International Olympic Committee : News

Coca-Cola launch the search for 2,014 Sochi Torchbearers

1/22/2013 9:13:00 AM

An independent jury made of renowned Russian athletes, actors and musicians, including Olympic champion and Youth Olympic Games Ambassador Yelena Isinbayeva, Olympic champion and Sochi 2014 Ambassador Alexander Ovechkin, Russian rock star Ilya Lagutenko, and Russian TV presenter and actress Tatyana Lazareva, will choose the torchbearers.

Russian citizens aged 14 and over have until 17 March to apply to take part, through the Coca-Cola website http://www.coca-cola.ru/

On 17 January Coca-Cola launched a week-long exhibition in Moscow to support the launch of the Nomination Campaign. “Coca-Cola. Carry the Olympic Flame. Vlivaisya!” features exhibits from past Olympic Torch Relays, including torches, torchbearers’ uniform, plus exclusive photos and memorabilia from the Moscow 1980 Olympic Winter Games. The exhibition is being held at the Lumiere Brothers Center at Red October.

On 25 January an exhibition titled “History & Future of the Olympic Torch Relay with Coca-Cola” will leave Moscow and go on a 13-city tour of Russia, with visitors given the chance to hold the Torch. The exhibition will last two days in each city – for more details please go to: http://torchrelay.sochi2014.com/en/News/vlivaysya

Dmitry Chernyshenko, Sochi 2014 Organising Committee President and CEO, remarked: “The Olympic Torch Relay is a chance for everyone to join the Olympic Movement, to feel a part of a single whole, a part of the huge country. It is very important to convey to the people of Russia detailed information on this unique possibility; therefore, it is difficult to overestimate the work of the organisers of Nomination Campaign.”

The Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay is due to start on October 7, will cover 65,000 km in 123 days and will pass through 2,900 towns and cities.

Find out more about the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay and its Presenting Partners.

Sochi 2014 torch unveiled

1/14/2013 3:47:00 PM

The torch was presented by Sochi 2014 Ambassadors Tatiana Navka, and Ilya Averbukh at a ceremony in Moscow.

Developed by a creative team, led by Vladimir Pirozhkov and Andrei Vodyanik, the Sochi 2014 torch is chrome with red detail – red being the traditional colour of Russian sport.

Designed in the shape of a feather, the torch is also reminiscent of the Firebird, or Phoenix – the legendary bird that rose from the ashes and which features prominently in Russian folklore as a symbol of good fortune and happiness.

The torch has been designed with comfort and practicality in mind, with its component parts undergoing rigorous stress testing, and the designers paying particular attention to its flame-lighting system. The torch’s construction ensures that the flame burns reliably in difficult conditions, such as strong winds, heavy frosts and other extreme winter weather conditions.

The torch weighs nearly 1.8 kg, is 0.95 m tall, 0.145 m wide (at its widest part), and 0.54 m deep. Its weight and centre of gravity were carefully calculated to ensure that it would be as comfortable as possible for runners to carry during the Torch Relay.

Fourteen thousand Olympic torches will be produced

The President of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee, Dmitry Chernyshenko, remarked: “The torch is a key symbol of the Relay: the flame it carries will be the brightest dot on the map of Russia for the duration of the Relay. The Sochi 2014 torch combines traditional Russian motifs with the very latest technical know-how in the field of design. The elegant, extraordinary and radiant Sochi 2014 torch represents Russia's beauty and its multifaceted nature.”

At the presentation ceremony in Moscow, the Organising Committee also unveiled the official uniform for the Olympic Torchbearers who will take part in the Sochi 2014 Relays.

Find out more about the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay and its Presenting Partners.

Sochi 2014 Torch Relay to be longest in Winter Games history

10/8/2012 2:18:00 PM

Over the course of the 123-day relay, the flame will travel more than 65,000km by foot, car, train, and plane, as well as on a "troika" – a traditional Russian sleigh – with approximately 14,000 torchbearers expected to carry it.

The relay will visit more than 2,900 towns and settlements across all 83 Russian regions – from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok – and will come within an hour of 90% of the country’s population, meaning around 130 million people will be able to join in the celebrations.

The route will begin in Moscow before visiting several important historic, cultural and picturesque areas of Russia, including Yasnaya Polyana, the Russian part of the Curonian Spit, the Avachinskiy Volcanoes and the Kizhi Museum Reserve. The relay will then culminate at the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games on 7 February 2014.

Speaking at the announcement of the route, Sochi 2014 President Dmitry Chernyshenko said: "The Olympic Torch Relay is one of the most important and magical Olympic occasions. It continues the build-up of excitement ahead of the Games and as well as spreading the Olympic values to the whole country, we will be creating, as a nation, an important part of Russian history. I am sure that the Olympic Torch Relay will be welcomed by a wonderful celebration in every city it visits. The Sochi 2014 Relay will bring the entire country together, highlighting the diversity and beauty of Russia, particularly, for the people of Russia themselves. For one day during the Relay, each town or settlement that the Olympic flame visits will become the centre of attention and it will be a unique chance to showcase itself to the whole world".

