First International Forum for Sports Integrity adopts roadmap for future action to protect clean athletes

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©IOC/Christophe Moratal (2)

13/04/2015

IOC launches whistle-blower hotline for competition manipulation and other ethical issues that threaten the integrity of sport 

Another Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendation was implemented today when the International Forum for Sports Integrity (IFSI) met for the first time in Lausanne at the initiative of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).  
Coinciding with today’s forum, the IOC launched its new Integrity and Compliance Hotline, a new reporting mechanism for potential cases of competition manipulation as well as other violations of the integrity of sport. The web-based hotline is open to athletes, coaches, referees and the public, and guarantees 100 per cent anonymity. Anyone can report suspicious approaches or activities related to competition manipulation and/or infringements of the IOC Code of Ethics or other matters – including financial misconduct or other legal, regulatory and ethical breaches – over which the IOC has jurisdiction. 
The IFSI, a successor to the Founding Working Group on the Fight Against Irregular and Illegal Betting in Sport, reviewed what has been delivered and prepared a roadmap for future action aimed at strengthening and coordinating all activities to protect clean athletes from match-fixing, manipulation of competitions and related corruption.
 
The Forum called on European and non-European governments to sign the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions, which particularly ensures that domestic laws enable criminal investigations and sanctioning of the manipulation of sports competitions when it involves either coercive, corrupt or fraudulent practices. 
The meeting was chaired by IOC President Thomas Bach and included representatives from world governments, the Council of Europe, the European Union, INTERPOL, Europol, United Nations agencies, sports betting operators, Olympic Movement stakeholders and others.* The Forum is fully supported by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF).
The measures adopted by the IFSI today are centred on three main themes:

• Education and Information;  
• Intelligence and Investigations; and
• Legislation and Regulation. 

As emphasised in Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, the protection of clean athletes requires robust educational programmes. 
The IFSI today called for the proactive and preventive educational measures being taken at the international and national levels to be reproduced at the local level. Using elite athletes to act as role models in their communities was recommended as one way to do this. 
The role of governments in raising awareness and coordinating an integrated approach among police, public prosecutors and ministries of justice was also stressed.  
The protection of clean athletes also requires strong channels for the exchange of information and intelligence. These channels have been strengthened by the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions and the IOC’s Integrity Betting Intelligence System (IBIS), the centralised system for exchange between the Olympic Movement, sports betting operators and regulators. 
The IFSI called for the creation of “national platforms” in line with those outlined in the Council of Europe Convention that would facilitate cooperation between all stakeholders.  Additionally, the IOC’s IBIS has to be integrated within this network of “national platforms”. 
It was agreed that the role of “sports integrity officers” should be defined and strengthened within sports organisations at all levels, including National Olympic Committees, International Federations and National Federations. 
A robust regulatory framework is also needed for the successful protection of clean athletes. To that end, the IFSI called on the Olympic Movement to develop global sports minimum standards (possibly in the form of a Code for the Olympic Movement) regarding the manipulation of competitions and related corruption.  
“In Olympic Agenda 2020 we stressed the need to protect clean athletes from match-fixing, manipulation of competitions and related corruption,” said the IOC President. “Today’s forum has brought all key players around the table to address this need and coordinate our action. We are pleased with the support we have received so far in this regard, in particular from the Council of Europe. We are intensifying our efforts to protect the integrity of sport and we ask that European and non-European governments sign the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions and continue to work hand-in-hand with us.” 
Read IOC President Thomas Bach’s opening remarks here.
During his introductory remarks, Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe said: “The Council of Europe would like to thank the IOC for its support of the Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions that was adopted last year. We also call on all governments to sign the Convention and join us in building a system that successfully safeguards clean athletes.” 
The IFSI forms part of Recommendation 16 of Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement. It is just one of the many measures, regarding the special fund of USD 20 million the IOC set up to protect clean athletes, which have already been implemented.  
A prevention programme for the fight against match-fixing and related corruption is under way in cooperation with INTERPOL and financed by the IOC. In addition, the IOC is in the process of implementing mandatory Integrity E-Learning for all athletes, officials and IOC/NOC staff prior to or during the Olympic Games. 
*Click here for a full list of participants.

IOC President launches festivities marking the IOC’s 100 years in Lausanne

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©IOC / Ian Jones

10/04/2015

Landmark study shows major impact the IOC has on the city, canton and country, with a contribution of over CHF 1 billion annually to the economy

