Brazilian Olympian using sport to turn underprivileged kids into ‘superheroes’

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30/03/2015

Brazilian judoka and Olympian Flávio Canto has been using sport for over 10 years as a tool to promote human development, social inclusion and healthy lifestyles. Ahead of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace on 6 April, Canto explains how his non-profit organisation in Rio de Janeiro is creating “superheroes”.

Canto has always wanted to change the world. He confides: “When I was a young kid, I wanted to be a superhero.”  While no magic cape allowed him to fly, he has achieved something greater that is changing the lives of thousands of underprivileged children and young people every day.
After failing to qualify for the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, the sportsman began volunteering in Rocinha, located south of Rio de Janeiro. Teaching judo classes in what is considered Brazil’s largest favela, Canto says he soon realised he had “a very strong tool” in his hands.
In 2003, in the midst of training hard for the Olympic Games in Athens the following year, he founded the Instituto Reação. A non-profit organisation, the sport centre is home to three different programmes: an Olympic programme, an educational programme and a judo and martial arts school.
“The Olympic programme is the one that developed, for instance, Rafaela Silva, the first female world champion in Brazil,” explains Canto, adding that the 23-year-old is a Rio 2016 hopeful.
Rafaela’s sister, Raquel, a talented judoka herself partaking in the Olympic programme, says: “Before I or my sister got into judo, we were pretty rebellious. We weren’t interested in going to school, and sport radically changed our lives. It was transformational, like water to wine.”
Canto, who won bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, also credits the creation of the Instituto Reação for boosting his own sporting career: “My best results came after [joining] Reação. I had a reason to fight.”
He adds: “When they put their uniform [on], the judo gear, they become like superheroes. They can do anything. I really believe that everything they train here they take back home. So they are braver, they are better; they are ready to face the world. I don’t know any better tool than sport to build stronger people, ready to fight for whatever they need to fight for.”
The Olympian says one of the greatest accomplishments of the centre has been teaching the students to believe they can overcome limitations, be they physical or mental. “We try to teach them and tell them that they can dream higher than they thought they could,” Canto says. “They can go to school, they can have a university degree and this is what we try to do with them every day.”
The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is an opportunity to highlight how sport is a universal tool that drives social change, development and peace across all areas of life.
Learn more about the IDSDP here: www.olympic.org/idsdp
Join the movement at #sport4betterworld
Contributing to building a peaceful and better through sport is a fundamental principle contained in the Olympic Charter. It was also further reinforced in Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement. Forming the topic of a dedicated working group, the IOC, through its Olympism in Action initiatives, seeks to blend sport with culture and education, to place it and its values at the core of the organisation’s work in society.

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IOC President meets with Ministers of Foreign Affairs of China, Germany and Russia

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©IOC/Christophe Moratal

30/03/2015

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach today met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Wang Yi, at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.  

During the meeting, the pair discussed the role of sport in China and the role of China within the Olympic Movement. President Bach was accompanied by IOC Vice-President and IOC Member in China Yu Zaiqing. 
President Bach praised the outstanding development of sport in China under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, whom he has met on several occasions since his election, most recently during the second edition of the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing last summer.
“China has a real vision about the importance of sport for education, for social cohesion and for international representation,” the IOC President said.  “I would like to thank again President Xi for not only promoting the role of sport in China but also for supporting the mention of sport within the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.”
The SDGs are a universal set of goals and targets that UN Member States will be expected to use to frame their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years. Among the goals proposed are: ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all; ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all; and achieving gender equality while empowering all women and girls.
Beijing’s bid to host the Olympic Winter Games 2022 was also discussed during the meeting. Last week, the IOC Evaluation Commission performed a site inspection in the Chinese capital. Mr Wang reiterated the full support of the Chinese government to the bid and the assurances that all commitments made during the bidding phase would be implemented.
Earlier today, the IOC President met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation,
Sergey Lavrov. During the encounter President Bach informed Mr Lavrov of his upcoming visit to Sochi at the end of April. Russia’s active contribution to the UN SDGs was also discussed during the meeting.
Over the weekend, the IOC President met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier. During an informal meeting, the two men touched upon the 2024 bidding procedure. President Bach talked about the success of the newly introduced Invitation Phase, which allows all interested bid cities to discuss their plans with and seek advice from the IOC. This increased dialogue is one of the evolutions prompted by the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020 adopted at the end of last year. President Bach and Mr Steinmeier also discussed the cooperation with the UN and other related issues.
The Ministers are in Lausanne for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme. On this occasion, the IOC agreed to a request from the Swiss Government to host a press centre at the Olympic Museum during the talks that are ongoing.

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Rio 2016 opens volunteer training centre and starts selection process

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26/03/2015

Rio 2016 has opened an innovative new training centre in order to support its volunteer selection process. The training centre features a ‘sensory tour’ through which candidates will walk, as they are told about the history of the Games by the voices of the Olympic gods, with props that will create the sensation of goose bumps and heat that replicate what the athletes feel on their big day.

