International Olympic Committee : News

Second IOC Coordination Commission visit gets underway in PyeongChang

6/18/2013 8:00:00 AM

The meeting will also be attended by representatives of the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG), the Korean Olympic Committee, and the local governmental authorities.

Insight

The two days of meetings will allow the Commission to review POCOG’s progress since their last meeting in 2012. Updates will be given on areas as diverse as workforce, sport, venues, marketing, communications, education and technology to name but a few. These updates offer the opportunity to POCOG not just to present their achievements, but also to gain guidance and insight from the members of the Commission, which includes representatives of the athletes, International Federations, National Olympic Committees, IOC members and the International Paralympic Committee.

The Coordination Commission

The IOC, as the guardian of the Olympic Games, assists and monitors the work of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games through the work of the Coordination Commission. The Commission visits the host city once a year until four years from the Games, when the visits become twice yearly until the Games are held. The Commission’s full meetings are supplemented by the regular visits of smaller IOC teams involving the Commission Chairman, selected members of the Commission and members of the IOC administration.

PyeongChang 2018

PyeongChang was elected as the host city for the XXIII Olympic Winter Games at the 123rd IOC Session in Durban, South Africa on 6 July 2011. PyeongChang won the vote against the cities of Annecy (France) and Munich (Germany). PyeongChang defeated Munich and Annecy in the first round of voting, by 63 votes to 25 and 7 respectively. The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games will play host to the seven Olympic Winter sports currently on the Olympic programme and will run from 9 to 25 February 2018.

Coordination Commission visit gets underway in Rio

2/18/2013 8:00:00 AM

Chaired by IOC Executive Board member and Olympian Nawal El Moutwakel, the Commission will be spending the next three days examining the progress of the Rio project and receiving updates from the organisers and their partners on their plans. The Commission will also visit some Games-related projects in the city.

Updates

Since its third visit last June, there have been a number of visits from IOC delegations to Rio, but this will be the first time the full Commission has been in town since the close of the London 2012 Olympic Games. This signifies that the Commission will start to visit the host city twice a year from now on, as is the usual schedule for Coordination Commission visits to a Games host. The Commission will hear updates on issues as varied as athletes, venues, sport, transport, media services, workforce, technology, and the Paralympic Games, to name but a few of the subjects to be discussed this week.

RIO 2016

Rio de Janeiro was elected on 2 October 2009 as the host city of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad at the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen, Denmark. Rio was elected in the third round of voting, beating the cities of Chicago (United States), Tokyo (Japan) and Madrid (Spain). Rio defeated Madrid in the third round of voting by 66 votes to 32, with Chicago and Tokyo already having been eliminated in the first and second rounds respectively. Rio 2016 will have 28 sports on its programme and will run from 5 till 21 August 2016.

First Coordination Commission visit to PyeongChang

3/19/2012 10:00:00 AM

The IOC’s Coordination Commission for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games will visit the host city in the Republic of Korea for the first time this week (20-22 March). Under the chairmanship of Gunilla Lindberg, the Commission will meet with members of the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG), along with representatives of the national government and local authorities.

Progress

Representing the different facets of the Olympic Movement, such as athletes, the National Olympic Committees, and the International Federations, the Coordination Commission members will hear presentations on the different elements of POCOG’s progress since its election and the PyeongChang 2018 concept. They will also have the opportunity to visit a number of the venues during their stay. Over the coming years, the Commission will help to guide POCOG, as it prepares to welcome the world’s athletes to the Republic of Korea in 2018.

The Coordination Commission

PyeongChang 2018

PyeongChang was elected as the host city for the XXIII Olympic Winter Games at the 123rd IOC Session in Durban, South Africa, on 6 July 2011. PyeongChang won the vote against the cities of Annecy (France) and Munich (Germany). PyeongChang defeated Munich and Annecy in the first round of voting, by 63 votes to 25 and 7 respectively. The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games will play host to the seven Olympic winter sports currently on the Olympic programme and will run from 9 to 25 February 2018.

IOC wraps up penultimate visit to London

10/7/2011 3:00:00 PM

Concluding its ninth and penultimate visit to the city of London (5-7 October), the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Coordination Commission for the 2012 Olympic Games found good progress being made project-wide and praised the efforts of organisers to bring the 2012 Games experience to the whole of Great Britain and beyond.