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is today marking 100 years of its presence in Lausanne. On 10 April 1915, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Movement, decided in agreement with the City to establish the headquarters of the IOC in Lausanne.
One hundred years later, IOC President Thomas Bach, in the presence of the Swiss Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport, Ueli Maurer, Lausanne Mayor Daniel Brélaz and State Councillor Philippe Leuba, officially marked this significant anniversary and kicked off the celebrations that will take place throughout the year across the city.
©CIO
The day started at the Bois-de-Vaux cemetery, where the IOC President paid tribute to Pierre de Coubertin. “Pierre de Coubertin himself decided to establish the IOC in Lausanne. It was the right decision to take then and it still is now. One century later, the Olympic Movement continues to flourish in the city that Coubertin chose. Though we are already implementing the recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020, it is certain that Coubertin, a visionary and reformer at heart, would have loved to take part in this new stage in the future of the Olympic Movement and offer us sage advice.”
©IOC / Ian Jones
The IOC President then held a press conference at The Olympic Museum, during which he unveiled the latest results of a study showing the impact of the IOC on the Lausanne region, the Canton of Vaud and Switzerland. The study shows that the IOC and the 45 International Sports Federations based in Switzerland have a yearly economic impact of CHF 1.07 billion for Switzerland, CHF 546 million for the Canton of Vaud and CHF 250 million for Lausanne. 
The study, commissioned by the IOC, the City of Lausanne and the Canton of Vaud, was conducted by the International Academy of Sports Science and Technology (AISTS), under the supervision of International Institute for Management Development (IMD) Professor Stéphane Garelli and Georgetown University Professor Jean-Jacques Dethier.
The full study can be downloaded at the following address: http://www.aists.org/impactstudy.
©CIO/Richard Juilliart
“The IOC enjoys a special relationship with Lausanne, and I am pleased to see that our presence here has prompted many International Federations to set up their headquarters in the Lausanne area and in other parts of Switzerland,” said President Thomas Bach. “With nearly CHF 3 million spent daily by the IOC and the international sports organisations, the impact on the local, regional and national economy is undeniable. Concretely, this means that every CHF 1 spent in Switzerland by sporting organisations generates CHF 1.55 for the local economy. The IOC is extremely pleased and proud of this contribution,” he added.
Covering the years 2008-2013, the AISTS study proposes a new approach as it is the first ever to include the direct economic impact, the indirect economic impact and the induced impact.
Among other striking figures, the study shows that the IOC and the international sports organisations employ 2,150 people in Switzerland and that they account for 32,000 business overnight stays per year.
“During these 100 years of common history, we wrote many important and fascinating chapters, and I am looking forward to the next one, which will see the consolidation of our headquarters in Lausanne,” President Thomas Bach said.
Indeed, the IOC decided last year to group together its administration – of 500 people – at a single location in Vidy, thus guaranteeing many jobs in Lausanne. For the IOC, it is a considerable investment – a total amount of CHF 200 million.

©IOC / Ian Jones
The concept developed by Danish architectural firm 3XN will offer the region a symbolic building meeting the highest demands in terms of sustainable development. It also aims to encourage integration with the environmental and historical heritage as well as with the local population. “At a time when we are speaking about the future of our Movement with Olympic Agenda 2020, the new headquarters is a bridge between the roots of the IOC in Lausanne and our vision for the future,” underlined the IOC President.
For more information on the consolidation of the IOC headquarters, please click here.
With the consolidation of its headquarters, the IOC is further establishing itself in Lausanne for another 100 years. Indeed, the City of Lausanne has accepted to grant the IOC a lease until 2115.
In 2014, the IOC inaugurated its brand new Olympic Museum, which has since welcomed over 260,000 visitors.
©CIO/Christophe Moratal
The Olympic Museum will also pay tribute to the joint history of the IOC and Lausanne with the Centenary Exhibition. Inaugurated this morning by the IOC President, the exhibition, set up on the “Helvétie” boat on the quai d’Ouchy until 15 October, retraces the various chapters of this union between the IOC and the City of Lausanne.
In the coming months, the local population will have the opportunity to join the centenary celebrations by taking part in a number of events including:
- 10 April – 15 October: A photo exhibition at landmark sites in Lausanne (Casino Montbenon, Villa Mon-Repos, the IOC headquarters in Vidy, the House of International Sport (MSI), Lausanne train station and The Olympic Museum)
-  26 June: Olympic Day Run. Long and short race: both will go past Olympic landmarks in the city and finish at the Pierre de Coubertin Stadium.
- 27-28 June: Open Day at the IOC headquarters, The Olympic Museum, Villa Mon-Repos and other Olympic locations in Lausanne.
- 12-15 October: Olympic Week, with sports activities for children and teenagers in Lausanne.

IOC President attends stone-laying at World Archery Excellence Centre

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©IOC/Ian Jones (3)

09/04/2015

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach today joined World Archery President and IOC Executive Board Member Uğur Erdener in laying the foundation stone at the World Archery Excellence Centre in Lausanne.

The new facility will eventually welcome elite and novice athletes, both local and international, while doubling as a research and educational hub.



“Archery is one of the most ancient sports, but it has also been an innovator throughout its history and once more it is shown here at this centre”, said the IOC President at today’s ceremony. “This centre will be a great tool to help communicate Olympic values to the athletes, coaches and other users of this facility.”

Dr Erdener took the opportunity to thank the city of Lausanne, Canton of Vaud and the Swiss federal authorities for the excellent partnership they have enjoyed over the years and in working together to realise the new centre.

“We have great ambitions and we want always to be an innovator”, Erdener said, before underlining the fact that the facility would not only be home to elite athletes but also to the general public. “The users of the centre will be athletes, coaches, judges and many other people who want to discover our sport.” 

The laying of the first stone comes at a historic moment for the Olympic Movement in Switzerland, and in Lausanne in particular. Tomorrow, 10 April, marks one hundred years since the IOC moved its headquarters to Lausanne.

 

In addition to the IOC, Switzerland currently houses 45 International Federations, and the World Archery Excellence Centre is another concrete illustration of how the Olympic Movement and the local authorities have worked together in partnership.

CDEP 2015 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IIMC - THE OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH

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THE INAUGURAL DAY PHOTO SESSION AT THE LAWN

PHOTOGRAPH : CDEP 2015  IIM-CALCUTTA.

                                                                                             

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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©Rio 2016

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.