During the Winter Youth Olympic Games, the IOC AEC gathered to discuss recent progress and objectives for the coming years. Alongside keeping athletes at the centre of the Olympic Movement, the Commission’s goal is to improve the quality and level of services provided to them by engaging with key stakeholders.
Four–year plan
The IOC AEC also discussed its four-year plan, which contains five key priorities: raise awareness of the importance of athletes’ entourages, collaborate closely with the IOC Athletes’ Commission (AC), support Olympic Movement stakeholders, support the achievement of gender equality, and emphasise the importance of entourages in safeguarding athletes.
Strong communication was highlighted as being vital in achieving the goals of this four–year plan; and this requires all International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to be engaged with effectively. The IOC AC will be key to the success of the campaign, given the direct link to athletes and their entourages.
Pre-Tokyo campaign
The Commission also discussed plans for the build-up to Tokyo 2020. As part of the pre-Games campaign, an entourage–specific quiz is set to be released alongside an athlete-focused quiz, with the aim of better engaging entourages. This quiz will focus on key topics across the six Athlete365 themes in order to raise awareness of them and to explain how Athlete365 can best support athletes and their entourage.
The Tokyo Olympic torch has also been put on show for athletes and their entourages for the first time ahead of the Torch Relay to help underline the uniqueness of the Games whilst also creating a clear and physical connection with the city of Tokyo. And a selection of inspirational postcards are to be offered to athletes and their entourages by the AEC with the aims of contacting friends and family across the globe and spreading the Olympic values.
In 2020 and beyond, the AEC will prioritise welcoming not only the athletes, but also the entourage members who form a vital part of any Olympic event.
Joint meeting with the IOC Athletes’ Commission
The IOC AEC met with the IOC AC in which collaboration on a number of projects was discussed, particularly the development of the Athlete365 Learning platform and the crucial role it plays in educating athletes and their entourages. As athletes receive the vast majority of information from their coach alone, it remains a key focus to upskill and educate coaches – and other members of the entourage – on important topics such as career, integrity, and mental health.
Mental health
The subject of mental health continues to be at the forefront of the work carried out by both Commissions, in collaboration with the Medical and Scientific Commission. A new Athlete365 Learning course on a first aid kit for mental health will be designed, and more articles and features on mental health aimed at entourage members will be published on Athlete365 throughout the year.
