World leaders at G20 Summit express support for Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022

• VIRTUAL SUMMIT HOSTED BY SAUDI ARABIA

The world’s leaders assembled at the virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit, hosted by the G20 presidency of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have expressed their strong support for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. The final declaration of the Summit said: “As a symbol of humanity's resilience and global unity in overcoming COVID19, we commend Japan's determination to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 next year. (…) We look forward to the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022". 

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach joined the virtual Summit for an address to the leaders, upon invitation by the Saudi G20 presidency.

“Sport can save lives. During this coronavirus crisis, we all have seen how important sport is for physical and mental health,” the IOC President said in his speech. “The World Health Organization has acknowledged this by signing a cooperation agreement with the IOC. Following this agreement, the UN, the WHO and the IOC launched a co-branded campaign called ‘Healthy Together’, rolling out projects internationally. Furthermore, we are preparing to contribute to a worldwide pro-vaccination campaign". 

IOC President Bach also stressed the importance of solidarity in the post-coronavirus world: “We have learned one important lesson from this crisis: we need more solidarity. More solidarity within societies and more solidarity among societies. We will soon celebrate this demonstration of solidarity at the postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. These Olympic Games, with the participation of all 206 National Olympic Committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, will send a strong message of solidarity, resilience and unity of humankind in all our diversity. In this context, I am very grateful to Prime Minister Suga for sharing our determination".  

The IOC President asked the G20 participants to support the political neutrality of the Olympic Games and the IOC: “Therefore, I humbly appeal to you to support our political neutrality, allowing us to make the Olympic and Paralympic Games this great symbol of global solidarity without any discrimination".  

Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide had said: “I am determined to hold the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games as a symbol that humankind has overcome the virus. I heard that the IOC President Thomas Bach, who I met the other day, has the same determination. We will continue to make our utmost efforts to realise safe and secure Games". Support for the IOC and the Olympic Games was also expressed by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO): “Finally, I would like to welcome Prime Minister Suga, and assure him that WHO is working with the International Olympic Committee to make next year’s Tokyo Olympics a success, and a symbol of hope for the world". 

You will find the full address by the IOC President here.

Today’s speech was the second by IOC President Bach at a G20 Summit, after he addressed the world’s leaders in June 2019 at the G20 Summit in Osaka (Japan).

Italia Team acts as ambassador for quality Italian extra virgin olive oil for Tokyo 2020

• PARTNERSHIP CONI–ISMEA–MIPAAF

Thanks to the CONI-Ismea-Mipaaf partnership, the world of sport is also taking to the field to promote one of the symbolic products of the Mediterranean diet. The initiative is part of the institutional communication campaign “Olio su tavola - I capolavori dell'extravergine” (“Oil at the table - The masterpieces of extra virgin olive oil”), promoted by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies and carried out by Ismea.

Six Olympic athletes have been chosen to act as ambassadors of the extra virgin olive oil from their territory: Tuscan fencer Alice Volpi, twice world gold medallist; Abruzzo beach volleyball champion Paolo Nicolai, silver medallist in Rio 2016; European boxing champion Irma Testa from Campania; Ligurian water poloist Stefano Luongo, who took gold at the 2019 World Cup in South Korea; Apulian Vito Dell'Aquila, bronze medallist at the Taekwondo World Cup in South Korea in 2017; and Roman Martina Centofanti, three-time world gold medallist in rhythmic gymnastics in Lazio.

The young athletes are the key players of six promotional videos, which will be distributed from November on Coni and Ismea social media. The initiative is part of the institutional communication campaign “Olio su tavola - I capolavori dell'extravergine” (“Oil at the table - The masterpieces of extra virgin olive oil”) promoted by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies and carried out by Ismea.

The aim of the Campaign is to contribute to the development of a culture linked to extra virgin olive oil, which encourages more attentive and conscious buying behaviour and promotes greater knowledge of the high-quality and varied immense regional deposit, as proven by the presence of over 500 cultivars and as many as 48 PDO and PGI oils.

Launched in 2019, the communication campaign is involved on several fronts, from the web series to online events, guided local tastings and media campaigns in the press, online, on the radio and on TV.