The Commission heard how the London Organising Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games (LOCOG) and its partners were starting to test how they would work at Games-time during the successful “London Prepares” series. London 2012 is learning valuable lessons through such programmes that will help it enhance the experience for athletes and supporters coming to the Games next year.

The Commission also remarked on how the strong collaboration and impressive detailed integrated work between LOCOG and its external delivery partners has stood the organisers in good stead in the face of the huge task of staging a Games. It has allowed them, for example, to deliver the Games venues on time, which has permitted the organisers to start testing their operations in optimal conditions. The Commission witnessed the result of this first hand during visits to the Olympic Park and an archery event at Lord’s Cricket Club.

“London 2012 continues to make good progress toward delivering great Olympic Games next summer,” said IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Denis Oswald. “We have once again been impressed by the overall level of planning and by the results of the first group of test events that were held this summer.”

“LOCOG and its partners are also looking beyond the confines of the venues and are working hard to bring the London 2012 experience to people across Great Britain and around the world,” Mr Oswald continued. “This will undoubtedly generate a great Olympic atmosphere next summer, and we congratulate them for their work.”

A common thread through all of the presentations this week was how people are able to experience the Games. The Commission noted that, since its last visit in April, LOCOG was responsible for the launch of a very successful ticket programme, great coverage generated by one-year-to-go celebrations, as well as popular Olympic Torch Relay and volunteer programmes that have already started to bring London 2012 to homes across the nation and abroad.

Also well-received were programmes such as the Cultural Olympiad — which will culminate in the London 2012 Festival next year — Get Set Education, International Inspiration and London 2012's live sites, all of which have raised the profile of London 2012 and brought the Olympic spirit to millions of people worldwide.

Chairman Oswald said, “The Olympic Games is a unique event that brings the world together every four years. We are delighted that London 2012 is focused on ensuring that the experience and atmosphere inside and outside the venues are of the highest standard and that everyone can feel a part of London 2012.”

The Commission also pointed to the fact that the Games were on track to leave a great legacy to London, Great Britain and the Olympic Movement. Initiatives such as the Get Set education programme, International Inspiration, and the other sporting, social, and economic programmes associated with the Games are all playing a role in ensuring that the spirit of 2012 will survive well after the Games are over. They particularly underlined how the new Olympic venues will help to form a lasting legacy for British sport at both the community and elite levels.

London 2012 Chairman Seb Coe said, “We have had a very busy six months since the last Coordination Commission visit, selling tickets, recruiting volunteers and relentlessly testing all our operations, including delivering 17 sport test events this summer. We are delighted to receive such strong endorsement from the IOC. With only 42 Fridays until the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, everyone at LOCOG is focussed on putting on Games the whole country can be proud of and a part of.”

Over the three days, the Commission heard reports from LOCOG, the British Government, the Greater London Authority, and Transport for London, as well as updates on areas such as services to the athletes, National Olympic Committees, International Federations, the media, the Paralympic Games and spectators, as well as updates on topics such as marketing, technology, culture, education and communications. The next visit of the Commission to London will be from 28 to 30 March next year.

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For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org

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Innsbruck 2012

1st edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games, Innsbruck, Austria,13 to 22 January 2012. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook

Penultimate Coordination Commission Meeting for London 2012 Starts

10/5/2011 8:00:00 AM

The penultimate visit of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Coordination Commission to the city of London got underway today, as only 296 days remain until the Opening Ceremony of the Games. The Commission, led by Olympian and IOC member Denis Oswald, is in London for three days of meetings and venue tours, which will see it get a full update from organisers on the progress of preparations for the London 2012 Games.

Taking Shape

During its three days in the British capital, the Commission will hear updates on the services to be provided to the athletes, National Olympic Committees, International Federations, the Paralympic Games, the media and spectators. There will also be updates on areas such as marketing, brand, communications, technology, culture and education. The visit will be rounded off with a visit to a few of the venues that will play a key role in next summer’s Games.

