Countdown To The Olympics

Rohullah Nikpai was the first Afghan to win an Olympic medal. At the Beijing Games he won the bronze medal in the under 58kg taekwondo competition. The country’s previous best Olympic score was a fifth place in wrestling at the Tokyo Games in 1964. His triumph wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Olympic Solidarity programme (OS). Rohullah was one of 81 medallists that benefitted from the programme; of which 19 of them won a gold medal. “All this is fantastic, but even more important is the fact that the OS programme at the Beijing Games, as in previous Summer Games, enabled the participation of athletes from all over the world.

Universality is a key principal for the Olympic Movement and the OS programme brings it to life”, says Pere Miro, Director of Olympic Solidarity. The programme underlines also the strong relationship between all entities of the Olympic Movement. It is implemented in close collaboration with the National Olympic Committees and with the technical advice of the International Olympic Sports Federations. Rohulla, for example, benefitted from a 45-day training programme in South Korea, the motherland of taekwondo, prior to the Beijing Games. The Korean NOC and the Taekwondo Federation backed the project. “Universality and developing countries” is an important issue that will be debated during the Olympic Congress in Copenhagen between 3 -5 October 2009.

 

 

 Learn more about the Olympic Congress

 

 Learn more about The Olympic Solidarity Commission

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today released the report of the Evaluation Commission for the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in 2016. This report was written following the Commission’s visits to the four Candidate Cities vying to host these Games: Chicago (United States), Tokyo (Japan), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Madrid (Spain).*

 

The report is a technical analysis of the four Candidate Cities, which is sent to the IOC members one month before the election of the host city. The Evaluation Commission, chaired by Nawal El Moutawakel, IOC member from Morocco and Olympic champion, spent four days in each Candidate City (see dates below) to conduct on-site analyses and assess their ability to stage the Olympic Games in 2016.

 Download the report (2 Mb)

 

The dates of the visits were:

Chicago: 4 – 7 April

Tokyo: 16 – 19 April

Rio de Janeiro: 29 April – 2 May

Madrid: 5 – 8 May

The election of the host city of the 2016 Games will take place on 2 October 2009 during the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen (Denmark). Following the presentations of the Candidate Cities, and before the IOC members cast their votes, the Commission Chairwoman, Nawal El Moutawakel, will present a final report. The city which obtains the absolute majority of votes will be elected.

 

The election in Copenhagen will be the culmination of a process which kicked off on 16 May 2007, when the IOC asked National Olympic Committees to nominate cities as Applicant Cities for the 2016 Games. On 13 September 2007, the IOC announced the names of  seven Applicant Cities, namely, in alphabetical order, Baku (Azerbaijan), Chicago (USA), Doha (Qatar), Madrid (Spain), Prague (Czech Republic), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Tokyo (Japan). These cities responded to the IOC’s Applicant City Questionnaire and their replies were studied by an IOC Working Group which produced a report for the IOC Executive Board. Based on this report, four of the seven cities were selected by the IOC’s Executive Board as Candidate Cities at its meeting on 4 June 2008. By 12 February 2009, the four candidates submitted a Candidature File based on the 17 themes of the IOC’s Candidature Procedure and Questionnaire. On 17-18 June 2009, IOC members attended a two-day briefing in Lausanne, during which the Candidate Cities presented the technical aspects of their candidature to them and answered their questions. This information, in addition to the Candidature Files and the Evaluation Commission’s report, will allow the IOC members to make their final decision on 2 October 2009.

* Cities are listed in the order of drawing of lots as performed by the IOC Executive Board in December 2007. This is the order in which the cities bidding for the 2016 Games will be listed, make presentations, etc. until the election of the Host City in October 2009.

For more information please contact the IOC Communications Department,

Tel: +41 21 621 60 00, email: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our website at www.olympic.org

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today released the report of the Evaluation Commission for the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in 2016. This report was written following the Commission’s visits to the four Candidate Cities vying to host these Games: Chicago (United States), Tokyo (Japan), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Madrid (Spain).*

 

Technical analysis

The report is a technical analysis of the four Candidate Cities, which is sent to the IOC members one month before the election of the host city. The Evaluation Commission, chaired by Nawal El Moutawakel, IOC member from Morocco and Olympic champion, spent four days in each Candidate City (see dates below) to conduct on-site analyses and assess their ability to stage the Olympic Games in 2016.

 

The dates of the visits were:

Chicago: 4 – 7 April

Tokyo: 16 – 19 April

Rio de Janeiro: 29 April – 2 May

Madrid: 5 – 8 May

 

The election of the host city of the 2016 Games will take place on 2 October 2009 during the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen (Denmark). Following the presentations of the Candidate Cities, and before the IOC members cast their votes, the Commission Chairwoman, Nawal El Moutawakel, will present a final report. The city which obtains the absolute majority of votes will be elected.