Thanks to the contribution of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), extra virgin olive oil has a twofold value: not only is it a fundamental ally for our well-being and an emblem - together with sport - of a healthy and conscious lifestyle, but it is also a source of real national pride, much like the athletes representing the Italian Team for Tokyo 2020. The images of the institutional video in which sportsmen, olive growers and oil millers are symbolically united in a metaphor that evokes the restart and reintroduction of Italy in a difficult period, such as the present, speak for themselves.

“We give thanks to the world of sport,” said Minister Teresa Bellanova, “and to the champions who have chosen to be ambassadors and witnesses of an example of our quintessential excellence: extra virgin olive oil. We thank them, because their excellence, their faces and their voices here as elsewhere can make a difference in consumer choices, in speaking to the new generations, and in transparent and correct information. Italy boasts over 500 cultivars, an unrivalled heritage of biodiversity that we must be able to fully put to good use. knowing full well that appreciation of our production and protecting the landscape go hand in hand. By closing the CAP negotiations in recent weeks, we have achieved important results in this area, too. We have tools that allow us to traverse an important path of revitalisation and modernisation. This requires maximum consultation and the active participation of all actors in the supply chain. The alliance with consumers is strategic, which I hope will guarantee these exceptional ambassadors and this information campaign with the right attention and success they deserve”.

“The Italia Team represents the excellence of Italian sport,” commented CONI President, Giovanni Malagò, “and our athletes are key representatives and ambassadors of our country on international stages, starting from the greatly-anticipated and coveted Tokyo 2020. They are not only champions who excel with regard to their results, but they are also true tributes of ‘made in Italy’ worldwide. Extra virgin olive oil is also a symbol of Italian excellence and is the basis of the diet of our Olympic athletes. It is therefore natural for CONI and the Italia Team to team up with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and Ismea in this campaign that promotes our masterpieces. Sport and proper lifestyle also take the field together to challenge sedentarism and the diseases it causes. Behind every success there is fatigue, sacrifice and self-sacrifice: a mutual commitment for our champions and our olive growers, who are working hard to keep Italy at the top of the world”.

“Extra virgin olive oil is one of the symbolic products of our diet; suffice it to say that Italy is the world's leading consumer, as well as being the second largest player in terms of production and exports,” stressed Raffaele Borriello, Director General of ISMEA. And yet, unlike wine, which over the last 30 years has built up a dense fabric of values around it, oil is still often perceived today as an undifferentiated commodity, for which it is above all the pricing that guides purchasing decisions. Recent Ismea surveys tell us, however, that in the last 10 years something has changed in the consumer's perception and experience of extra virgin olive oil, and the communication campaign we are carrying out aims to amplify this change so that oil finds the value it deserves, and the consumer is able to make informed choices”.

2024 European Championships awarded to Rome

• ATHLETICS

A triumph for Italy and for all Italian sport. The European Athletics has awarded the 2024 European Championships to Rome. The Capital will therefore once again host the greatest continental athletics event in the world, fifty years after the 1974 edition. It will also be the third time hosting for Italy, ninety years after the inaugural event in Turin in 1934. Rome's candidacy prevailed over that of the Polish Katowice, the other city in the running for review. The result in favour of the Capital, which was preferred by fourteen members (out of sixteen) of the EA Council, is clear. “Italy has already demonstrated its ability to host excellent championships for all age groups, and I am sure that the athletes and fans can't wait to visit Rome in 2024,” said interim president of European Athletics, Dobromir Karamarinov.

The satisfaction of the Italian Promoting Committee is enormous, with FIDAL leading a teamwork that has been made possible thanks to the support of the Government, the Lazio Region, the Municipality of Rome, CONI, Sport and Health, and many other bodies and associations. The sixteen members of the EA Council’s decision came at the end of the bidding event, which took place by video-conference. The option was granted to propose a clip that told and promoted the beauties of the Capital and the solidity of the Rome 2024 project, underlined by the initial speech of FIDAL President Alfio Giomi. The presentation - which lasted around forty minutes, with final questions on security, TV, option 2028, ticketing and the stadium - was given by the Councillor for Sport of the Municipality of Rome, Daniele Frongia, representing Mayor Virginia Raggi, by member of the Council of World Athletics, Anna Riccardi, by the head of the FIDAL International Area, Roberta Russo, and by the head of the FIDAL Communication Area, Marco Sicari. To support the candidacy, speeches were also given by Mayor Raggi, by the President of CONI, Giovanni Malagò, by the President of Sport and Health, Vito Cozzoli, and by the Councillor for Tourism and Equal Opportunities of the Lazio Region, Giovanna Pugliese.

