International Olympic Committee : News

Salvador stadium officially opens

4/8/2013 1:30:00 PM

The brand new stadium, built at a cost of nearly US$300m, has been selected to stage the Olympic football tournament in 2016. This summer, three matches of the FIFA Confederations Cup will take place in the arena, and it will also stage six FIFA World Cup matches in 2014.

The arena has maintained its original identity, keeping its horseshoe shape with a large opening in the southern part of the stands. The opening establishes a direct relation to the adjacent inner city lake and, simultaneously, provides optimal airflow in the stadium bowl itself.

The unique form also means the arena can be used for other events all year round, as stages for concerts and theatre events can be put in the area at the opening without conflicting with the pitch and the football matches during the football season.

Sustainability was key to the design and construction of Arena Fonte Nova, with materials carefully selected in order to minimise the stadium’s energy consumption, and concrete from the former stadium recycled and used as building material. It also uses rainwater to reduce water consumption.

Brazil President Dilma Rousseff, speaking at the inauguration ceremony prior to the opening match, said: “We are an unbeatable country. We will show that Brazil can deliver great quality to the Confederations Cup, the World Cup and the Olympics.”

New E-learning programme promotes sustainable sport events

3/21/2013 9:00:00 AM

The new and user-friendly programme will provide sports organisations with the information and support they need to start, or continue, their journey in making their sports events more sustainable. The programme consists of four modules covering the key aspects of sustainability for sports events, namely; the business case for sustainability, the ISO 20121 Management System, Reporting and Impact Assessment.

Learn about the Sport Sustainability E-Learning modules here

Easy and practical approach

“It is about translating and applying international standards into the framework of sports events and integrating sustainability into our normal way of thinking”, said Gilbert Felli, IOC Olympic Games Executive Director, on the occasion of the launch. He added: “This is a process that takes time, education and structure, and the new AISTS programme offers an easy and practical approach to this important topic.”

Sustainability and the IOC

Sport has demonstrated its potential as a catalyst for creating more sustainable, healthy, urban and non-urban environments and economies. The IOC is committed to helping the Olympic Movement to improve sustainability in the organisation of sports events in order to educate, raise awareness and maximise the benefits to organisers and local communities alike. The format of the new Sport Sustainability E-Learning programme is particularly suited to events organised by International Federations and National Olympic Committees.

Participants in one or more of the Sport Sustainability E-Learning modules will automatically receive free access to the AISTS’s Sustainable Sport and Event toolkit, as well as to EventSustainability, an online monitoring, measuring and reporting tool which is aligned with existing international reporting standards, to demonstrate sustainability progress and achievements.

Learn more about the IOC’s sustainability initiatives

Learn more about AISTS

Learn more about SportAccord

Rio 2016 moves to new headquarters

3/12/2013 11:03:00 AM

The modern building, which has been designed to be as sustainable and accessible as possible, will house both the Rio 2016 Organising Committee and the Municipal Olympic Company until after the Games have been held.

“Having all teams gathered in a single building, together with the Municipal Olympic Company, makes our task easier and helps to integrate the teams,” explained Rio 2016 President Carlos Arthur Nuzman.

Modular technology was used during construction of the new headquarters, allowing faster assembly as well as the possibility of dismantling and reusing the structure after the Games.

The building also features rainwater harvesting and energy saving systems, as well as furniture made of certified wood. The air conditioning and lighting systems also help reduce energy use, while solar energy panels will help power the building.

Accessibility was also carefully considered during construction, with ramps and elevators enabling wheelchair access and Braille signposting and tactile floor coverings aiding orientation for blind visitors.

“Modernity and sustainability mark the new headquarters,” added Nuzman. “The modular construction is an innovation that better suits our project. We will use the building according to the Committee’s growth demands and, in the end, it will be possible to dismantle the structure, to reuse it elsewhere.”

Benefits of hosting London 2012 will be ongoing

8/12/2012 8:00:00 AM

The regeneration of East London and particularly Stratford, the site of the Olympic Park, will bring untold benefits to the area and the local communities that live there.

The Olympic Park will be transformed into the Queen Elizabeth Country Park, and the permanent venues within it will bring new leisure facilities to the area. The increased focus on the area brought by the Games coupled with an improvement in transport links and the new shopping centre next to the Park will bring greater visitor numbers and continued investment to the borough.

Permanent venues such as the Velodrome and the Aquatics centre will not only offer affordable facilities to encourage residents of the capital to get involved in sporting activities, they will also have the facilities to host world-class events. These will attract further tourism to London providing an ongoing boost for businesses operating in the capital.

The sporting legacy created by the Games will also have a lasting impact on the capital and its residents. London 2012 has generated a lot of interest in sport and a number of initiatives are already in place to capitalise on the enthusiasm generated and encourage people to get involved.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson described this week how London must continue the momentum created by the Games to secure a lasting legacy for the capital. “We can secure a transport, housing, infrastructure, sporting, cultural and social legacy from these Games and turn these Games to gold for decades to come,” he added.

