidding process include the IOC’s obligation to determine and communicate to the city at the time of its election the full composition of the Olympic programme, and new wording on non-discrimination relating to the Olympic Games and its participants – based on Fundamental Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter.
The IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, chaired by IOC Member in Russia Alexander Zhukov, will analyse the Candidature Files and make on-site inspections of the two cities from 14 to 18 February (Almaty) and 24 to 28 March (Beijing). Joining the Commission will be IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi and IOC Head of Olympic Bid City Coordination Jacqueline Barrett.
Together with each bid team, the Evaluation Commission will examine the 14 themes of the IOC’s candidature questionnaire, which includes topics such as vision, legacy and engagement, transport, accommodation, finance and sustainability. The Commission will also visit the competition and non-competition venues proposed in the bid.
The Commission’s report, highlighting the risks and opportunities of the Candidate Cities’ projects and the athletes’ experience, will be published prior to the IOC 2022 Briefing for IOC Members, which will take place from 9 to 10 June 2015, and will be made available on www.olympic.org.
The host city for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games will be elected at the 128th IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur following a final presentation by the cities to the full IOC membership on 31 July.
Please note that the IOC will not release the Candidature Files, but has informed the Candidate Cities that they can make their files public and post them on their websites if they so wish as of 7 January (the official deadline for submitting the files was 7 January midnight CET).
Click here for all of the IOC documents related to the bidding procedure
*Cities are listed in the order of drawing of lots as performed by the IOC Executive Board