LONDON 2012

London was elected as the host city for the Games of the XXX Olympiad on 6 July 2005 at the 117th IOC Session in Singapore. London eventually succeeded in the fourth round of voting, taking 54 votes from a possible 104. London faced stiff opposition during the vote from the other four candidate cities: Paris, New York, Moscow and Madrid. There will be 26 sports on the Olympic programme in London in 2012 and around 10,500 athletes.

London 2012 athletics track completed

10/4/2011 11:29:00 AM

The athletics track at the London 2012 Olympic Stadium has been officially unveiled, as next year’s Olympic Games move another step closer. British long jump record holder Chris Tomlinson, IAAF World Championship silver medallist Hannah England and Paralympic gold medallist Dan Greaves were on hand to launch the new track, which is made of synthetic rubber and has been designed to help athletes run fast times during next year’s Games. They were joined at the unveiling by local schoolchildren.

Seb Coe, London 2012 Organising Committee Chairman, said: “Today marks a huge milestone for the project, as the Olympic stadium starts to come to life and people get a glimpse of how it will look in less than 10 months’ time when we welcome the world's athletes to London. Although there is still a lot of work to do on the stadium, seeing some of our top British athletes on the track with local schoolchildren really underlines the stadium’s potential for 2012 and beyond.”

During the unveiling, Coe joined Tomlinson, England, Greaves and the local schoolchildren for the first 100m run on the new track before completing a lap with 1,500m runner England. During next year’s Games, the Olympic stadium will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as all the track and field events.

John Armitt, Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), which is responsible for the venues, infrastructure and legacy for the Games, said: “Watching athletes and children run around the Olympic stadium’s track 10 months before the London 2012 Games highlights just how much has been achieved over the last four years. The Olympic stadium will be a stunning centre-piece of the Games and a fitting theatre for sporting action and the ceremonies.”

Sixth Coordination Commission Meeting for Sochi 2014 Opens

9/12/2011 10:00:00 AM

The sixth meeting of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Coordination Commission for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games got underway today in the Black Sea coast resort. Bringing together the Commission with the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee and other key stakeholders, the three days of meetings (12 to 14 September) will allow the members of the Commission to receive updates on a wide range of Sochi 2014 Games-related topics.

Preparations and Venue Visits

The Commission, led by its Chairman Jean-Claude Killy, will hear updates from the organisers on areas of Games preparations relating to groups such as the athletes, spectators, media, National Olympic Committees, International Federations and marketing partners, to name but a few. There will also be updates on Games-wide points of interest such as construction, communications, culture and education, transport, accommodation, sustainability, workforce and technology. The visit will be rounded off with a tour of some of the Sochi 2014 Games venues, which have been rapidly rising from the ground since the last Commission visit in March this year.

Sochi 2014

Sochi was elected as the host city for the XXII Olympic Winter Games at the 119th IOC Session in Guatemala City on 4 July 2007. Sochi won the vote against the cities of Salzburg (Austria) and PyeongChang (Republic of Korea) in the second round of voting. The Russian city edged out PyeongChang by 51 votes to 47, with Salzburg having been eliminated in round one. The Sochi Games will play host to the seven Olympic Winter sports currently on the Olympic programme, and will run from 7 to 23 February 2014.

Countdown on as final Coordination Commission visit concludes in Innsbruck

9/6/2011 3:00:00 PM

The International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission for the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 2012 today concluded its fourth and final visit to the Austrian host city. The Coordination Commission visit took place after three successful days of Chefs de Mission meetings with all 65 nations that will compete in Innsbruck.

With 129 days to go until the Opening Ceremony, the Innsbruck Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (IYOGOC) remains on track as it enters the operational readiness phase in its planning.

Headed by Chairman Gian-Franco Kasper, the IOC Coordination Commission was particularly impressed with the progress of the Youth Olympic Village (YOV). The YOV will accommodate approximately 1,660 athletes and officials during Games time, and, as a legacy of the Youth Olympic Games, will be used as affordable housing once the Games have concluded.

“The Innsbruck Organising Committee heads into the final few months of preparation with an extremely organised and creative team who are working tirelessly to ensure an unforgettable elite sporting event for the world’s best young winter athletes,” said Kasper. “This unique host city has a rich Olympic history, and today we can feel the excitement building as it makes history again with the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games.”