Ban Ki-moon carries Olympic torch

7/27/2012 8:00:00 AM

The IOC and the UN have long-standing ties and further strengthened their cooperation in 2009 when the UN took the decision to grant the IOC UN observer status. The IOC is working with different UN agencies on a range of programmes and projects in order to contribute to the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through sport.

At last year’s International Forum on Sport, Peace and Development, Ban Ki-moon said: “Sport has become a world language, a common denominator that breaks down all the walls, all the barriers. It is a worldwide industry whose practices can have a widespread impact. Most of all, it is a powerful tool for progress and development.”

During the London 2012 Games for instance, the IOC is partnering with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Organising Committee (LOCOG) to collect sports clothing from athletes and officials and distribute it to thousands of people in refugee camps worldwide. Feedback has shown that, especially for young refugees, the gift of sportswear associated with famous athletes is a tremendous morale-booster. It also provides an opportunity for local coordinators in the camps to organise sporting activities to fight against idleness and ease tensions.

Learn more about the project here: www.olympic.org/givingiswinning

Olympic Flame passes iconic London landmarks on penultimate day of Olympic Torch Relay

7/26/2012 9:18:00 PM

With the sun shining and thousands of people lining the streets, day 69 of the 70-day Relay began in Camden, where Great Britain’s deputy Chef de Mission, Clive Woodward, was the first Torchbearer of the morning. Woodward was also the England rugby coach when they won the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

The Flame then made its way through Islington, the City of London, Southwark, Lambeth, Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster before reaching Hyde Park.

Torchbearers on the day included IOC Member Denis Oswald – the chairman of the IOC Coordination Committee for London 2012 – comedian David Walliams, Rugby World Cup-winners Lewis Moody and Lawrence Dallaglio and Paralympian Ade Adepitan.

“I felt really humbled to be a part of it,” said Walliams, who has raised £8.5m for charity through sporting challenges such as swimming the English Channel. “This torch and this flame is bigger than anybody out there and there's something about the spirit and I really got a sense of that running along.”

On its way, the Flame also visited landmarks such as the Olympic Rings in St Pancras Station, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Millennium Bridge and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

At BBC White City, Antoine de Navacelle – the great grand-nephew of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games – carried the Flame at the site of the finishing line of the 1908 Olympic stadium.

The Flame then returned to central London, passing Oxford Street, Regents Street, Trafalgar Square, Downing Street and Parliament Square, where it was carried by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, who was welcomed by IOC President Jacques Rogge.

The relay then made its way to Buckingham Palace, where it was greeted by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, before continuing on to Hyde Park, where a special celebration concert was held, featuring performances by Dizzee Rascal, The Wanted, Mark Ronson and Katy B.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay

Olympic Flame visits “the home of football”

7/25/2012 12:23:00 PM

England’s 1966 World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks provided a safe pair of hands to carry the Flame around the stadium, which will host the finals of both the men’s and women’s football competitions during the London 2012 Games.

The day began at Headstone Manor, a moated country house in Harrow, which used to be the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Relay then made its way across north London, through the boroughs of Brent, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey, with 153 Torchbearers carrying the Flame on its 30.48-mile journey.

Those Torchbearers included Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, Olympic boxing champion James Degale, Olympic silver medallist Nathan Robertson, popstar Eliza Doolittle and 100-year-old Diana Gould – the oldest female to take part in the London 2012 Torch Relay.

As the day drew to an end, the flame arrived in Haringey, where an evening celebration was held.

The final Torchbearer of the day was double Olympic champion Daley Thompson, who won decathlon gold in the 1980 and 1984 Games and was the first person ever to hold the world, Olympic, Commonwealth and European decathlon titles at the same time, as well as the world record.

Thompson, who trained at Haringey Athletics Club, lit a celebration cauldron during the evening entertainment, which included performances by dancers Twist and Pulse and R&B singer Loick Essien.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay

Olympic Flame takes a ride on London Underground

7/24/2012 1:30:00 PM

The Flame was carried on the District line from Wimbledon to Wimbledon Park by service operator John Light, 64, who has worked for London Underground since 1963.

“Transporting the Olympic Flame is a once in a lifetime experience,” he said. “I feel really privileged to have been given this opportunity to be part of the Games in this way.

“I've worked for London Underground for 49 years so to be able to hold the Flame on its Tube journey is a huge honour for me and a moment I will treasure for the rest of my life.”

Once its Underground journey was over, the Flame was carried by 144 Torchbearers through the London boroughs of Kingston-upon-Thames, Richmond-upon-Thames, Hounslow, Hillingdon and Ealing.