Therefore, after fifty years, Rome will once again be at the centre of European athletics, in the edition to be held after the Paris 2024 Games: the Olympics welcomed the event for the first time in 1974 in a review that was illuminated by the unforgettable Pietro Mennea’s sprint to gold in the 200 metres, who was also able to win silver medals in the 100 and 4x100. The edition is also remembered for the first podium between the European Championships, World Championships and Olympics for Sara Simeoni, who took bronze in the high jump, as well as Giuseppe Cindolo’s bronze in the 10,000 meters.

And it is symbolic that the assignment took place sixty years after the Capital Games. The Olympic Stadium will be in the heart of Europeans, but they will also embrace some of the most evocative corners of the city and their eternal charm: the shot put will take place among the exceptional scenery of the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine, while the racewalking will unfold down the avenue of the Baths of Caracalla and the half marathon along the Half Marathon Via Pacis, starting and ending in Via della Conciliazione, in the shadow of St. Peter's Basilica. (Photo Mezzelani GMT Sport)

Francesco Ricci Bitti confirmed for the third time as the head of ASOIF

• SUMMER OLYMPIC SPORTS

Francesco Ricci Bitti has been confirmed for the third time as the head of ASOIF, the association that brings together the international federations of summer Olympic sports.

The 78-year-old Italian executive, Honorary President of the International Tennis Federation and member of the National Council of CONI, was unanimously re-elected (he was the sole candidate) for his third and final term by the ASOIF General Assembly, which met today by video-conference.

Last week Ivo Ferriani, President of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation and also a member of the CONI Council, was elected to the presidency of the AIOWF, the association representing the international federations of winter Olympic sports. For Italy and CONI, this is a prestigious double placement at the top of world sport.

Ferriani elected no.1 of the AIOWF, another CONI Board member at the top of world sport

• WINTER OLYMPIC SPORTS

Ivo Ferriani, President of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, has been elected to the presidency of the AIOWF, the association that brings together the international federations of winter Olympic sports.

During the General Assembly held yesterday by video-conference, the 60 year old from Piedmont, member of the National Council of CONI, was voted unanimously by the seven members (FIS, IBU, IBSF, WCF, IIHF, ISU and FIL). He succeeds Gian Franco Kasper, head of the association since 2014. The Assembly instead chose Heike Größwang for the role of Secretary General, a position she also holds in the IBSF.

Ferriani has been President of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation since 2010, and has been an executive member of the IOC since 2018.

His election at the head of the AIOWF confirms the international appreciation and competence of Italian sports managers. The ASOIF, the Association of Summer International Olympic sports Federations, is led by another member of the CONI Board: Francesco Ricci Bitti, Honorary President of the International Tennis Federation, is preparing to be re-elected (as the sole candidate) for his third and final term at the ASOIF General Assembly, scheduled to be held by video-conference on 9th November.

Milano Cortina 2026, Confindustria Lombardia and Veneto together for the Italian Games

• 2 PROTOCOLS SIGNED

Synergy and the best of the industrial, creative and sporting excellence of the two regions that alone produce over 30% of the national GDP in view of the 2026 Winter Olympics: this is the objective of the two Memoranda of Understanding signed by Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, Confindustria Lombardia, Confindustria Veneto, Assolombarda, Confindustria Lecco and Sondrio and Confindustria Belluno Dolomiti.

The protocols, in force until July 2026, establish a collaboration aimed at spreading and promoting the opportunities arising from participation in the selection of products, services and supplies called by the Foundation to ensure that the Olympic event is an efficient and effective success.

“I have always maintained that synergy between territories was one of the winning keys to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games,” explains Giovanni Malagò, President of the Foundation. “These Memoranda of Understanding with the two Confindustrie of Lombardy and Veneto represent a confirmation of how much the business world is at the side of this great innovative and sustainable project, which is capable of revamping the world’s view of Italy”.