London 2012 venue legacy ensured for years to come

8/10/2012 12:57:00 PM

The venues for the Games have shown that it is possible to achieve high standards in areas such as sustainability, equality and inclusion, and business, jobs and training even for major construction projects such as this. The outcome of this will be a lasting legacy for the construction industry, whereby these new standards become the benchmark in the future.

The building of permanent venues for London 2012 was only approved if there was the potential for long-term use. These include the new Lee Valley White Water Centre, which will remain open as a canoe centre for the public and elite athletes, and the Velodrome within the Olympic Park, where plans are in place to reconfigure the track and a new mountain bike course and road cycle circuit will be added.

Where possible, LOCOG has incorporated or enhanced existing facilities and venues into its plan for hosting London 2012. The rowing course at Eton Dorney was already used by the local community and for international competitions, so only required minor improvements to make it suitable for competitions in the Olympic Games.

Likewise, Weymouth and Portland was already hosting world-class sailing events, but the improvements made for the Games will leave behind state-of-the-art facilities for elite training, competition and community use. A programme that introduces young people in the local area to take up sailing is already underway.

Other temporary venues were created at some of London’s best landmarks, such as the Beach Volleyball Venue at Horse Guards Parade and the Equestrian facilities in Greenwich Park. While these temporary constructions will be removed completely after the Games, the showcasing of some of the capital’s most famous and picturesque landmarks will provide a boost to tourism for years to come.

London set to capitalise on Olympic Park legacy

8/9/2012 3:12:00 PM

This public sector, not-for-profit organisation – previously known as the Olympic Park Legacy Company – is responsible for the long-term planning, development, management and maintenance of the Olympic Park and its facilities.

After the Games, the LLDC will begin a £300m construction project to transform the Olympic site into the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This will involve removing temporary venues, transforming permanent venues into everyday use, building new roads and bridges and the first neighbourhood.

"London has set a benchmark by forming a legacy body three years before the Games,” Peter Tudor, Director of Venues, LLDC, tells Olympic.org. “The Olympic Park has been built with legacy in mind; there are three temporary venues and the permanent ones can easily be reduced in size and adapted for daily use.

“The new Park, renamed the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, will be a park like no other, with beautiful open space, fantastic venues and a full programme of events, there really will be something for everyone.

“We will also create five new neighbourhoods, building up to 8,000 new homes as well as new schools, health centres and other community facilities.”

The new Park will re-open in phases, starting exactly one year after the Opening Ceremony of the Games on 27 July 2013.

Andrew Altman, Chief Executive of the LLDC, adds: “London’s Olympic legacy was rooted in the creation of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – a place that will become one of the most thriving parts of London. The creation of thousands of new homes and jobs will bring huge benefits to the area.

“The transformation will take the Park from an Olympic site, to a new piece of London that’s owned and shaped by the community in and around it. Above all, the Park will create a place of practical benefit for the surrounding community – a place to take your children swimming at weekends, go to school, walk your dog or go to a festival in the summer.”

Olympic Park will continue to transform East London

8/7/2012 11:26:00 AM

A £300m construction project run by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) will transform the Olympic site into the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, due to open in phases from 27 July 2013.

The LLDC was established in 2009 and its development plans for the Olympic Park after the Closing Ceremony include removing temporary venues, transforming permanent venues into everyday use, building new roads and bridges and the first neighbourhood, all with the aim of furthering the regeneration that has already taken place in Stratford, East London.

The future of six of the eight permanent venues located in the Park has already been secured with appointed operators, and the stadiums will be modified to allow them to cater for the local community at a grass roots level, as well as continuing to host high performance events.

Up to 8,000 permanent jobs will have been created by 2030, plus 2,500 temporary construction jobs, and training and apprenticeship opportunities will focus on local people.

Another lasting legacy of the Olympic Park is the amount of green space that has been introduced to that area of London. It will leave behind over 22 miles of interlinking pathways, waterways and cycle paths and more than 250 acres of open space. By 2016, it is estimated that more than nine million visitors per year will visit the Queen Elizabeth Park.

Olympic Games legacy visible in everyday life

8/6/2012 1:54:00 PM

Organisers have also worked hard to use the Games as a catalyst for positive change and inspiration, creating new initiatives and programmes that will lead to sustainable social, economic and sporting legacies at home in the UK and around the world.

Since winning the bid to host the Olympic Games, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has worked tirelessly to ensure that athletes and sport are at the heart of the Games. With this agenda in mind, encouraging sports participation in the wider community has always been a key priority.

Initiatives include the 2012 National School Sports Week, which 14,000 schools and more than five million young people took part in earlier this year. Other commendable programmes include the London 2012 Inspire programme, which officially recognises outstanding projects and events inspired by the Games.

Meanwhile, ‘The Games and beyond’ emails are part of an initiative set up with Sport England, which provide London 2012 ticketholders with event information as well as details of how they can get involved and try out new sports once the Games are over.

London 2012 has also been used as a vehicle for connecting with vulnerable young people around the world and introducing them to sport. International Inspiration is a groundbreaking sports legacy programme that has initiated more than 900 sport-specific projects across every nation and region to develop sports participation and physical activity schemes for people of all ages. It has already helped more than 12 million young people in 20 countries, from Azerbaijan to Zambia, experience sport.

