IOC Session unanimously approves Olympic Agenda 2020

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08/12/2014

The full membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today unanimously approved the 40 recommendations that make up Olympic Agenda 2020, a strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, at the 127th IOC Session in Monaco.

“Olympic Agenda 2020 is like a jigsaw puzzle”, IOC President Thomas Bach said. “Now that you have approved all 40 recommendations you can see the whole picture. It is a picture of progress. It is a picture that ensures the uniqueness of the Olympic Games. It is a picture that promotes the Olympic values. And it is a picture that strengthens sport in society.” 
The debate and voting on Olympic Agenda 2020 were scheduled to last two days, but such was the support for the 20+20 recommendations – with 83 interventions in total – that the process concluded on the first day.

Each recommendation, voted on individually, received the full backing of the 96 IOC members in attendance. There were no votes against and no abstentions. As an additional show of unity for Olympic Agenda 2020, the members gave their unanimous support for the entire set of recommendations in an en bloc vote at the close of today’s meeting.
President Bach, who initiated the Olympic Agenda 2020 discussions a year-and-a-half ago, thanked the Session on what he described as a “very important and positive day for the IOC and the Olympic Movement.”
“The speed at which Olympic Agenda 2020 was approved showed the great support and determination of the members to make it happen”, President Bach said during a press conference following the meeting. “It was a very, very positive surprise. But it followed over a year of constructive discussions. Some of the recommendations were not easy for certain members to swallow. Some may have hoped for no recommendation or a different recommendation on a specific issue. So it was encouraging that regardless of their individual interests or positions, they were determined to make Olympic Agenda 2020 a success. Speaking of the members, I have a great deal of respect for them to do this.”

Meriem Cherni Mizouni: “This is the greatest reward for a whole life devoted to sport!”

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

©IOC/Ian Jones

09/12/2014

Secretary of State for Sport, Chairwoman of the Tunisian Olympic Committee (CNOT)’s Women and Sport Commission, and Tunisia’s first female Olympian, at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, former swimmer Meriem Cherni Mizouni has devoted her life to promoting and including women in sport at all levels. Today, she is being honoured by the IOC, which has awarded her its Women and Sport World Trophy for 2014. We spoke to the winner.

What does this Trophy represent for you?“A great moment of emotion and pride. This is the greatest reward for a whole life devoted to sport. I am especially proud for my country, Tunisia, which since achieving independence has never stopped striving for progress, openness and tolerance. Proud too for Tunisian women, who over time have become a symbol for the struggle against hatred, violence, fanaticism and obscurantism. Proud for my NOC, which is resolutely engaged in supporting the Olympic values. Proud for the Women and Sport Commission, and for all the sports men and women in Tunisia. It is to them that I dedicate this award, with a special mention for Tunisian women, who have been and continue to be actively involved in the development of Tunisia and the triumph of peace in our country.”
What impact will this award have for your continuing work to promote women in the world of sport?“I hope that this award will allow more women of all ages and social levels to have greater access to sport through the ‘Women’s Olympic Caravan’ project. After the success of two big events, the ‘Women’s Sports Night’ (2012) and the ‘Women’s Sports Festival’ (2014), and in response to the request from several cities and women’s associations, the Women and Sport Commission is proposing to run this initiative throughout 2015, with one event each month for several regions of the country, essentially the most disadvantaged ones with the lowest level of women’s sports participation. The programme will cover 12 cities in the country. Women’s clubs, schools and the general public will be the main target groups. At the same time, this award will allow us to work on mapping the situation of women’s sport in Tunisia and the programmes to be developed.”
Why is there a need for this mapping?“There are many different players in the field of women and sport: universities, sports clubs, ministries, the CNOT, etc.; but at the moment, we have no country-wide data to allow us to say exactly how, when and where Tunisian women practise sport. The goal is thus to identify and inventory how women practise sport, define their strengths and weaknesses, and propose a development plan.”
What first got you interested in sport, and particularly working for the cause of women in sport?“I owe my vocation and my whole career to my father, who was himself a swimming coach. It was he who got me into the pool at the age of four and taught me to swim. At the time, the leader of my country was encouraging the emancipation of women. So I was proud to be one of those who represented this equality between boys and girls that was being encouraged. I gradually became committed to making greater sports participation by women a cause of my own. Even more so when I became national champion. I wanted all the girls in Tunisia to experience the joy of standing on the podium and seeing their national flag raised at international sports events. Since then, I have never stopped working for this, through all the positions of responsibility I have held, from coach and trainer to leader, international swimming judge, Chairwoman of the CNOT Women and Sport Commission and then Secretary of State for Sport.
What is your message for this new generation of young men and women?“My message is an appeal to everyone, young and old, male and female, to get involved in sport; to practise it every day; to encourage those around them to practise it; and to take on board the noble values it transmits. It is the best promoter of the values of friendship and solidarity. It guarantees a tolerant and peaceful world. We should all support the efforts being made jointly by the IOC and the UN to make sport a vehicle for development and peace.”