“The agreements we announce today show that the Milano Cortina Games cannot wait until 2026 and must begin immediately,” says Vincenzo Novari, CEO of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026. “Our challenge is to organise a great global sporting event by enhancing local excellence within a framework of economic, environmental and social sustainability, all without straining people's pockets. It is an unmissable development opportunity for the Olympic territories and a showcase for the whole country: we will show that, in addition to creativity and genius, we are able to put in place a solid culture of innovation and impeccable organisation. The two protocols are not only an invitation to companies in Lombardy and Veneto to become key members of the Games as partners - they also represent a good practice to replicate, a model to motivate all the economic energies that, in Italy, can give and receive value while embracing this wonderful Olympic adventure”.

“The Milano Cortina Olympics can represent a great opportunity for Lombardy to grow and develop, to modernise technology and to make the most of our territories while also adapting the necessary infrastructure. Lombard companies are able to meet Olympic requirements with excellent supplies in all sectors, from technical equipment to the goods and skills needed, as well as with regards to the infrastructure and security of Olympic competitions. This would provide further evidence of the strength of Made in Italy throughout the world, as well as testify to the quality and varied manufacturing capacity of our region, with important effects also in terms of economic impact for all our territories,” said Marco Bonometti, President of Confindustria Lombardia.

Enrico Carraro, Chairman of Confindustria Veneto, says, “Today we are beginning an Olympic journey, thanks to which our territory will be able to count on real investments, initiate new synergies, share skills and benefit from great visibility. We must be good at promoting and optimising all the opportunities that these major events can trigger. The platform that we are creating with this protocol aims to facilitate direct contact between the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 and the Veneto production system so that our companies are not merely spectators but can participate concretely in the organisation of the Winter Olympics by providing goods and services that have an added value”.

The territories that will host the Olympic competitions will play a key role in the preparation and development of the Olympic event, and this role in the medium term could be a strategic driver of growth and development.

“The English call it a call to action, we call it an invitation to action, but the meaning doesn't change. The Milano Cortina Olympics,” explains Alessandro Spada, President of Assolombarda, “represents a driving force of enormous opportunity, an accelerator that our companies are ready to push all the way, a call, for our companies, to participate, with their expertise and excellence, their products and services, of a global event. It's a path towards the Olympics that allows us to enhance and further exploit the enormous multisectorial nature of our territories and our excellence”.

“The assignment of the 2026 Winter Olympics to our territories was the result of teamwork, and this is the path on which we must continue in view of the appointment; we must give space to collaborations and synergy across the board to organise an unforgettable Olympics and maximise its impact. The signed protocol is part of this logic and will support the businesses of our provinces, not only those in the tourism sector, but also the manufacturing and service providers, in linking the many opportunities related to the preparation and management of the event, turning it into an accelerator of growth. In this regard, let us not forget that we are also facing a unique opportunity to deal with the nerve centre of infrastructures: strengthening them is an objective that not only the territory, but the country, cannot afford to miss,” comments the President of Confindustria Lecco and Sondrio, Lorenzo Riva.

“The protocol signed between the Foundation and the Confindustria is strategic for our companies: transparency and maximum involvement of the territory are the key points of this agreement, which aims to build a future of integrated and sustainable development,” says Lorraine Berton, president of Confindustria Belluno Dolomiti. “The Olympics, for the residents of Belluno, are not an end, but rather the means to keep the best energies on the territory, to give certainty to the youths and establish a serious organisation. In all this, the business world - which in our province has always made a difference - must continue to have a voice. Not only our companies, being familiar with the territory, know where, when and how to act in the best way with respect and a great sense of social responsibility. In the Table established by the protocol, we will act as a link with our companies: today, more than ever, and also as a result of the crisis triggered by Covid, entrepreneurs cannot miss any opportunity for growth. Involving local businesses is good for the territory. This is the only way we can really grow together.”

Olympic Solidarity, a worldwide programme to ensure universality in sport

• IOC

In 1960, several events led to the foundation of Olympic Solidarity. A terrible earthquake in Chile claimed thousands of victims and sparked a wave of solidarity within the sports movement, with the French National Olympic and Sports Committee covering the Chilean athletes’ travel expenses for the Olympic Games in Rome, and the Italian National Olympic Committee funding their stay in the country. During the same period, dozens of new NOCs in Africa and Asia were created in countries that had recently gained independence. Count Jean de Beaumont was moved to action by these developments and came up with the idea of creating an organisation that would assist NOCs in need – which ultimately resulted in the establishment of Olympic Solidarity.