 

From seven applicant cities to one host city

The election in Copenhagen will be the culmination of a process which kicked off on 16 May 2007, when the IOC asked National Olympic Committees to nominate cities as Applicant Cities for the 2016 Games. On 13 September 2007, the IOC announced the names of  seven Applicant Cities, namely, in alphabetical order, Baku (Azerbaijan), Chicago (USA), Doha (Qatar), Madrid (Spain), Prague (Czech Republic), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Tokyo (Japan). These cities responded to the IOC’s Applicant City Questionnaire and their replies were studied by an IOC Working Group which produced a report for the IOC Executive Board. Based on this report, four of the seven cities were selected by the IOC’s Executive Board as Candidate Cities at its meeting on 4 June 2008. By 12 February 2009, the four candidates submitted a Candidature File based on the 17 themes of the IOC’s Candidature Procedure and Questionnaire. On 17-18 June 2009, IOC members attended a two-day briefing in Lausanne, during which the Candidate Cities presented the technical aspects of their candidature to them and answered their questions. This information, in addition to the Candidature Files and the Evaluation Commission’s report, will allow the IOC members to make their final decision on 2 October 2009.

* Cities are listed in the order of drawing of lots as performed by the IOC Executive Board in December 2007. This is the order in which the cities bidding for the 2016 Games will be listed, make presentations, etc. until the election of the Host City in October 2009.

The Heroes exhibition at The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland will soon be closing.

 

To mark the occasion, The Olympic Museum is inviting visitors to take part in the destruction of the sand sculptures, Ephemeral Heroes, on Sunday 13 September in the Olympic Park.

2.30 p.m.: start of the fall of the heroes, effigies of their time and subject to the ravages of weather and fashion.

The destruction will be started by a construction expert (to remove the flame). The public will then be invited to destroy the statues using hammers and chisels. Children can use rakes and spades. Free entry.

Constructed over several days at the end of May, the statues have in fact stood up very well to the frequent storms this summer, and are showing little sign of erosion…

Once sculpted, they were simply vaporised with a mixture of water and glue. The works were created by Dutch artists working for the German company Sandcity.

Organising Olympic Games is a complex and challenging venture. To get it right, the Organising Committees (OCOGs) have to take into account that the staging of the Games goes beyond the athletes, venues and competitions. Each OCOG has to have a clear vision for the Games and what legacy it wants to leave. A 360° sustainability check includes issues concerning the environment; the integration of social minorities; the use of venues after the Games; respect for athletes from other cultures and religions; its role as a socially respected employer; a clean supply chain; and the full integration of educational and cultural elements in the programme.

Vancouver 2010 is a good example. In this video, key people from the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC) explain how important it is to them to demonstrate good governance, illustrated by concrete examples in the field of the environmental protection as part of a sustainability strategy. At the end of the day, it is the credibility of the Olympic Games that is at stake. For this reason, there will be an in-depth debate on these topics at the Olympic Congress in Copenhagen, which takes place from 3-5 October 2009. Good governance is key for the Olympic Movement as it is ultimately judged on this.

 

Organising Olympic Games is a complex and challenging venture. To get it right, the Organising Committees (OCOGs) have to take into account that the staging of the Games goes beyond the athletes, venues and competitions. Each OCOG has to have a clear vision for the Games and what legacy it wants to leave. A 360° sustainability check includes issues concerning the environment; the integration of social minorities; the use of venues after the Games; respect for athletes from other cultures and religions; its role as a socially respected employer; a clean supply chain; and the full integration of educational and cultural elements in the programme.

Vancouver 2010 is a good example. In this video, key people from the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC) explain how important it is to them to demonstrate good governance, illustrated by concrete examples in the field of the environmental protection as part of a sustainability strategy. At the end of the day, it is the credibility of the Olympic Games that is at stake. For this reason, there will be an in-depth debate on these topics at the Olympic Congress in Copenhagen, which takes place from 3-5 October 2009. Good governance is key for the Olympic Movement as it is ultimately judged on this.

 

Today, more than 30 million people are living with HIV, and many of them are involved in sport, either as spectators or as participants. Because the prevention of HIV/AIDS and fight against discrimination are the two fields in which sport can clearly make a difference, and because sport breaks down barriers, builds self-esteem and can teach life skills and healthy behaviour, the sports movement has decided to join the world campaign against the HIV & AIDS epidemic. Through its global network, the sports community can be a key protagonist in reaching out to communities. The IOC, in cooperation with the Ugandan Olympic Committee and Churches United Against HIV & AIDS in Eastern and Southern Africa (CUAHA), organised a workshop in Kampala on 16 and 17 August 2009.

The roll-out of the recently published Swahili version of the IOC-UNAIDS toolkit on HIV & AIDS prevention through sport was among the main topics of the workshop. This is the first time ever that a major publication of the Olympic Movement has been translated into an African language. Jointly developed by the IOC and UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), this practical guide will thus reach millions of sports people in Africa and the region, and will help them engage in activities and programmes to combat this disease. Participants from selected National Olympic Committees of Eastern Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania) exchanged views with representatives of CUAHA on how this toolkit could effectively be applied to educational programmes, particularly for young people. 