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127th IOC Session comes to close in Monaco

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09/12/2014

A day after unanimously approving Olympic Agenda 2020, the 127th IOC Session got straight back to business today in Monaco by granting full recognition to the National Olympic Committee of Kosovo.

The NOC of Kosovo met the requirements for recognition as outlined in the Olympic Charter. These include the sport and technical requirements as well as the definition of “country” as defined in Rule 30.1 – “an independent State recognised by the international community.” Kosovo is recognised as a country by 108 of the 193 UN Member States.

The NOC of Kosovo was established in 1992 and has more than 30 affiliated National Federations (NFs), 13 of which are Olympic sports federations. Of these, eight are full members of their respective International Federations (IFs), while the other five are provisional or associate members of their respective IFs. Full recognition of the NOC is in the interests of the athletes and should remove any uncertainty they may have. It will allow them to take part in qualifications for the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and in future editions of the Games.

Following final presentations by the cities of Helsinki (Finland) and Lima (Peru), the Session voted 54 to 30 for Lima to host the 130th IOC Session in 2017. The 130th IOC Session will elect the host city of the 2024 Olympic Games.
The Session approved a proposal from the IOC Executive Board (EB), in consultation with the IOC Nominations Commission, for the extension of the term of IOC membership for Gian-Franco Kasper until the end of his term of presidency at the International Ski Federation (FIS) in June 2018. The decision follows the approval of Olympic Agenda 2020 Recommendation 37, which states: “The IOC Session, upon the recommendation of the IOC Executive Board, may decide a one-time extension of an IOC member’s term of office for a maximum of four years, beyond the current age limit of 70.” Mr Kasper, who is also the President of the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF), was set to retire from the IOC due to the age limit at midnight on 31 December.
The Session elected as IOC honorary members Jean-Claude Killy, Raja Randhir Singh, His Royal Highness Prince Nawaf Faisal Fahd bin Abdul-Aziz, Leo Wallner, and Melitón Sánchez Rivas (from 1 January 2015). Olympic Orders were awarded to each, except for Mr Killy, who has already received the Order. All five were honoured for untiringly defending and promoting the fundamental values of sport and the Olympic Movement either as an athlete and/or a sports leader during their mandates.
HRH Princess Haya Al Hussein, who decided recently not to stand again for election as President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), received a Trophy of the International Olympic Committee for her exemplary commitment to sport, its values and the Olympic Movement.

IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper provided an update on the planned consolidation of the IOC headquarters in one location in Lausanne. The concept, called “Olympic Unity House” and developed by architectural firm 3XN, ensures that the new building authentically reflects Olympism, the Olympic Movement and the role of the IOC as a catalyst for collaboration in an iconic and transparent way. Olympic Unity House is designed to be a welcoming home for IOC members and the meeting place for the entire Olympic Movement.