Speaking at the 58th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Athens in 1961, Beaumont told the IOC Members that it was necessary to provide financial assistance to those countries in need and proposed setting up a commission to this end. The following year, at the Session in Moscow, he formed the Committee for International Olympic Aid.

Progress was slow, however, and the lack of financial resources hindered the implementation of programmes. At the start of 1969, at the Permanent General Assembly of NOCs, representatives launched a project to create “a technical and sporting assistance programme” for NOCs, to contribute to the development of those that needed it most. And so, on 26 April 1969, Giulio Onesti, who was chairing the General Assembly, Raymond Gafner, President of the Swiss NOC, and Raoul Mollet, President of the Belgian NOC, founded the International Institute for the Development of NOCs. Two years later, this Institute and the Committee for International Olympic Aid merged to form a joint IOC/NOC body, which became the Committee for Olympic Solidarity.

This sense of solidarity continued to grow within the Olympic Movement during the 1970s, but the lack of financial means again prevented any real progress. Nevertheless, in 1976 there were already 371 projects providing assistance to 85 countries, with the cooperation of 98 NOCs, some of which were also donating funds.

A decisive milestone was reached in 1979 in Puerto Rico, at the constitutive assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC). A working group, composed of Peter Ritter (Liechtenstein), Günther Heinze (German Democratic Republic), Gafner and Mollet, was entrusted with formulating a proposal to request that the IOC distribute 20 per cent of the revenue from television rights to ANOC. The ANOC President, Mario Vázquez Raña, submitted the proposal to IOC President Lord Killanin. A second milestone was passed in 1980, when Juan Antonio Samaranch took over as IOC President. His vision, sensibilities and determination to find a solution that would meet the needs of the NOCs were fully in line with ANOC’s position.

And so, at the Olympic Congress in Baden-Baden (Germany) in September 1981, the IOC granted ANOC a subsidy for its operations for the first time, and Samaranch and Vázquez Raña set up the Olympic Solidarity Commission, whose mission was to serve the interests and needs of the NOCs. In 1983, Anselmo López became the first full-time Director of Olympic Solidarity, and it was he who implemented an administrative structure with a view to developing activities to support the NOCs. The increase in revenue from television rights, and from Games marketing in general after Los Angeles 1984, made it possible to move from a general subsidy to an income management structure that met IOC criteria. The significant NOC assistance programmes that resulted from this were developed as part of quadrennial plans, and the Olympic Scholarship Programme for athletes was created in 1992 for the Olympic Games in Barcelona.

The consolidation and real development of Olympic Solidarity could begin. A further step was taken in 2001, when a process to decentralise funds to the Continental Associations was launched. The aim was for the Continental Associations to be able to decide where financial resources were allocated, allowing greater focus to be placed on the specific needs of the NOCs. 2001 was also the year that Jacques Rogge, the longstanding President of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) and an active member of the Olympic Solidarity Commission since 1990, succeeded Samaranch as IOC President. He strengthened the work with Olympic Solidarity, continued the process of decentralisation, appointed Vázquez Raña as Chair of the Olympic Solidarity Commission, which was re-structured, and implemented a quadrennial plan for 2001-2004, in which 40 per cent of the development programme funds were allocated to ANOC and the Continental Associations.

The first scholarships to support athletes were allocated in 1992. Among the many athletes on all five continents who have benefitted from an Olympic scholarship over the years are Croatia’s Janica Kostelić, who went on to become a six-time Olympic medallist in Alpine skiing with three gold medals at Salt Lake City 2002 and one at Turin 2006, and Cypriot tennis player Marcos Baghdatis, who competed at two editions of the Summer Games and was ranked world no.8 in 2006. These are examples from the past; today, ahead of the Tokyo Games, more than 1,600 athletes from 185 NOCs are benefitting from Olympic Solidarity support.

The current development and assistance budget, approved by the Olympic Solidarity Commission for the 2017-2020 plan, amounts to USD 509,285,000 – a figure that corresponds to the NOCs’ share of the broadcasting rights from the Olympic Games (Rio 2016 and PyeongChang 2018). Olympic Solidarity redistributes these funds through three types of programmes, which are available to all NOCs recognised by the IOC: World Programmes, which cover and strengthen assistance for all sports development areas; Continental Programmes, which help to meet the specific needs of each continent; and IOC subsidies to the NOCs for participation in the Games.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the importance of the role of Olympic Solidarity vis-à-vis the NOCs. The programmes and working methods have been adapted to the situation as required and kept in line with the budgets available. Following consultation with the Olympic Solidarity Commission, a number of measures were taken so that the programmes linked to Olympic Games preparations and participation would be extended to 2021, including Tokyo 2020 athlete scholarships, assistance for team sports, support for refugee athletes and IOC subsidies for participation at the Olympic Games. As IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The Olympic Movement is facing an unprecedented challenge. The IOC has to organise postponed Olympic Games for the first time ever and has to help its stakeholders come through this global crisis. This new situation will need all our solidarity, creativity, determination and flexibility. We shall all need to make sacrifices and compromises. Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures. This situation requires every one of us to do our part, and this applies to all of us, including the IOC. We are glad to be able to help with our support programmes.”

As part of the IOC’s commitment to aid potential elite athletes affected by the worldwide refugee crisis, NOCs around the world were asked to identify any refugee athletes with the potential to qualify for the Olympic Games Rio 2016. These candidates were then given funding from Olympic Solidarity to assist with their preparations and qualification efforts.

Ten refugee athletes were ultimately selected to make up the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team. Acting as a symbol of hope for refugees worldwide and bringing global attention to the refugee crisis, the athletes took part in the Olympic Games Rio 2016, marching and competing under the Olympic flag.

The IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Tokyo 2020 builds on the legacy of the Rio 2016 team, which led to the creation of the Olympic Solidarity Refugee Athletes Support Programme. Through scholarships, Olympic Solidarity and the host NOCs help refugee athletes not only train with the aim of qualifying for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, but also continue their sporting career and build their future. Olympic Solidarity is currently supporting 50 Refugee Athlete Scholarship-Holders from 18 host countries – from Australia to Kenya, Europe and the United States – and representing 11 sports: athletics, wresting, judo, taekwondo, cycling, swimming, badminton, boxing, shooting, karate and weightlifting.

Sustainability and legacy at the core of Milano Cortina 2026

• WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES

The first International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordination Commission meeting with Milano Cortina 2026 was held virtually today, 29 September 2020. The local Organising Committee updated the Commission members on its considerable progress since winning the right to host the Olympic Winter Games last year and its desire to deliver sustainable Games with a strong legacy in the spirit of Olympic Agenda 2020 and its New Norm.

IOC President Thomas Bach welcomed the members of the Commission, which is chaired by Sari Essayah. They were joined by Milano Cortina 2026 and Italian National Olympic Committee President Giovanni Malagò and Milano Cortina 2026 CEO Vincenzo Novari. The Commission heard from representatives of the Organising Committee founders, including the President of the Italian Paralympic Committee, Luca Pancalli; Mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala; Mayor of Cortina Gianpietro Ghedina; and President of the Lombardy Region Attilio Fontana; while an address was also delivered on behalf of the President of the Veneto Region, Luca Zaia. The representative of the Italian Government, Valerio Toniolo; the President of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, Arno Kompatscher; and the President of the Autonomous Province of Trento, Maurizio Fugatti, also addressed the Commission.

Speaking after the meeting, Essayah said: “Milano Cortina 2026 has made considerable progress despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. The integration of Olympic Agenda 2020 and the New Norm into the project, particularly around the use of existing venues, will provide a sustainable legacy for both international sport and local communities within Italy. We are only at the beginning of our journey and, while there are still many key decisions to be taken, I hope that these Games will be held up as an example for future Olympic Winter Games.”

She continued: “The Olympic Movement is unified in supporting the Organising Committee to realise its ambition to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will leave behind a legacy for generations of Italians to enjoy. The solid foundations that Milano Cortina 2026 has built are testament to the cooperation and collaboration of the Olympic and local stakeholders which shows that we truly are stronger together.”