The main subject on the agenda of this two-day workshop was how sport could help support national and international efforts to curb the spread of the AIDS epidemic, especially among young people. The workshop was thus an occasion for the participating NOCs to present their programmes and actions, particularly the Ugandan NOC, which has become a role model in the fight against the pandemic. The participation of the sporting icons in an advocacy and stigmatisation campaign has been highly underlined and encouraged, as has talking to the young generation using the language of sport.

The workshop concluded with a list of concrete recommendations and commitments for future action, calling on the main stakeholders from the sport and health sectors to set up a task force building on existing partnerships. The document also encourages further action on developing an HIV and AIDS policy for each relevant organisation. A similar workshop for countries of Southern Africa will be organised by early January 2010.

Learn more about UNAIDS

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded the broadcast rights in Brazil for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in 2016 to three organisations.

Globo Comunicação e Participações S.A. (TV Globo), which won the bid, has acquired the rights across all broadcast platforms, including free-to-air television (on a non-exclusive basis, in partnership with Rádio e Televisão Bandeirantes Ltda (Bandeirantes)) and subscription television, internet and mobile phone (on an exclusive basis).

In addition, Radio e Televisão Record S/A (Rede Record) has acquired the rights on free-to-air television (on a non-exclusive basis).

Speaking about the partnership, IOC President Jacques Rogge said, “This is an important announcement, not only for the IOC but for the Olympic Movement as a whole. Brazilians will be able to enjoy unparalleled coverage of the Olympic Games in 2014 and 2016. The agreement also represents an important increase in revenue for the Olympic Movement, which will be redistributed to help develop and promote Olympic sports around the world.”

Commenting on the deal, IOC Executive Board member Richard Carrión, who led the negotiations, said “This is an unprecedented announcement, and I would like to personally thank all the parties involved in the negotiations. By working with Brazil’s leading media organisations, we are confident that this represents a great deal for Olympic fans in the region. There will be a huge increase in the amount of Olympic action broadcast, both during and outside Games time, and Brazilians will have more choice of how, when and where they follow the Olympic Games.”

Roberto Irineu Marinho, President of TV Globo, said “Globo is very proud to have won the IOC tender for the broadest set of media rights ever offered for the Brazilian market. We are also very pleased that our innovative offer for non-exclusive over-the-air rights responded to the IOC’s desire to maximise broadcast coverage, allowing the IOC to subsequently seek additional broadcast partners at its discretion, and return the Olympic Games to Brazil in a multi-channel environment.”

João Carlos Saad, President of Bandeirantes, said “The Bandeirantes Group feels extremely happy to have won the right – that is also a noble mission – to broadcast the Olympic Games. This is proof of our strength not only in national sport but also in Brazil´s communications system. It represents the perpetuation of a tradition deep-rooted in BAND´s history, always as a loyal and efficient partner of the IOC”.

 

Alexandre Raposo, President of Rede Record, said “The presence of Record reaffirms our commitment to support the Olympic Movement and I believe that all broadcasters will make their best efforts for excellent coverage of the Games in 2014 and 2016”.

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The rights holding broadcaster in Brazil for the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games is Rede Record: http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/media_centre/press_release_uk.asp?id=2106

For further information, please contact the IOC Communications Department, Tel: +41 21 621 60 00, email: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our website at www.olympic.org

TV Globo, Gisela Pereira, Tel: +55 21 2540-2945, email giselap@tvglobo.com.br

“Vancouver is ready for 2010”, said the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Coordination Commission for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games through its Chairman, René Fasel. For its ninth and final visit (25 – 26 August) to the next Olympic and Paralympic Host City, the Commission was joined by representatives of the Olympic Winter International Federations, who were able to bring their expertise to bear in the discussions with the Vancouver Organising Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) relating to the sporting elements of the Games, as well as by observers from the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee.

Speaking at the close of the meetings, Fasel said, “The organizers of the Games in Vancouver and Whistler are ready for 2010. We’ve heard from VANOC and its partners about all the steps that they are undertaking to ensure that the athletes and other Games visitors have a fantastic Olympic and Paralympic experience. We are extremely happy with what we have seen and heard, and are confident that they will deliver.” He continued, “The Commission members and I have seen this project grow from plans on paper into almost a reality, and we would like to commend the work of the team led by Jack Poole and John Furlong. The venues are spectacular and the plans for next February are very good. The great venues, the outstanding natural setting and hugely knowledgeable and enthusiastic fans will guarantee that these Olympic and Paralympic Games will be an unparalleled success.”

During its meeting, the Commission heard reports from VANOC on areas such as the Olympic Torch Relay, spectator services, sport, marketing, media operations, National Olympic Committee services, technology and the Paralympic Games. The visit also provided the opportunity for some Commission members to tour venues including the Vancouver Olympic Village, UBC Thunderbird Arena, Richmond Oval, Hillcrest Curling Centre and the Main Press and Broadcasting Centres.

 

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.