“We want our candidates to learn new things, to have the opportunity to have a unique experience and to be able to share with other people the experience of having worked on the world’s largest sports event,” said Flávia Fontes, Rio 2016’s head of volunteers. “The goal of the centre is to train volunteers so that they perform focused and efficient work.”
This first training centre is in Barra da Tijuca, the Rio neighbourhood where the Olympic Park is being built, and a second is scheduled to open in Rio city centre this weekend. São Paulo and Belo Horizonte will also have permanent training centres, while temporary ones will be set up during a road show that will visit 14 other Brazilian cities. Non-Brazilian applicants will be interviewed via the internet.
A fundamental part of the selection process, the training centres will host interviews, group discussions and role-play activities, all with the aim of selecting and preparing 70,000 volunteers – from 242,000 applicants – to help stage the first Olympic and Paralympic Games in South America. Around 1,800 different courses are expected to be developed in order to train the volunteers in their different Games-time roles.
While applications to be a Rio 2016 volunteer are now closed, it is still possible to join the waiting list.

Calling all young designers! Design the medal for Lillehammer 2016

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24/03/2015

Let your creativity flow! We are giving you the chance to be part of the Winter Youth Olympic Games by designing the medal for the next winter edition, in Lillehammer in 2016!

All you have to do is go to www.medaldesigncompetition.com, get inspired and submit your very own design. The competition opens today and runs until 1 June 2015.

The winning design and two runners up will be selected by a judging panel made up of the Young Ambassadors and Young Reporters who have been involved in the YOG since the inaugural Singapore 2010 edition/Games. Also joining the panel will be IOC members Claudia Bokel, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and Olympic silver medallist in fencing, and Angela Ruggiero, Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for Lillehammer 2016 and Olympic champion in ice hockey.
The winning design will be selected at the end of June 2015 and this design will then feature on the face of the gold, silver and bronze medals awarded in Lillehammer from 12 to 21 February 2016.

In addition to the prestige of creating Olympic history, the winning designer will win a trip to Lillehammer 2016, which includes tickets to the Opening Ceremony and sports competition, as well as a full collection of medals featuring their design.
So what are you waiting for?  Get creative and enter your design!

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Rio 2016 unveils test events schedule

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©Getty Images/Rio 2016/Alex Ferro

19/03/2015

The Rio 2016 Organising Committee has announced the details of 44 test events that will be held in preparation for next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. The programme includes 34 Olympic sports events, six Paralympic events and four events that feature both Olympic and Paralympic disciplines.  

The events will provide the Organising Committee with an important opportunity to test the Olympic competition areas and results systems, as well as integrating all the relevant stakeholders and training the team of people who will be responsible for running the events during the Games.
“Test events are a crucial part of the preparations for staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games, allowing the Organising Committee and its partners – in particular the International Sports Federations and government partners – to test all aspects of venue operations,” explained Delphine Moulin, Rio 2016 Test Events General Manager.
There are 21 events scheduled to take place in 2015, with the first set of outdoor events to be held between July and October this year. A series of indoor events will then be held from November 2015 to February 2016, with the final events to take place between March and May 2016, ahead of the Olympic Games, which begin on 5 August.
More than 7,800 athletes will participate in the test events, providing each of them with a taste of the Olympic and Paralympic host city, while approximately 16,000 volunteers will also gain experience across the 156 days of competition.
“We have worked closely together with the sport federations to develop a test event calendar that will offer the best opportunity to carry out the vital testing and training required to prepare for the Games,” added Agberto Guimarães, Rio 2016 Executive Director of Sport and Paralympic Integration. “I have no doubt we will learn many important lessons from the test events, which we will use to ensure we deliver the highest level of service possible at Games time. Just like the athletes, the Organising Committee is in training, gaining experience and aiming to reach peak performance in August and September 2016.”
The first event to take place this year will be the FIVB Volleyball World League Finals from 14-19 July at the Maracanãzinho, which will be followed by six events in August including triathlon races in Copacabana on 1-2 August, the World Rowing Junior Championships at Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas from 5-9 August and the equestrian event at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Deodoro from 6-9 August.
Some events will be ticketed, while others will not be open to spectators. There will also be events in the Copacabana region – such as triathlon, sailing, marathon swimming and road cycling – that the public will be able to see without tickets. 
The full calendar and further information can be found at www.aquecerio.com/en

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President Bach welcomes US Secretary of State Kerry to The Olympic Museum

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©IOC/Christophe Moratal

21/03/2015

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach today met US Secretary of State John Kerry at The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, where the pair discussed the role of sport in society.