Torchbearers included double Olympic champion James Cracknell, who won rowing gold medals in the 2000 and 2004 Games, former cricketer Michael Vaughan, skier Chemmy Alcott and skeleton racer Adam Pengilly, who won silver at the 2009 World Championships and was elected by his fellow Olympic athletes to the IOC Athletes’ Commission in 2010.

The Flame also passed the Olympic Rings flower display at Kew Gardens, where it was carried by 2010 Youth Olympic Games gold medallist Oli Golding.

Singer Katy B and Grammy-award winning producer Mark Ronson also carried the Flame at Brunel University, before an evening celebration was held at Walpole Park in Ealing, featuring performances from dancers Twist and Pulse and R&B singer Loick Essien.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay

Olympic Torch visits iconic Olympic tennis venue on Day 66

7/23/2012 5:44:00 PM

Murray, who had received the Torch from former world No.3 British tennis player Sue Barker, then passed the Flame to five times Wimbledon Ladies singles champion Venus Williams on Henman Hill. Tim Henman himself was the final Torchbearer of the day, carrying the Flame onto the stage at Tooting Bec Common where he lit the celebration cauldron.

Earlier in the day, the Torch took a slight detour from the main route, when former England footballer Michael Owen carried it around Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in Wandsworth, in recognition of the animal loving nation.

And in another first, the Olympic Flame’s visit to Walford – a fictitious borough where popular British soap Eastenders is set ¬– will be aired live on television at 9pm as character Billy Mitchell carries the Torch around Albert Square.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay

Olympic Flame takes to the water in rowing boat

7/20/2012 2:30:00 PM

Torchbearer David Boyle joined members of Maidstone Rowing Club in the boat, with hundreds of spectators cheering them on as they made their way along the river. David was selected as a Torchbearer for his work with the Salvation Army, which sees him addressing community social needs such as personal counselling, assisting the lonely and aged, and helping the jobless seek employment.

Later in the morning, the Flame visited Brands Hatch racecourse, which will host the latest round of the British Superbikes series this weekend. Torchbearer Craig Preece, whose leg was amputated after he was wounded in Afghanistan, carried the Flame around the famous track on a bike and was thrilled by the experience.

"That was absolutely amazing to be part of, I am absolutely buzzing,” he said. “I didn't even realise the British Superbikes was on this weekend so to see this and the Superbikes was phenomenal really.

"For me this is massive. Hopefully in four years time I can be in the Paralympics team.

"I was a bit worried when I started off as I was told it was going to be a full lap and I was worried about some of those hills but it was excellent and was over almost as soon as it had begun."

Other Torchbearers on the day included Olympic silver medallist Roger Black, who carried the Flame in Godalming, and 17-year-old Christopher Bury, who was selected for being an inspirational Scout leader.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay

Olympic Flame passes historic Canterbury Cathedral

7/19/2012 7:02:00 PM

Day 62 of the 70-day relay began in Deal, in Kent, with inspirational Torchbearer Katherine Batts carrying the Flame on Deal Pier. Katherine was nominated for her voluntary work with the City of Rochester Swimming & Lifeguard Club over the last 14 years, while she has also served as lifeguard coordinator for the Kent branch of the Royal Life Saving Society for the past 18 years.

From Deal, the Torch Relay moved on to Sholden, Sandwich, Great Stonar, Cliffs End, St Lawrence and Ramsgate, where former Olympic javelin thrower Steve Backley carried the Flame. Steve is one of Britain’s most successful Olympic athletes, winning bronze in Barcelona in 1992, silver in Atlanta in 1996 and silver in Sydney in 2000. To date, he is the only British track and field competitor to win a medal at three consecutive Olympic Games.

After passing through Broadstairs, St Peters and Cliftonville, the Relay arrived in Margate, where artist Tracey Emin carried the Flame past the Turner Gallery. Tracey – who designed one of the official London 2012 posters – was shortlisted for the prestigious Turner Prize in 1999.

The Relay then moved on through Westgate-on-Sea, Birchington-on-Sea, Upstreet and Sturry before arriving in Canterbury, where the famous Cathedral became the latest British landmark to provide a backdrop for the London 2012 Torch Relay.

After passing through Thanington, Faversham, Challock and Harrietsham, the Flame arrived in Maidstone, where an evening celebration was held at Leeds Castle, featuring a variety of entertainment, including a performance of The River Runs Through, commissioned by Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Council and performed by local children and adults. It performance told the story of Maidstone through the ages, using the iconic images from Maidstone's coat of arms.

The last Torchbearer of the day – Julia Chilcott, a foster carer for Kent County Council – then lit a celebration cauldron on stage so the Olympic Flame could be seen by the audience.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners.

Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay