International Olympic Committee : Press Releases

Innsbruck and Kuopio finalists for election to host the first Winter YOG in 2012

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today revealed the names of the finalist Candidate Cities from which the host city for the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012 will be elected. Innsbruck and Kuopio were selected by the IOC Executive Board last week, and will now be submitted to a postal vote by the IOC members. The host city will be announced by IOC President Jacques Rogge in a live web cast on www.olympic.org, provisionally scheduled for 12 December 2008.

The EB’s decision on the two finalists was based on an IOC Evaluation Commission report, which is now available below. Chaired by Pernilla Wiberg, the Commission assessed the projects of the four shortlisted Candidate Cities - Harbin (China), Innsbruck (Austria), Kuopio (Finland) and Lillehammer (Norway). The report focused on the risks associated with the organisation of the Games within the timeframe of only three years to plan and prepare to host the first edition of this new event.

The vote will take place over the coming weeks, with all IOC members, except those from Austria and Finland, entitled to vote. An independent and certified notary based in Lausanne, Switzerland, will oversee the process to guarantee confidentiality. The city with the highest number of votes will be elected as the host city of the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012, marking the conclusion of a candidature process that started in March 2008. In the event of a tie, the IOC President will consult the EB members entitled to vote and will make the final decision based on this consultation.

Report of the IOC Evaluation Commission

NOTES TO THE EDITORS

About the Youth Olympic Games

The Youth Olympic Games aim to bring together talented athletes – age group 14 to 18 - from around the world to participate in high-level competitions but also to run, alongside the sports element of the event, educational programmes on the Olympic values, the benefits of sport for a healthy lifestyle, the social values sport can deliver and the dangers of doping and of training to excess and/or of inactivity.

The first Winter Youth Olympic Games will bring together approximately 1,000 athletes and 500 team officials The sports programme will encompass all sports on the programme of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, with a limited number of disciplines and events.

The Youth Olympic Games Evaluation Commission:

The Commission was composed of Pernilla Wiberg (Athletes' Commission), Victor Khotochkin (NOC representative), Fredi Schmid (IF representative), Martin Rutishauser (Member, EYOF Commission of the EOC), Gilbert Felli (IOC Olympic Games Executive Director), Christophe Dubi (IOC Sports Director) and Essar Gabriel (IOC Head of Youth Olympic Games).

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

1st Summer Youth Olympic Games: Singapore 2010 on track

The Coordination Commission of the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games concluded its first visit to the host city Singapore today. Eight months after the host city announcement on 21 February 2008, the Singapore Organising Committee (SYOGOC) has already established all the foundations necessary to stage the Games in 2010. “We are impressed with how the preparations have advanced. SYOGOC is very much on track”, said Sergey Bubka, Chairman of the Coordination Commission, at the end of the visit. “We can count on the full support of the whole of Government and all Singaporeans, as well as on a highly dynamic team committed to serving our vision for these Games”, concluded SYOGOC Chairman and IOC Executive Board member Ser Miang NG.

The Coordination Commission had the opportunity to visit various venues that will stage the 200 events in 26 sports. A master plan proposal for the venues for the 1st Youth Olympic Games was put forward by SYOGOC for approval.

The seven members* of the Coordination Commission were highly impressed by the Youth Olympic Village based at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) campus. This site offers not only the capacity to host the 5,000 athletes and team officials expected to participate in the Games, but also training facilities for many sports and excellent facilities for the culture and education programme.

The Organising Committee emphasised in its presentations the importance of the culture and education programme. In order to match the different origin and languages of all participants, most of these activities would be centred on experience-based education, allowing the athletes to experiment and learn at the same time. The project also includes well targeted communications initiatives, including a specific youth website and other digital applications to reach out to young people all over the world.

”Presentations were of a high standard and we can return home with the feeling that our partners in Singapore have well understood the mission entrusted to them, and that they can cope with the considerable time pressure. We just have to keep up the same pace and vigilance for the remaining 22 months until the opening of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games”, concluded Sergey Bubka.

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Notes to Editors:

The Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, to be held between 14 and 26 of August 2010, will bring together 3,500 athletes between 14 and 18 years of age from all 205 National Olympic Committees to compete in the 26 sports on the London 2012 Olympic Games programme. fully fledged education programme will raise participants’ awareness of the Olympic values and topics like healthy lifestyles and the fight against doping. A number of communications initiatives will link the youth of the world with the event. A culture programme will ensure a festive and pleasant atmosphere within the host city.

*Members of the Coordination Commission: Sergey Bubka, IOC member and Chairman; Nat Indrapana, IOC member; Syed Shahid Ali, IOC member; Raja Randhir Singh**, IOC member; Frank Fredericks, IOC member and Chairman of the Athletes’ Commission; Rania Elwani**, IOC member; Guido de Bondt, NOC representative; Andrew Ryan, IF representative; and Gilbert Felli, Olympic Games Executive Director. The Coordination Commission is the group of representatives from the IOC and the Olympic Movement who will be monitoring the Youth Olympic Games preparations and guiding the Singapore Organising Committee.

(** not present at the 1st Coordination Commission meeting in Singapore)

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IOC awards 2014 & 2016 broadcast rights in Turkey

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced an agreement with Fox Turkey for the broadcast rights within Turkey for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and the 2016 Olympic Games.

Fox Turkey, one of Turkey’s leading national television networks, acquired the broadcast rights across all platforms, including free-to-air television, subscription television, internet and mobile phone.

The IOC selected Fox Turkey on its capacity to reach the broadest possible audience on a range of broadcast platforms, and its commitment to promoting the Olympic Games and the values of the Olympic Movement.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said: "Fox Turkey presented a comprehensive package that will allow not only the broadest coverage of the Olympic Games but also the promotion of Olympic sports and Olympic values beyond the 16 days of competition. We look forward to building a strong working relationship with Fox Turkey ahead of the Winter Games in Sochi in 2014".

IOC Vice-President Thomas Bach, who led the negotiations, commented: “The IOC is delighted to announce this agreement with Fox Turkey for the broadcast of the Sochi 2014 and 2016 Olympic Games. Fox Turkey is recognised as one of the most progressive and innovative Turkish broadcasters, and has become increasingly popular amongst younger audiences. We look forward to working with Fox Turkey to making innovative coverage of the Olympic Games available to sports fans across Turkey.”

Mr Dave Reid, the General Manager of Fox Turkey said: “This is an historic development for our company. We are excited and proud that the IOC has selected Fox as its broadcast partner for Turkey in 2014 and 2016. The Olympic Games will be our company’s most important project and we are committed to delivering a world-class multi-media event. Today’s announcement is a sign of our commitment to the future of broadcasting in Turkey and our close connection to the values of the Olympic Movement.”

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·The host city of the 2016 Olympic Games will be announced at the 121st IOC Session, to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in October 2009.

·The IOC launched the tender process for the sale of the broadcast and exhibition rights for all territories within Europe for the XXII Olympic Winter Games (2014) in Sochi, Russia, and the Games of the XXXI Olympiad (2016) on 8 May 2008.

·For further information, please see the press release: http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/media_centre/press_release_uk.asp?id=2559

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

To contact Fox Turkey: Fox Turkey press office: +90 212 496 6123 asli.keskinoglu@fox.com.tr

Vancouver 2010 Steps Into The Spotlight

At the end of its seventh visit to Vancouver, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission confirmed that the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC) continues to be on the right track to host top quality Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February 2010. The Commission was particularly pleased to see that VANOC’s participation in the IOC’s Beijing 2008 Observer’s Programme had had a positive impact on its planning and that the Games legacy remains a top priority for the next Olympic Games organisers.

Commenting on the visit, IOC Coordination Commission Chairman René Fasel said, “With the Beijing Games now over, it is Vancouver 2010’s turn to step into the spotlight and I am confident that Vancouver 2010 can also raise the bar for the Olympic Winter Games. Our Canadian friends learned many important lessons during their stay in Beijing as part of the IOC’s Observer’s Programme, and this can be seen in their planning, which is being fine-tuned as VANOC moves into its operational phase.”

He added, “While John Furlong and his team are in the process of finalising a number of key Games-time plans, such as transport, volunteers and staffing, which is normal for an Organising Committee at this stage, we feel that if they can quickly finish them over the coming few months, then they will be in a very good position going into their operational phase at the end of next year. It’s crucial though that no time is lost, because the Games are an immoveable deadline and the margin for error is greatly reduced as we get into the final year of preparations.”

During its visit, the Commission had the opportunity to review the venues in the Whistler area, which will host the skiing and sliding sports as well as the athletes’ village.

Fasel commented, “The competition venues in Whistler are truly spectacular and will provide a fantastic back drop for the athletes, as they strive for sporting excellence. It is particularly reassuring to see that they are all largely complete and are already being used. Indeed, as VANOC starts to test them, and all of its other Games-time arenas, with its 17 up-coming sport events, it will be a fantastic opportunity for the athletes to get a feel for what awaits them in 2010 and for the public to experience many sports and disciplines that may not be familiar to them.”

The Olympic Games are more than just 16 days of sporting competition, and this was underlined by two announcements made during the visit that will undoubtedly produce positive legacies from the Vancouver Games. On Tuesday 21 October, the Province of British Columbia and VANOC announced an initiative to use temporary housing from the Whistler athletes’ village to help combat homelessness across British Columbia. Additionally, the IOC and VANOC, in close partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), announced the dates of next year’s 8th World Conference on Sport and the Environment, which will be held in Vancouver from 29 to 31 March 2009.

Speaking about the importance of legacy, Fasel said, “The International Olympic Committee has long recognised the importance of planning for the post-Olympic legacy in host regions and that it is of great importance that organisers are sensitive to the social impact of the Olympic Games, and plan carefully to ensure that all sections of the community benefit from the Games legacy. This is particularly apparent here in Vancouver, where VANOC has created exceptionally strong partnerships with its local government partners and the Four Host First Nations (FHFNs), whose traditional lands will welcome the Games in 2010.”

“As we expected, the pace has increased after the Beijing Games and it requires our team to be able to respond quickly to change, particularly given the challenging economy,” said VANOC Chair Jack Poole. “In these circumstances the guidance and insights provided by the IOC are particularly valuable. We were proud this week to showcase to our partners and receive positive feedback on our sport venues and the legacies being created.”

“As always, our friends at the IOC ask great questions and stimulate important discussions. While this review has been extremely reassuring for our team, we must stay completely focused and not become complacent as we face the major operational challenges that lie ahead,” said VANOC CEO John Furlong.

During its meetings, the Commission also heard from VANOC about a number of other areas linked to Games organisation, such as sport, NOC services, technology, marketing, accommodation, transport and communications.

IOC awards 2010 & 2012 Games internet and mobile broadcast rights in Latin America

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced an agreement with Terra for the internet and mobile platform exhibition rights (excluding IPTV) within Latin America (excluding Brazil*) for the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games.

The IOC selected Terra following a successful partnership during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and its commitment to promoting the Olympic Games and the values of the Olympic Movement.

IOC Executive Board member Richard Carrión said: “Terra has been a fantastic partner during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and we are delighted to be continuing our partnership through to the Vancouver and London Games. Digital media platforms became the media of choice for millions of Olympic fans across the world for the Beijing Games, and this trend is only set to increase over the next few years. Terra’s proven capacity to guarantee full exploitation of the broadcast rights over digital platforms, including live and on-demand broadcast over the internet and delayed clips to mobile phones, will mean sports fans across Latin America will be able to access fantastic footage of both Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games as and when they want.”

The General Director of Terra Latin America, Fernando Madeira, said: "Terra succeeded in making the biggest coverage over the internet of all time for a single event in Latin America: 15% of the internet users in the region watched all Olympic events of 2008 live and on demand on 13 channels simultaneously on Terra. More than 39 million videos were viewed, and Latin American users were actively involved in the production of content. The agreement with the IOC for the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games will allow Terra to continue reaching record audiences in the region, and to offer the user the best interactive experience."

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* Terra’s agreement includes internet (excluding IPTV) and mobile platform exhibition rights within the following territories:

· Argentina

· Chile

· Colombia

· Cost Rica

· Ecuador

· El Salvador

· Guatemala

· Honduras

· Mexico

· Nicaragua

· Panama

· Peru

· Dominican Republic

· Venezuela

· Uruguay

Please note: The IOC’s broadcast partner in Brazil for the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games is TV Record. TV Record has acquired broadcast rights across all platforms. For further information please see the following press release:

http://www.olympic.org/uk/organisation/commissions/tv_and_internet/full_story_uk.asp?id=2106

For more information, please contact the IOC Communications Department, tel: +41 21 621 60 00, email: pressoffice@olympic.org

For further information about Terra, please contact the Terra Latin America Communications Director, Carla Dazzi: tel: +55 11 5509-0407; email: carla.dazzi@corp.terra.com.br.

About the International Olympic Committee

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), created in 1894, is a non-governmental organisation with volunteer members who represent its work around the world, and an administrative staff based in Lausanne, Switzerland. The IOC and its 205 National Olympic Committees worldwide promote the Olympic Movement, whose vision is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport. In addition to selecting the host city and coordinating the staging of the Olympic Games, the IOC and NOCs collaborate with a range of organisations and their members in the public and private sectors to place sport at the service of society. The main goal is to promote the values of Olympism, which include excellence, respect and friendship.

About Terra Latin America

Terra, the largest internet company in Latin America, is present in 18 countries, including the United States, and has approximately 60 million unique visitors per month; 8 million unique users per month use Terra TV (www.terratv.terra.com), with an average of 66 million streamings.

Terra reported a net revenue of EUR 300 million in 2006, with portals in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela. Terra is part of Group Telefónica, from Spain.

Death of Ram Ruhee, IOC Honorary Member since 2007

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is greatly saddened to learn of the death of Ram Ruhee, at the age of 81.

Elected as an IOC member in 1988, he was the founder and Secretary General of the Mauritius National Olympic Committee since 1971 and a member of the following Commissions: Olympic Solidarity (1989-2001), Cultural (1995-1996), Coordination for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games (1994-2000), Women and Sport (2002-2007) and Sport for All (2003-2007), before becoming an honorary member in 2007.

A teacher by profession, Ram Ruhee played a key role in promoting the values of sport to the youth in his country. He was the chairman and team manager of First Division Football Club “Cadets Club”, which he founded in 1948. He also held a number of posts within the Mauritian Sports Association and the Mauritius Football Association, the African Football Confederation and FIFA, and was an active member of the Executive Committees of ANOCA and ANOC.

The IOC expresses its deepest sympathy to Ram Ruhee's family.

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