The Secretary of State stressed the important role that Olympic sports play in understanding and reconciliation by keeping doors open regardless of political differences.
President Bach explained that sport is always about building bridges, never about erecting walls. In order to accomplish this, he added, the IOC must be politically neutral without being apolitical. Mr Kerry, agreeing with this, congratulated the IOC President on the approval of Olympic Agenda 2020, the strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement. Mr Kerry said the reforms should become the benchmark for others, and that with Olympic Agenda 2020 the IOC is leading the way into the future of sport.
©IOC/Christophe Moratal
In this context, the pair discussed in more detail the sustainability of the Olympic Games and stressed the importance of sport in education.
After the meeting, the Secretary of State signed the Golden Book of Honour of the IOC, writing: “The Olympic Movement is so powerful and from my earliest days I have followed each Olympic year with passion. This Movement transcends all politics and truly creates a sense of global possibility. Thank you for helping to break down barriers.”
President Bach then gave Mr Kerry a tour of The Olympic Museum, where the Secretary of State’s love and knowledge of sport was clearly evident. He was particularly interested in the displays on Olympic ceremonies and the Olympic Village, where athletes live together in harmony under one roof during the period of the Games.
©IOC/Christophe Moratal
A passionate cyclist, Mr Kerry enjoyed looking at the many different models of bicycles on display. He added that practicing sport helps him fulfil his many duties.
The Secretary of State was in Lausanne for negotiations with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tehran's nuclear programme. Talks are expected to resume next week in Lausanne.
Speaking later at a press conference at the Olympic Museum, John Kerry thanked the IOC and President Bach: "I want to first of all just thank Thomas Bach, the president of the IOC and himself an Olympic fencing champion from Montreal for the very special tour that I was able to have here of the Olympic Museum, which obviously means a lot to those of us from Boston because we’ve had a long history of Massachusetts athletes being involved in the Olympics and great memories, of course, of Lake Placid in 1980 and other times. So it’s very special for me to have a chance to sort of review the history of my television watching and my passion for the Olympics. And we appreciate their hospitality, of course, for hosting all of you and making this the headquarters – the international headquarters for the press during the course of these negotiations."
©IOC/Christophe Moratal

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IOC agrees to continue providing facilities at Olympic Museum during Iran nuclear talks

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21/03/2015

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today agreed to a second request from the Swiss Government to allow facilities at the Olympic Museum to be used as a press centre during talks between the Islamic Republic of Iran, the United States of America and the European Union.

The first round of talks in Lausanne concluded on Friday. Negotiations are expected to resume on Wednesday, with Lausanne considered the preferred location. The IOC, as an organisation dedicated to peace, development and mutual understanding, agreed to provide facilities during the negotiations last week and will do so again, if necessary, next week.
The talks were led by US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. IOC President Thomas Bach met with the US Secretary of State today at The Olympic Museum.
In an open letter to participants in the talks last week, President Bach wrote: “The IOC is a non-governmental organisation committed to promoting peace, development and mutual understanding. We can do this also thanks to our Observer status at the United Nations.
In order to contribute to worldwide development through sport, the IOC distributes more than 90 percent of its revenue to the sports movement and to athletes in the 205 National Olympic Committees worldwide, which means 3.25 million dollars every day.
To be able to accomplish our mission, we have to be strictly politically neutral, but we are not apolitical. Therefore the Olympic Movement is always about building bridges and never erecting walls. In this Olympic spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding, we wish you an enjoyable stay in our Olympic Museum and every success to all the participants in these meetings.”

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Olympic Movement contributes USD half-a-million to rebuild Vanuatu infrastructure

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©IOC/Ester Franco Varon

17/03/2015

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is coordinating a plan with the support of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), which will jointly provide USD 500,000 for the rebuilding of sports facilities and the headquarters of the National Olympic Committee in Vanuatu, after the island nation was devastated by a cyclone last weekend. The fund will also help other countries in the region affected by the disaster.

Coordinated efforts in Vanuatu on behalf of the Olympic Movement will be undertaken jointly by the IOC and ANOC.

“Our thoughts and the thoughts of the entire Olympic Movement are with the people of Vanuatu.  We are committed to providing aid to rebuild Vanuatu’s sporting infrastructure as part of the nation’s rebuilding process,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “We want to support the athletes in this region so that they can return to their sporting life as soon as possible, and in such a way give hope to the whole population.  Especially in such times, sport can play its part in helping people normalise their lives and rebuilding a shattered society. We hope that our contribution will give hope to the people of Vanuatu and others in the region on their difficult path to recovery.”

IOC announces tender process for sale of broadcast rights in Europe and appoints IMG as consultants

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16/03/2015

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced that it will launch the tender process on 11 May 2015 for the sale of the broadcast rights for all territories within Europe* for the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (2018) in PyeongChang, South Korea, and the Games of the XXXII Olympiad (2020) in Tokyo, Japan.

The IOC has appointed IMG for consultancy services related to the European broadcast rights tender. The invitation to tender issued by the IOC will provide organisations interested in acquiring the rights with specific guidelines relating to bid submissions. The IOC will ask for bids to be submitted by 15 June 2015. All parties interested in receiving the broadcast and exhibition rights invitation to tender for Europe should contact: broadcastsales@olympic.org

The IOC will assess bids on their ability to meet the highest standards in broadcast quality, their capacity to reach the broadest possible audience across different media platforms, and their commitment to promoting the Olympic Games and the values of the Olympic Movement, as well as on the financial offer. Bidders will also be asked to outline how they would partner with the IOC on the new year-round Olympic Channel initiative, including through content and distribution support. The IOC will consider bids on a multi-territory or on a country-by-country basis.

* Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France**, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom**, Ukraine and Vatican City State.
** 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games rights have already been granted in these territories.