The IOC has supported the move to have all snowboard and freestyle events at the Kühtai venue. Based at over 2,000 metres and with excellent snowmaking facilities that practically guarantee snow conditions, the venue, thanks to the new facilities, is expected to become one of the best winter freestyle sport and training centres in Europe. This adds to the legacy of the recently completed Biathlon shooting range at the Seefeld venue.

At Innsbruck 2012, several new disciplines will be seen for the first time at an Olympic event, such as snowboard slopestype, ski half pipe and ice hockey skills challenge. Also integrated into the sports programme for the first time is women’s ski jumping, the winner of which will be awarded the first Winter Youth Olympic Games medal.

The Coordination Commission was also pleased to note the full integration of the unique Culture and Education Programme (CEP) into the overall schedule for athletes, spectators and local schools. The Programme will enable athletes to learn new skills, experience different cultures and cover key topics such as the benefits of healthy lifestyles, the dangers of doping, and the values of friendship, solidarity and fair play. The CEP was successfully tested this week during a seminar involving the 33 Young Ambassadors chosen by National Olympic Committees. This group will then guide the athletes through the programme during Games time.

The volunteer programme, launched earlier this year, has attracted almost 2,500 applications from 40 countries — double the amount of volunteers actually required. In addition, partnerships with 12 international universities have also been secured.

Communication and promotion of the Youth Olympic Games will build in the final months leading up to the Games, with the main focus on ticketing and the 18-day Torch Relay that will visit 50 national locations. Several digital media initiatives are also under way, increasing traffic and fan numbers on IYOGOC’s website and social media platforms. Supporting the promotional campaign will be a group of ambassadors selected by the IOC that includes Alpine skiers Lindsey Vonn (USA) and Benjamin Raich (Austria), with more to be announced in the lead-up to the Games.

In one month’s time, Innsbruck 2012 will celebrate its 100-day countdown, and will take the opportunity to present a number of engaging initiatives and events to mark the milestone.

“Holding 63 medal events and a wide-ranging Culture and Education Programme in the space of just 10 days requires a tremendous amount of detailed planning, organisation, coordination, leadership and monitoring,” said Innsbruck 2012 Chief Operating Officer Peter Bayer. “I am proud of our team. The vision of the Youth Olympic Games is within touching distance, and there is great enthusiasm among all the members of the Organising Committee. We have embraced and are living the Olympic Spirit, which is reflected in the excellent work we’ve done so far.”

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For more information, please contact the IOC Communications Department:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org/youtholympicgames

Videos
YouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia

Photos
For an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, follow us on Flickr
To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: images@olympic.org

Social media
For up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Second Coordination Commission Meets In Rio

6/6/2011 9:11:00 AM

The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Coordination Commission for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games begins its second visit this week to the Brazilian city. Led by IOC Executive Board Member and Olympic champion Nawal El Moutawakel, the commission will be in Rio for three days of meetings and site visits.

Wide Ranging Update

During the three days of deliberations, the Commission will hear updates on a number of areas of Olympic Games preparations including venue and infrastructure construction, sport, National Olympic Committee services, marketing, brand, and planning and coordination. This will give the Commission the opportunity to see how far the Rio 2016 Organising Committee has progressed since its last visit in May 2010 and to be updated on their plans for the coming year of preparations.

On-going Work

As part of its visit, the Commission will get the opportunity to visit a few of the venues and infrastructure improvements that are currently underway for the 2016 Games. Much of this work will serve not only the Olympic Games but also the people of Rio for many years once the Olympics are over, providing a great legacy to the community.

RIO 2016

With less than 500 days to go, the IOC returns to London

3/30/2011 8:00:00 AM

With less than 500 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee’s Coordination Commission is paying its eighth visit to the Olympic host city. At an important time for the Games, with ticket sales now underway and a sports and operations testing programme about to start in earnest this summer, the Commission will be looking to see that preparations remain on track.

Update on progress

Led by its Chairman, Denis Oswald, the Commission will hear about the progress being made in a number of different areas, such as venue construction, workforce, the Paralympic Games, legacy, and technology, while also examining the preparations being made for the different groups that will be attending the Games, such as the athletes, spectators, National Olympic Committees, International Federations, marketing partners, and the media. The Commission members will round out their trip by conducting a venue tour to see the impressive progress being made by London 2012 in the Olympic Park.