The IOC administration will be brought together at Olympic Unity House in a single location in Vidy, resulting in substantial long-term savings, increased working efficiency and energy conservation. With this ambitious project, the IOC aims to demonstrate leadership in terms of sustainability. The highest possible sustainability certification level will be considered, and studies are currently ongoing to define which labels are the most suitable to the new building.


Last April, the EB chose Danish firm 3XN as its architectural partner for the design of its headquarters. The choice concluded a year-long selection process that saw 118 architecture practices from around the world enter an international architecture competition launched by the IOC. Twelve projects, from four different continents, were initially shortlisted. Of those, three were then invited to further develop their concepts.
“The IOC Session was presented today with an architectural project that will allow the IOC to benefit from a modern, functional and sustainable working environment”, said the IOC Director General. “At a time when we are speaking about the future of the Olympic Movement with Olympic Agenda 2020, Olympic Unity House is a bridge between the roots of the IOC in Lausanne and our vision for the future.”

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Devoted to developing women’s sport, Meriem Cherni Mizouni from Tunisia wins IOC Women and Sport World Trophy

©IOC/Ian Jones

09/12/2014

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has today honoured six women for their remarkable contribution to women’s participation, both on the field of play and within sports administration. The IOC 2014 “Women and Sport” trophies were presented at a ceremony held during the 127th IOC Session in Monaco. 

The World Trophy was awarded to Meriem Cherni Mizouni of Tunisia, a pioneer of women’s and girls’ sport in her country. The five continental trophies were awarded to: 
- IOC Trophy for Africa: Aya Mahmoud Medany (Egypt)
- IOC Trophy for the Americas: Nancy Hogshead-Makar (USA)
- IOC Trophy for Asia: Cheikha Naïma Al-Sabah (Kuwait)
- IOC Trophy for Europe: Anastasia Davydova (Russia)
- IOC Trophy for Oceania: Siân Mulholland (Australia)
To find out more about the winners, click here. 
Secretary of State for Sport and Chairwoman of the Women and Sport Commission of the Tunisian National Olympic Committee (NOC), Meriem Cherni Mizouni is involved in promoting and including women in sport at all levels.  
Thanks to her dynamism and commitment, this coach and former swimmer, who was Tunisia’s first female Olympian, at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, has set up various initiatives to increase the presence of women within administrative and decision-making structures. For example, since 2012, the country’s national sports federations have been required to employ female technical advisers to be responsible for the development of women’s sport. She also created the “Women’s Sport Night”, which now attracts thousands of girls and women in all regions of the country.
When asked for her reaction on winning this award, Meriem Mizouni explained: This is the greatest reward for a whole life devoted to sport. But it is above all a reward for Tunisian women generally. So I am proud for Tunisian women, who over time have become a symbol for the struggle against hatred and violence; proud for my NOC, which is resolutely engaged in supporting the Olympic values; and for my country, which since achieving independence has never stopped striving for progress, openness and tolerance.” 
Speaking at the ceremony, Lydia Nsekera, Chair of the IOC Women and Sport Commission, said at the ceremony: “These extraordinary women are an inspiration for the sports world, especially for the young generations! They have navigated real obstacle courses during their career as athletes, leaders, wives and mothers.” She added: “The Olympic Movement has made great progress on the long road leading to full equality in sport. But there is still a lot of work to do. And this can happen only if we all, men and women, athletes, Olympians and leaders, take the solemn oath to show the way leading to change. […] We have no doubt that, thanks to Olympic Agenda 2020, whose recommendations we have just adopted, the promotion of women, including through sport, will be strengthened more than ever!”  
The winners were selected by the IOC Women and Sport Commission from among the 39 candidates put forward by their NOCs, the NOC continental associations and the International Federations (IFs). 
The candidature process for the 2015 edition of these awards is already open. The IOC invites all the NOCs, IFs or continental associations to put forward a person or association active in promoting gender equality and the presence of women in their sport or country.
To find out more about the 2015 edition, click here.  
Over the years, women’s participation in the world of Olympic sport has grown steadily thanks to the IOC’s constant action, in cooperation with the IFs and NOCs. The percentages of women Olympians at the London 2012 Olympic Games were of 44 per cent, and over 40 per cent at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. With the adoption of Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC reaffirms its commitment to work with the IFs and NOCs with a view to achieving the goal of women representing 50 per cent of the athletes taking part in the Olympic Games, as well as promoting the participation and presence of women in sport generally.

127th IOC Session opens in Monaco – President Bach delivers keynote speech

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©IOC/Ian Jones

07/12/2014

The 127th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially got under way tonight with an Opening Ceremony at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

Speaking at the Ceremony, IOC President Thomas Bach stressed the importance of the 8 and 9 December gathering of the full IOC membership, which will discuss and vote on the 40 recommendations that make up Olympic Agenda 2020, a strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Games.
“The Olympic Agenda 2020 is like a jigsaw puzzle,” President Bach explained. “Every piece, every recommendation, has the same importance. Only when you put all these 40 pieces together will you see the whole picture. You see progress in ensuring the success of the Olympic Games, progress in safeguarding the Olympic values, and progress in strengthening sport in society.”
Click here to read the President’s full speech.
The IOC members were welcomed by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, President of the Monegasque Olympic Committee and a fellow IOC member, at an official reception before the Opening Ceremony.

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Growing global support from the world of sport for Olympic Agenda 2020 proposals - Olympians and sports bodies back plans

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07/12/2014

Leading Olympians and representatives of the global sporting movement have added their voices in support of Olympic Agenda 2020. Top athletes from five continents, many of whom were involved in the process of creating the 40 recommendations, have strongly backed the plans. Olympic Agenda 2020, the strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, will be discussed and voted on by the full IOC membership at the 127th IOC Session in Monaco this week.

The recommendations focus on the three themes of sustainability, credibility and youth, and are designed to safeguard the uniqueness of the Olympic Games and strengthen the role of sport in society.
The full list of recommendations can be read here.
Support from all continents and throughout the sports world has been given to the Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations, which will be voted on one by one at the Monaco Session on 8 and 9 December.
Three-time Olympian and Sydney 2000 400m athletics gold medallist, Cathy Freeman said: “These reforms will be relevant to the future of many young Australians who dream of representing their country at the highest level in global sport, the Olympic Games; and I am proud that the Australian Olympic Movement has been involved in helping with this roadmap of reform.
Naturally, I am very pleased that the reforms highlight and will help to combat and curb the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs and medical technologies, match-fixing and other forms of illicit activity, and to protect clean athletes. This is vital to the credibility of every sport, everywhere.”

Ole Einar Bjørndalen, the most medalled athlete in the history of the Olympic Winter Games, with 13 Olympic medals, and an IOC member, said: “The recommendations in Olympic Agenda 2020 are designed to change the bidding process in a positive way. I think it is a step forward that the bidding cities will have the chance to focus on Games that work in the local context – socially, economically and environmentally.”
After a round-table discussion with President Bach and 10 other Olympians at the launch of the recommendations on 18 November, Marsha Marescia, a three-time hockey Olympian from South Africa, said: “Olympic Agenda 2020 for me is quite exciting. It shows a promising future for the athletes. It’s really fantastic that we as athletes were able to give some input and also be educated about it.”
Julie Chu, a US ice hockey player, and four-time Olympian with three silvers and one bronze medal, said: “The Olympic Agenda 2020 is a great step in ensuring the future success of the Olympic Games. We want our youth, who will become our future Olympians, to have an incredible Olympic platform to compete and to represent their countries. I also believe gender equality is critical in upholding the Olympic values and ensuring that all athletes are respected and have the same opportunity to chase their dreams, regardless of their gender. 
I love the Olympics because they bring people from all walks of life together through the sports they love. We may all represent our countries in competition, but we are also all representing the Olympic spirit in our actions on and off the playing field. Olympic Agenda 2020 will help foster a greater Olympic spirit amongst the athletes, fans and countries, as it will continue to unite the world through sport.”  
Japanese hammer thrower Koji Murofushi, a four-time Olympian and Athens 2004 gold medallist, and Sports Director for the Tokyo 2020 Games Organising Committee, also supported the recommendations: “Tokyo 2020 will be the first Summer Olympiad staged under the auspices of these reforms, which will pave the way for important changes to the Olympic Games, such as the inclusion of extra sports - sports that are relevant to the sporting passions and aspirations of future Olympic host cities and  their communities.
These and other reforms, for example those relating to the bidding process and selection of future Olympic bid cities, will also be significant, and will assist future bid cities and countries to plan and stage the Games in ways that meet the prevailing priorities of host cities and especially their communities, as well as global and regional issues.”
Claudia Bokel is Chair of the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission, and an Olympic silver medallist in fencing:  “Where do I start? There are a lot of recommendations regarding athletes. I like the one about protecting the clean athletes – that is what it’s about. We really need to protect the clean athletes with regard to anti-doping, corruption and Principle 6. Those are the ones, from an athletes’ point of view, that are most important. Put together, all 40 (20+20) recommendations are extremely important, and will benefit the athletes as they prepare for and compete in the Games.”
In addition to the many athletes who have come out in support of Olympic Agenda 2020, other Olympic Movement stakeholders have also voiced their approval.
The longest-serving IOC member, the “Doyen” Vitaly Smirnov said: “As the longest-serving member of the IOC I have seen a lot of changes in my time. Olympic Agenda 2020 is an exciting opportunity for the Olympic Movement to map out our future and to ensure that we can continue to connect with young athletes and young fans and make sure the Olympic Games remain a unique global event unmatched anywhere in the world. As I prepare to step down as a member next year, I am sure that these recommendations will guide us to a strong future - exciting and innovative, but grounded in our Olympic traditions.”
Some of the key areas addressed by the recommendations include a more flexible approach to the bidding process, including reducing the costs of bidding; more flexibility in the composition of the sports programme; including non-discrimination on sexual orientation in the Olympic Charter; the launch of an Olympic TV Channel; and adapting and further strengthening the principles of good governance and ethics to changing demands. The athletes remain at the centre of all 40 of the proposals, with the protection of the clean athletes being at the heart of the IOC’s philosophy.
Full support has also been given by the General Assemblies of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), as well as by the Executive Board of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF).
The ANOC Executive Council declared its unanimous support for the recommendations during its meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, last month.
The ASOIF Council discussed the 20+20 proposals in detail at its meeting in November before concluding that Olympic Agenda 2020 “maps out a future for the Olympic Movement that strengthens the role of sport in society”. The Council then called on the IOC Session to support the recommendations to “help maintain the relevance and strength of Olympic sport as it continues to progress and grow.”
There was also strong support from the Association of International Olympic Winter Federations (AIOWF). Their President, Gian-Franco Kasper, also an IOC member and FIS President, said: ”There has to be a place for a wide range of concepts for the Games, and the proposals contained in Olympic Agenda 2020 are designed to encourage more cities with different ideas on the size and scope of the Games to come forward. The IOC is listening and wants the bidding process to help cities and governments to propose Games that appeal to their citizens.
For winter sports, it is imperative that the Olympic Winter Games remain strictly for sports on snow and ice. We need to continue to spread their popularity and ensure that more cities come forward with bids that work for them, and that the Olympic Games remain attractive around the world.”
The 20+20 proposals are the culmination of a year of open, transparent and widespread debate and discussion that began in mid-2013. After the last IOC Session in Sochi, which saw a total of 211 interventions by the IOC members, more than 40,000 contributions from members of the public were received after they were invited to participate in the process by IOC President Thomas Bach.
Discussions on Olympic Agenda 2020 were conducted by 14 Working Groups, which were made up of key stakeholders of the Olympic Movement, including IOC members, athletes and representatives of the International Federations and National Olympic Committees. As part of the open and inclusive process, a number of experts were included from civil society, including representatives of leading international organisations, NGOs and business organisations. Some of the organisations represented were the United Nations, Google, The Clinton Foundation, Transparency International, the World Bank and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
These ideas were then further developed by the IOC Commissions, an Olympic Summit and the IOC Executive Board.
The 127th IOC Session will be broadcast live on www.olympic.org.
The Opening Ceremony will be broadcast on Sunday, 7 December, at 7 p.m. (CET). The Session starts this Monday, 8 December, at 9 a.m. (CET).

IOC Executive Board meetings over, focus turns to Session vote on Olympic Agenda 2020

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06/12/2014

The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) concluded two days of meetings today ahead of the 127th IOC Session in Monaco. The 40 recommendations that make up Olympic Agenda 2020, a strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, will be voted on by the full IOC membership on 8 and 9 December.

At a press conference following the EB meetings, IOC President Thomas Bach compared the anticipation ahead of the vote to an athlete finishing training in preparation for an actual competition.
“I feel like an athlete before a final”, said President Bach, who initiated discussions on Olympic Agenda 2020 in mid-2013. “There has been training and preparation for a year, and like an athlete longs for the start of the competition, I look forward to the start of the Session. I feel like the moment has come for the real thing to happen. It is not training anymore, it is decision time.”
Olympic Agenda 2020 preparations for the 127th IOC Session were a focus of the Executive Board meetings. The President said the EB was encouraged by the support received by all Olympic Movement stakeholders.
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“Representatives from the Summer and Winter International Federations confirmed their support, as did the Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. Approval was also expressed by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC). All, together, are supportive with regard to Olympic Agenda 2020. This makes the Executive Board confident that the Session will approve Olympic Agenda 2020.”
President Bach then outlined the voting procedure for the Session: “The chairs of the 14 Working Groups will introduce the topics and recommendations of their respective groups. The recommendations of each Working Group will then be debated. The vote will be one by one – each recommendation will be voted on individually. If one recommendation requires a change to the Olympic Charter, we would vote again to make the relevant change.”
The EB also had discussions on the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 and the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang 2018. “With regard to Rio, we were happy to learn that with 20 months to go, 70 per cent of the Brazilian population think the Games will be a success”, said President Bach. “There is good support for the Games. There is good progress in the construction of venues and preparations, and their engagement policies were very well approved.
“As for PyeongChang and Tokyo, we had discussions with both organising committees about following up on potential opportunities with which Olympic Agenda 2020 would provide them. If changes are approved by the Session, in particular more flexibility, we would start implementing right after the Session. We will have project reviews in January and February to follow up on this in both cities to see what Olympic Agenda 2020 can do for the organisation of their Games.”
Specifically on potential changes to the Olympic programme, the IOC President said: “It will be the responsibility of a host city to propose the inclusion of one or several new events. If we are talking about an event that belongs to a sport which is already on the Olympic programme, the decision on the inclusion will be made by the IOC Executive Board. If the event belongs to a sport that is not featured in the programme, then the decision will fall under the remit of the Session. The purpose of the exercise is to allow host cities to reflect even more on their sports culture. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. The idea is to give more flexibility to cities and allow more creativity.
On potential venue changes, he added: “We are discussing with the respective organising committees on what Olympic Agenda 2020 means for them. Venue changes will of course be discussed especially if they lead to more sustainability and less expense.”
With regard to the 2024 bidding process, the President said: “Yes, the timeline for 2024 has been approved by the IOC Executive Board. The invitation phase that we want to introduce into the process will be discussed as part of Olympic Agenda 2020 during the Session and, if approved, this invitation phase will precede the two other phases approved yesterday.”
Finally, when asked about the recent doping allegations in Russia, Bach replied: “These are serious allegations which are currently in the hands of the IAAF Ethics Commission. Given the seriousness of the allegations it is the responsibility of the IOC to respect the rules of law and the right of defence so we will not interfere nor comment on an ongoing procedure. We have asked to be informed of all the results that might affect people under the remit of the IOC and here I am not only talking about the athletes but also their entourage.”

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