In recognition of the inclusive spirit of London 2012, the Games have provided thousands of Londoners from all ethnicities, ages and backgrounds with jobs and training during this extended period of economic uncertainty, leaving long-term social and economic benefits for London and the UK.

London 2012 will also have a lasting impact on businesses operating throughout the UK. Many of those awarded contracts to work on the Games will have had to adapt their supply chains and working practices, from improving their equality and inclusion or health and safety policies to developing new approaches to sustainable or accessible design. These elements will continue to be applied in their future work, having a positive impact on the working conditions of these industries.

Sustainable Olympic Games are here to stay

8/4/2012 1:00:00 PM

Environmental preservation and enhancement are key factors that fall under the sustainability umbrella and the IOC has been working closely with LOCOG (the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) to ensure that the 2012 Games are held in conditions that demonstrate responsible concern and respect for the environment.

Over the last two decades the environmental element of the bidding and delivery processes has really come to the fore. London 2012 is the first summer Games to formally adopt “triple-bottom” line sustainability management frameworks from the start, reflecting the IOC's three spheres of sustainability - environment, social and economic.

Even during the application stage to become a Candidate City, the environmental and sustainable development guiding principles and requirements were outlined in the procedure and questionnaire documentation.

For the London 2012 bid, LOCOG worked in partnership with BioRegional and the WWF to establish the concept “Towards a One Planet Olympics”. The principles of this concept were taken forward in the form of the London 2012 Sustainability Plan, which is structured around five sustainability themes: climate change, waste, biodiversity, inclusion and healthy living. They provide London 2012 with the framework for delivering truly sustainable Games and have been integrated into the three delivery phases of construction, staging and post-Games legacy.

Once elected, the IOC Coordination Commission provided London with assistance and guidance in its preparations, and this included in the field of sustainability. LOCOG has always consulted with local and national authorities, with the support of UNEP, to ensure that the Games’ sustainability plan is aligned with London's long-term strategy for improving the environment of the city.

Some of LOCOG’s major achievements include the creation of the Olympic Park, which is the largest new urban parkland in Europe for 150 years, and the construction of the Olympic Stadium, which is the most sustainable in history. Steps were also taken to ensure the greening of the supply chain and to bring energy efficiency measures to local homes.

In addition, London 2012 is the first Olympic Games to measure its carbon footprint over the entire project term, while it is has also committed to a Zero Waste to landfill target through the strategic Zero Waste Games Vision.

LOCOG has also been participating in the IOC's Olympic Games Knowledge Management (OGKM) transfer programme, an intitative that ensures that the sustainability lessons learned in London are passed onto Rio de Janeiro and other future host cities. Meanwhile, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) event sector supplement, published last year in conjunction with the IOC, offers a standardised framework for sustainability reporting. A guidance tool for current and future event organisers, it aims to ensure that sustainability reporting covers all relevant issues.

OGKM: Learning from experience

8/3/2012 8:09:00 AM

Q. How helpful has the OGKM programme been?
A. Over the lifespan of London 2012, the OGKM programme has been invaluable in helping LOCOG learn from the experiences of previous Games and obtain best practice from other Olympic Games experts and advisors.

Q. Can you outline some of the things you have learnt from the OGKM programme?
A. There have been numerous examples of learnings that have influenced LOCOG’s plans, but the Vancouver Observer Programme was perhaps the area where I personally learnt the most. This included strategic elements such as the importance of integrated working and development of stakeholder relationships, to detailed operational matters such as the optimal layout and design or airport accreditation desks.

Q. What aspect of the OGKM programme have you found most valuable?
A. The Observer Programme and OGKM workshops stand out as the most valuable elements. The relationships formed with other OCOGs through the OGKM programme allow further follow-up and collaboration between Functional Area counter-parts which can really help develop best practice.

Q. At what stages of the Games process have you been able to draw on OGKM resources?
A. Different OGKM resources are more relevant at different phases. The Technical Manuals are very useful in the bidding phase, and less relevant in the last year of planning before the Games. The optimal time for using OGKM resources is in the period from around five to two years before the Games, when key early operational decisions are being made that can significantly impact the overall Games and client experience.

Q. What advice would you give future host cities about using the experiences of past OCOGs?
A. Make sure you understand the specific context of the Host City before using any experiences from previous Games. For example, using London 2012’s airport plans as the basis for planning in Rio 2016 might seem sensible on the surface, but when you understand that London 2012 was served by five different ports of entry, including four independent terminal operations at Heathrow, then the corresponding operations in Rio will need to be adapted significantly for the size, location and number of airports located there.

The London 2012 observer programme will see over 530 observers participate in 50 visits and 5 roundtables over 21 days. The visits will look at topics such as athlete experience, ceremonies, village operations, sport, and technology. This on site knowledge gathering then allows for more detailed discussions to take place during the Games debrief, which is normally held in the next host city of the Games. The London debriefing will be held in Rio de Janeiro in November this year.