IOC agrees to provide press centre and facilities at Olympic Museum during Iran nuclear talks

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16/03/2015

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has agreed to a request from the Swiss Government to allow facilities at The Olympic Museum to be used as a press centre during talks between the Islamic Republic of Iran, the United States of America and the European Union.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif are in Lausanne to negotiate on Tehran’s nuclear programme. Talks resumed today, and the IOC, as an organisation dedicated to peace, development and mutual understanding, agreed to provide facilities during the negotiations.
In an open letter to participants in the talks, IOC President Thomas Bach addressed all those taking part: 
“The IOC is a non-governmental organisation committed to promoting peace, development and mutual understanding. We can do this also thanks to our Observer status at the United Nations. 
In order to contribute to worldwide development through sport, the IOC distributes more than 90 percent of its revenue to the sports movement and to athletes in the 205 National Olympic Committees worldwide, which means 3.25 million dollars every day.
To be able to accomplish our mission, we have to be strictly politically neutral, but we are not apolitical. Therefore the Olympic Movement is always about building bridges and never erecting walls. In this Olympic spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding, we wish you an enjoyable stay in our Olympic Museum and every success to all the participants in these meetings.”

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IOC Coordination Commission satisfied after fourth visit to PyeongChang

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©PyeongChang 2018

19/03/2015

The International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 has wrapped up its fourth visit to Korea, satisfied with progress but clear with the organisers that multiple areas require their focus if the first test events taking place early next year are to be delivered successfully.

Staying for the first time in Gangneung – site of the venues for three of the seven Olympic winter sports in 2018 – the Commission’s trip coincided with the signing of PyeongChang 2018’s latest official Tier 1 partner and the first meeting of the Integration Working Group, following its creation last month at the IOC’s Executive Board meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
Speaking after the meeting, IOC Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg said, “The PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG), led by President Yang-ho Cho, and its partners have taken a solid step forward this week in their Games’ preparations. We have seen significant advances in the development of the venues, a major new partner joining POCOG, and a successful first meeting of the Integration Working Group, with all parties working hand-in-hand for the benefit of the 2018 Games. We are satisfied with progress, particularly on construction, but this positive momentum now needs to be continued to allow POCOG and Korea to deliver on their vision and commitments.”
She continued, “With the first test events less than one year away, POCOG and its partners will need to focus simultaneously on multiple objectives over the next year in order to deliver them successfully. The creation of the ‘PyeongChang Winter Series Foundation’ to help organise the events is a step in the right direction, but preparing the delivery team, getting the venues ready, advancing the operational planning, refining budgets and raising the profile of PyeongChang 2018 are all key areas that will require POCOG’s full attention. The Government partners will also have a crucial role to play in the success of the test events, and this is why the strong support for the Games from President Park and Governor Choi is greatly appreciated.”
Each of the different areas mentioned above were covered in depth by the organisers during the meetings, and the Commission used its knowledge and experience of the Games to help provide guidance to POCOG and its partners in each domain. The Commission was clear though that, three years out, rapid progress in each area of preparation would be required if POCOG planned to reach its objectives for this year.
With this in mind, the Commission was informed about the evolution of POCOG’s management structure, which has a strong focus on integration, blending together resources from various stakeholders in Korea. There will also be a number of internationally recognised experts contracted in key areas like sport and operations.
The Commission also congratulated the POCOG team on a number of its recent initiatives, like its three years-to-go event, which engaged all of the national stakeholders together in a celebration of the Games; its first Paralympic Day, which brought Paralympic sport to the citizens of Seoul; and its involvement in the 2015 Dream Programme, which brought young people from around the world to experience winter sports in an educational context in PyeongChang. POCOG was encouraged by the Commission to continue engaging with people from across the country and around the world in order to help spread the PyeongChang 2018 Games’ vision and the Olympic values.
PyeongChang 2018 President and CEO Yang-ho Cho commented, “This is a turning point for PyeongChang 2018. Based on the feedback that we have received over this past week, we will move forward aggressively and with momentum; and our main focus will now be on operations. By working together as a team, we will deliver successful Winter Games.”
The first meeting of the Integration Working Group, which was set up following discussions between the IOC and POCOG in Rio to facilitate decision-making processes and improve integration between all stakeholders, was also successfully held yesterday. Meetings will be held monthly and involve representatives from the IOC, POCOG, the Winter Olympic International Federations, the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Province of Gangwon. This initial gathering outlined how the group will operate, and saw the different parties all commit to enhance their cooperation for the successful delivery of the Games, and already take some important decisions. It was attended by IOC Coordination Commission Chair Lindberg, IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi, POCOG President Cho, POCOG Secretary General Young-jin Kwak, Vice-Minister of Sport Chong Kim, Gangwon Governor Moon-soon Choi, and Gian-Franco Kasper representing the International Federations.
During its three day visit, the Coordination Commission received updates from the organisers and their partners about areas as diverse as athlete and National Olympic Committee (NOC) services, sport and International Federation services, media operations, governance, legacy, spectators, transport, marketing, technology and the Paralympic Games. The Commission’s venue tour took it to Gangneung Ice Arena, Gangneung Oval, Ice Hockey 1 and 2, Gangneung Media Village and Olympic Village, and the Alpensia sliding centre.
The next visit of the Commission’s Chair to the Republic of Korea will be for a project review visit in July. Monthly Integration Working Group meetings will ensure that the close collaboration between POCOG and the IOC’s Coordination Commission continues apace in the interim.

Ray shines bright on the Olympic stage

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13/03/2015

Sandrine Ray was only eight when she dreamed that she would one day play ice hockey for Switzerland at the Olympic Games. It was a dream that magically came true at Turin 2006, as she recalls in this latest episode in our Words of Olympians video series.

Born and brought up in the Swiss town of Yverdon-les-Bains, Sandrine Ray has loved ice hockey for as long as she can remember. She first picked up a stick at the age of four and was only eight when she dreamed that she would one day play for her country at the Olympics and walk out before a packed stadium at the opening ceremony.
Recalling that childhood premonition, she said: “It was such a vivid dream that when I woke up, I said to everyone: “I want to go to the Olympics”, even though it was completely impossible, because women's hockey didn't exist as an Olympic sport at that time. But I believed it with all my heart.”
Throughout her career Ray pursued her passion as an amateur player, devoting the rest of her time to her studies and work. Making her name with Lugano, she broke into the Switzerland team as a teenager and saw her dream become even more of a possibility when the IOC included her sport on the Olympic programme in 1998.
She came within touching distance of making it a reality in 2001 when, at the age of 17, she formed part of the Switzerland side that took on Japan in the final qualifying match for Salt Lake City 2002. Playing in front of their home crowd in Engelberg, the Swiss needed to win to go through, but were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw. “We missed out on qualification by a single goal,” lamented Ray. “Everything went wrong for us that day. We didn’t lose the match. We even managed to equalised, but it was all too much to take. I felt so low when I left the rink.
“Four years later we had a second chance to qualify for the Olympic Games, in Turin,” she went on to explain. “We were up against China that time and we scored the winning goal just four seconds from the end of the match. That was it. We were through. Well, for me, in my career, it was the cherry on the cake. I started playing hockey when I was four. I was 23 by the time I went to the Games, so it had taken me practically 20 years to get there, with lots of highs and lows on the way. Making it to the Games was awesome. And, it was just after my 100th international match.”
The dream she had had as an eight-year-old finally came true on 10 February 2006, when she stepped out with the Swiss team at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin for the Opening Ceremony of the 2006 Winter Games. Reliving the moment, she said: “What most struck me was everything that there is around the Games, all the sports that have come together. That's something unique, because I'd already been to five world championships. But the experience of the Games… the solidarity that emerges, is really unique as all the sports come together. You see scenes at the Games that you never see anywhere else.”
Switzerland acquitted themselves well on their Olympic debut, finishing second in Group A with two wins, two draws and one loss to advance to the quarter-finals, where they were beaten 6-2 by Sweden en route to finishing seventh overall. In doing so, Ray and her pioneering team-mates blazed a trail for Swiss women’s ice hockey, one their successors have followed, qualifying for Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014, where they collected a much-deserved bronze medal.

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President Bach meets Japanese Prime Minister Abe

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©IOC/Ian Jones

13/03/2015

In Tokyo to announce a milestone TOP partnership with the Toyota Motor Corporation, IOC President Thomas Bach once again held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The leaders discussed the excellent cooperation and the strong commitment of the Japanese business community towards the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. President Bach remarked that the relationship was a strong asset for the preparation of the Games. He highlighted the contribution in this respect of the role played by IOC Member in Japan and IOC Marketing Commission Chairman Tsunekazu Takeda.
They also discussed the United Nations Truce Resolution ahead of the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and the upcoming discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals and the importance of the role of sport. Prime Minister Abe offered the support of his government in this respect.
President Bach was able to give a very positive report on the progress of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (OCOG), particularly in regard to sustainability. The OCOG recently approved three venue changes in the context of Olympic Agenda 2020, which has already saved USD 1 billion from the revised construction budget. The organising committee will continue its work in this direction, he told Prime Minister Abe.

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Looking ahead to empower women and girls through sport

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©IOC

13/03/2015

International Women’s Day may be over, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s efforts to foster gender equality through sport are very much ongoing.

Today, Chair of the IOC Women and Sport Commission Lydia Nsekera will speak at the United Nations (UN) 59th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, in New York. Convening since 9 March, and in light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be agreed on this year, the Commission is reviewing the progress made since the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action.
Adopted at the UN’s Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing+20) in 1995, this “blueprint” became a crucial milestone to advance women’s rights and to advocate sport. It recognised sport and physical education as a tool to promote women’s health, to fight discrimination and to empower women and girls.
The Olympic Movement, which reaches millions of people of all ages across the five continents, has contributed significantly to this field. In the build-up to the post-2015 Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as on the 20th anniversary of Beijing+20 coinciding with 20 years since the establishment of the IOC Women and Sport Commission, the IOC is eager to demonstrate the value of sport in various arenas of civil society, and support Beijing+20’s call to “Step it up” for gender equality.

The importance of partnership

Looking ahead, the IOC will join UN Women on 16 March to co-host a side event to explore how sport can benefit girls and women within this post-2015 agenda. It will be a unique opportunity to bring together Member States, UN agencies, NGOs, civil society and representatives from the world of sport to position sport as an important tool to promote and achieve gender equality.
This gathering will also allow the various parties to explore the tremendous potential for joint initiatives aimed at empowering girls and women through sport.

Striving for equal access and opportunity

Fostering gender equality and strengthening women’s participation in and through sport is one of the key missions of the IOC. Over the years, we have observed that women’s participation in the world of Olympic sport has grown steadily thanks to the IOC’s constant action, in cooperation with International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs).
With the adoption in December 2014 of Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, the IOC reaffirmed its commitment to work with IFs and NOCs as well as various regional, national and international platforms, such as the UN and UN Women, to increase the possibilities for girls and women in sport and to achieve the goal of female athletes representing 50 per cent of the athletes taking part in the Olympic Games.

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IOC Announces Toyota as TOP Partner to 2024

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

©IOC/Ian Jones (6)

13/03/2015

The IOC today announced that Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) will join The Olympic Partner (TOP) Programme.

The IOC and Toyota have reached an agreement through to 2024 in the mobility category, which includes vehicles, mobility services and mobility solutions.
The announcement was made in the 2020 Olympic Games host city Tokyo today by IOC President Thomas Bach and Toyota President Akio Toyoda.
In line with Olympic Agenda 2020, with sustainability as one of its key pillars, Toyota will work with the Organising Committees through to 2024 to provide sustainable mobility solutions for the Games to help with safer, more efficient mobility, including intelligent transport systems, urban traffic systems and vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems. The partnership will help deliver a mobility legacy in the host cities and countries.
IOC President Thomas Bach said: “This is a very symbolic day. It is the first time in the successful history of the TOP programme that we have had a mobility category. It is in the spirit of the Olympic Agenda 2020 not just in terms of innovation but also in terms of sustainability in mobility. Toyota is the world leader in its field and this partnership signifies a strong commitment to the future of the IOC and the Olympic Movement. Toyota and the IOC share the same values and we welcome Toyota Motor Corporation to the Olympic family.”

Toyota President Akio Toyoda commented as follows: “We will do everything possible to fulfil our new role in The Olympic Partner Programme and to justify the trust that the IOC has placed in us. The addition of the mobility category to The Olympic Partner Programme is important recognition for our entire industry. Under this Olympic flag, let us today reaffirm the power of sport to bring people together. Let us dedicate ourselves to creating a better world by promoting sport in the Olympic spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play.”
Toyota will also support the entire Olympic Movement through funding and a global promotional reach. Under the IOC’s management, the TOP Programme supports the National Olympic Committees and the Organising Committees, helping ensure that the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement are truly global. The IOC redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 3.25 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world. Toyota will also bring significant expertise to the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and further support the excellent progress it has already made. The Tokyo 2020 team, under the leadership of President Mori, has already embraced the philosophy of Olympic Agenda 2020 and the importance of sustainability. The excellent collaboration between the IOC and Tokyo 2020 has already resulted in savings of USD 1 billion from the revised construction budget, following the IOC’s approval of three venue changes to the master plan for the Games.
Tsunekazu Takeda, the IOC’s Marketing Commission Chairman, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee and Vice-President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, said: “This agreement is a powerful indication of the strength of the Olympic brand globally and the appeal of an association with the Olympic Movement. Long-term partnerships are the backbone of our commercial programmes and they enable the financial security of the entire Olympic Movement. Toyota will become our 12th TOP Partner and the third company to have already committed through to 2024.”
Toyota will join the TOP Programme in 2017 (TOP IX), but will have marketing rights in Japan with immediate effect. The agreement covers all relevant Toyota brands within the category, including Toyota, Lexus and Scion.
As a TOP Partner, Toyota will support the organisers of future Olympic Games, the IOC and National Olympic Committees and their Olympic teams around the world.
In Tokyo, the IOC President Thomas Bach and the Chairman of the IOC Marketing Commission Tsunekazu Takeda visited the Toyota City Mega Web exhibition which showcases the latest cutting-edge products that will form part of Toyota’s sustainable mobility solutions. They had the opportunity to test drive some of the vehicles, including the Mirai, Toyota’s new hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle; the three wheeled, electric powered i-ROAD; and the Winglet, Toyota’s personal transport assistance robot.



The President also met Japanese racing driver Takayuki Kinoshita and took the opportunity to drive with him in a Lexus LFA supercar.

Olympic Agenda 2020 - Changes to the IOC Administration

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

11/03/2015

As part of the on-going implementation of Olympic Agenda 2020 there will be a number of changes to the IOC Administration.

Pere Miro will become Deputy Director General for Relations with the Olympic Movement.  His new duties will include assisting the President and the Director General in strengthening relations with the Olympic Movement and providing strategic counsel to the President and Director General. He will also take on a coordinating role and overall view of all subsidies given from the IOC to the Olympic Movement.  Pere Miro will continue in his duties as Director for both for Olympic Solidarity and the NOCs Relations Department.
The Director of Communications, Mark Adams, presented a new plan for strategic communications with the aim of linking the power of the Olympic Rings and the Olympic Games to the International Olympic Committee.  The strategy would also aim to amplify the IOC’s central purpose of putting sport at the service of humanity.  In this context, Mr Adams’ role will evolve to giving closer support to the President in the day to day execution of his duties and as Presidential spokesman.  As a consequence the structure of the Communications department will be looked at with the plan to strengthen strategic and brand communication.
Work on the organisational structure of the Olympic Channel is well advanced. The management structure of the company was agreed. Hiring of key management positions on the channel will now go ahead both for the Madrid operations and in Lausanne for IOC TMS
The International Cooperation and Development Department will also undergo some changes in function and will be renamed the Department for Social Development through Sport and Public Affairs.  A Department for Corporate Development, Brand and Sustainability will be set up under Marie Sallois Dembreville who will become a director.
In the area of ethics and compliance a new position of Ethics and compliance officer will be assigned to Pâquerette Girard Zappelli.

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Olympic Movement mourns French athletes who died in tragic accident

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

10/03/2015

"We are shocked by this sad news. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of these great athletes who have left us.
With them, the world of sport and the Olympic family have lost three of their key members. They were all not only champions in their sport but also contributed greatly as role models.
The Olympic Movement mourns with their families and friends, their fellow athletes, the French National Olympic Committee and with France.
The Olympic flag will be flown at half-mast for three days at the IOC Headquarters to honour these great champions."
IOC President Thomas Bach

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Olympic Solidarity - Chasing The Dream

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

10/03/2015

Thanks to the IOC's Olympic Solidarity programme, athletes from all over the world are receiving the support they need to compete at the Olympic Games.

With less than two years to go until the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, athletes’ preparations are in full flow as they focus on preparing for the biggest sporting event on the planet. For many, their hopes of competing at the Games of the XXXI Olympiad – and potentially winning a medal – receive a huge boost from the support of Olympic Solidarity.
Ever since 1962, when the Committee for International Olympic Aid was formed to assist newly independent countries, the IOC has been working hand-in-hand with the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to provide support to athletes around the world. In 1981, the Olympic Solidarity Commission was established, with a new strategy to assist the NOCs, and has been providing invaluable support over the past three decades. Through a variety of targeted programmes designed to meet the NOCs’ needs, Olympic Solidarity aims to help them develop and expand sports  in their respective countries and territories.
Today, Olympic Solidarity manages a quadrennial plan, distributing funds generated from the NOCs’ share of the revenue from the broadcast rights from the Olympic Games. For the 2013-2016 plan, Olympic Solidarity is responsible for a global budget of USD 438 million, an increase of USD 127 million from the 2009-2012 budget. Seventy per cent of these funds are divided between two main programmes – World Programmes and Continental Programmes – while  the remaining portion of the budget is allocated to Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) programmes, Olympic Games subsidies and complementary programmes.
There are 17 World Programmes in all, separated into four sections to support athletes, coaches, NOC management and the promotion of Olympic values. The Continental Programmes managed by the five Continental Associations – for which the budget has increased by 30 per cent for the current quadrennial period – target the specific requirements of NOCs on each continent.
 
"I was able to just focus on my goal of becoming an olympic athlete", Kirsty Coventry, seven-time olympic medallist.
For those athletes and NOCs setting their sights on Rio 2016, the Olympic Scholarship programme provides significant assistance, with a total allocated budget of USD 22 million. Focusing in particular on those with the greatest need, the programme offers technical and financial support to a fixed number of elite athletes in their training and qualification preparations.
Zimbabwean swimmer and seven-time Olympic medallist Kirsty Coventry is one  of many athletes who have benefited from a scholarship. “Coming from a small NOC that doesn’t have a lot of finance, our sports weren’t funded very well,” explains Coventry, who is a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. “As a swimmer and as an athlete, you have to travel to different competitions in order to refine your competition technique and how you handle different situations – it’s such a vital part. So the scholarship came in and helped with that and it was amazing. I could suddenly go to three or four  different meets.”
The scholarships help athletes in many ways, from coaching and covering the travel costs for competitions, to medical and scientific support. These areas of support are aimed at helping the athletes achieve the programme’s primary objective: to qualify for the Olympic Games. “All those little things help take the pressure off an athlete and I was able to just focus on my goal of becoming an Olympic champion,” Coventry says.
Judging by the results of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, Olympic Solidarity is achieving its goals. The Olympic Scholarship programme was introduced for the first time for a Winter Games at Vancouver in 2010. Four years later, a total budget of USD 10 million was allocated for Sochi. Individual scholarships were awarded to 66 NOCs, seven NOCs received tailor- made grants with individual scholarships, while another four NOCs were also given tailor-made grants. Of the 440 athletes who benefited from the programme, 273 – or 62 per cent – qualified for Sochi. Many went on to flourish on the biggest stage: between them, the scholarship holders won 17 medals, including seven golds, while 51 athletes received diplomas for recording 4th-8th place finishes.
Two of those gold medallists were twin sisters Vita and Valja Semerenko, who were part of Ukraine’s victorious women’s biathlon 4x6km relay team. “It is hard to underestimate the contribution of the Olympic Solidarity programme,” says Valja. “The figures prove it. For most participants it gives a chance to be prepared in high quality conditions and show the highest possible performance in such a tough competition as the Olympic Games.”
“The Olympic Solidarity programmes are very flexible and favourable for their participants,” adds Vita. “There is no doubt that the Olympic Solidarity scholarship played a significant role [in our success] – both in financial and psychological terms.”
Austria’s Daniela Iraschko-Stolz helped make history in Sochi, when she competed in the first ever women’s ski jumping event to take place at the Winter Games. She won a silver medal and credits the Solidarity programme with playing a vital part in her success.
“It helped to improve my training quality in a period when it could have been crucial,” she said. “It helped to pay for hotels and trips during summer time and we were able to host more training camps. We also added another coach to our team who specifically took care of our jumping equipment like
skis and suits.”
There was a similar success story at the 2nd Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Nanjing. Offering both technical and financial assistance, the Solidarity programme for the YOG helped 116 NOCs identify young athletes, and assisted 108 NOCs with the organisation of qualification events.

Olympic Solidarity has helped Valja Semerenko become Olympic champion.
Olympic Solidarity also awarded 361 preparation grants to promising qualified young athletes, including swimmer Marcelo Acosta from El Salvador. In the build-up to Nanjing, he used the grant to take part in a training programme in Florida and went on to win a silver medal in the men’s 400m freestyle event.
Two other silver medallists who made the most of their opportunities were Dulguun Bolormaa from Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan judoka Rotislav Dashkov. Despite only taking up wrestling in 2010, Bolormaa has emerged as one of the sport’s brightest young stars and won silver in the women’s freestyle -46kg event. Dashkov, meanwhile, was invited to take part in the International Judo Federation’s youth training camp in Switzerland, thanks to the Olympic Solidarity identification programme. Following this experience he went on to win silver in Nanjing.
Whether competing at youth level, in Summer or Winter Games, all these athletes benefited from the Olympic Solidarity support. And if the performances of this Nanjing trio, the Semerenko twins and Iraschko-Stolz are anything to go by, there should be plenty more positive results in Rio in 2016.

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Let’s hear it for the ladies on International Women’s Day!

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

©IOC/Arnaud Meylan, Jason Evans

08/03/2015

Today is International Women’s Day, and we are celebrating the inspirational female athletes who demonstrate that sport, of all kinds and at all levels, is for girls and women, too!

At The Olympic Museum for a special weekend of events centred on International Women’s Day, Olympian and five-time World Boxing Champion Mary Kom took the time to answer some of our questions. As a bronze medalist at the Olympic Games London 2012 and the third Indian woman to win an individual medal at the Games, Kom has made a name for herself both inside and outside the ring as a fantastic athlete and an inspiration to countless girls and women in her country.

How and when did you get involved in boxing?Since childhood, I have always had an interest in sports, where I did well at school, and was also particularly interested in in martial arts. Seeing my performances, my teacher suggested I get into sports. I began with athletics but was then introduced to women’s boxing. Inspired by the success of Dingko Singh at the 1998 Asian Games, I decided to take up the sport in 2000.

What are people’s reactions when you say you are a boxer?It was a different story when I first started boxing. People were kind of shocked to learn I was boxing, as, those days, it was considered only a man’s game. I still remember how my own community would look at me. I was considered such an odd person. Even my own father was against this decision of mine. It took me days to convince him. But it is different now...

What advice would you give to girls or women interested in starting boxing?Girls, if you know you are gifted in boxing or if you really like it, just grab it with both hands and go for it. Boxing is not just a game, but has now become a good career that you could have. Besides contributing to being fit and healthy, it can earn you wealth, happiness, and recognition, and create new opportunities. But it does involve hard work, determination and faith. It is challenging as the competition is really tough these days, but not different for any other field.

Women’s boxing made its debut at the Olympic Games London 2012. What are your hopes for the future of women’s boxing, as well as your personal objectives?Women’s boxing is growing at a good pace. It has attracted many people and is being looked up to and appreciated. I would say it has got a very good future. It’s just the beginning, and it’s already shown some outstanding results.
As for myself, I am mentally prepared for Rio 2016. After a bronze at London, I am determined to change the colour of my medal. I will be at my best, and the rest is in the hands of God.

When you retire from the ring, would you like to continue working in the field of sport?Yes. I love boxing because it has given me almost everything. It changed me and my life. I know I’m going to miss it once I retire, so I want to commit myself fully to training and producing the next generation of champions and inspirational role models. This mission is already underway. I have my own boxing academy in Imphal, which I started in 2006. Once I retire, I am going to devote myself full time to training my students, sharing with them my skills and experiences in boxing.

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IOC statement on the creation of a special place for mourning in the Olympic Village

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

06/03/2015

In its commitment to strengthening support for athletes, the International Olympic Committee has agreed to create a mourning place within the Olympic Village during the period of the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016. The chosen spot will allow athletes and all those in the Village to mourn those who have passed away, in a special and dignified way.

The Executive Board intends to inaugurate this mourning place with a special ceremony that will give the opportunity to remember, in particular, those people who have died at the Olympic Games.
It has also been decided to devote a moment during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games to allow everybody in the stadium, as well as those watching at home, to remember loved ones who have passed away.
“We want to give the athletes and others in the Olympic Village the opportunity to express their mourning in a dignified way and in an environment where representatives of the whole world are living together peacefully under the same roof”, said IOC President Thomas Bach.
“The moment of reflection in the Closing Ceremony should act as a reminder that this is an important and solemn Olympic moment, but that life is about more”, he added.

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