Following this, Milano Cortina 2026 President Giovanni Malagò said: “I am delighted to welcome IOC President Thomas Bach and the Milano Cortina 2026 Coordination Commission, brilliantly chaired by Sari Essayah. I am deeply grateful for their words and the continual support they provide towards our efforts. This was our first meeting, albeit virtual, after being awarded the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games at the IOC Session. Along with the staff headed by Vincenzo Novari, during these difficult months we have been working to shape the Organising Committee and these Italian Games through an innovative and sustainable approach. We are aware of the many important challenges yet to come, but we are ready to face them as a team, with the IOC and the Milano Cortina 2026 stakeholders, in order to deliver an unforgettable edition of the Games.”
One of the major milestones praised by the Coordination Commission was the adoption, by the Italian Parliament, of an Olympic Law which dictates the organisation and governance of Milano Cortina 2026.
The Commission also heard about the development of Milano Cortina 2026 staffing, with over 50 employees now working for the organisation, many of whom hold existing expertise in winter sports events. This topic gave the Organising Committee an opportunity to detail its planned staffing model, which will see the core Organising Committee team consist of around 600 people, with four decentralised departments established to focus on Governance, Games Delivery, Digital and Revenues.
In addition, the development of Milano Cortina 2026’s Games vision was covered. This underpins its strategy right up until Games time, revolving around its desire to “Make all Italians fall in love with the Games and winter sports, and the world to fall in love with Italy”.

The Commission heard that a fundamental component of the local Organising Committee’s strategy is sustainability, in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability. Milano Cortina 2026 explained that its Games will represent a stimulus for its economy, working towards creating new opportunities and long-term employment.

Milano Cortina 2026’s legacy plans were also detailed as it looks to leave future generations with arenas, mobility infrastructure and assets for tourism that are all financially sustainable. The Organising Committee is focused on increasing inclusion, spreading the Olympic values across the country, promoting healthy lifestyles thanks to the practice of sport, and providing the territories with stronger major events management expertise.
Another key topic was the venue masterplan. On this point, the IOC Coordination Commission highlighted the ongoing efforts of the Working Group, established by the IOC Executive Board earlier this year. This group, which is looking into the sustainability and legacy of the sliding centre and the speedskating oval, consists of the Organising Committee, the local authorities and the International Federations concerned. Its work builds on the concerns raised about those two venues by the Evaluation Commission last year.

IOC and Tokyo 2020 agree on measures to deliver Games fit for a post-corona world

• OLYMPIC GAMES

The IOC Coordination Commission and the Tokyo  2020 Organising Committee agreed today, 25 September, on a series of measures to make the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 fit for a post-corona world.

Developed in response to the postponement of this year’s Games due to the coronavirus pandemic, over 50 measures have been designed to maximise cost savings and increase efficiencies in Games delivery.

In his opening remarks to the meeting participants, IOC President Thomas Bach acknowledged the outstanding progress being made by Tokyo 2020, reinforcing his belief that next year’s Olympic Games will be the best prepared ever. He also emphasised that the coming months will require flexibility and creativity from everyone involved as the Tokyo organisers deliver Games fit for a post-corona world. In doing so, the IOC President offered his gratitude to all stakeholders, who are fully aligned with the measures being envisaged.

Today’s meeting provided the Coordination Commission with the opportunity to review the current list of measures, with more opportunities to be identified in the lead-up to the Games. These have been split into four main categories: stakeholders; infrastructure; promotion; and other areas of interest.

Examples of the initial measures include the reduction of stakeholder personnel attending the Games, streamlining transport services, adjusting spectator activities at competition venues and hosting a number of pre-Games meetings online.

Speaking after the meeting, Tokyo 2020 Coordination Commission Chair John Coates said: “Built from the principles outlined by the Joint IOC and Tokyo 2020 Steering Committee, these optimisations and simplifications mark an important step towards delivering a safe and successful Games in 2021. We owe it to the public to enact these measures during these challenging times, that’s why we’ve left no stone unturned and will continue to look for further opportunities over the coming months. The unique task of reorganising an Olympic Games has called for the Olympic Movement to be stronger together – this milestone illustrates our collective commitment. The ‘Tokyo Model’ will not only deliver a Games fit for a post-corona world, it will become a blueprint that will benefit future Organising Committees for many years to come.”

Tokyo 2020 President Mori Yoshiro added: “Considering the current state of the world, we have been discussing how we will be able to deliver a safe and secure Games that can win public understanding in these challenging times. After we established a broader direction that the Games in 2021 should be simplified, we have been working closely together with the IOC, the IPC and various stakeholders such as IFs, NOCs, NPCs, partners and broadcasters, in every possible area that can contribute to simplifications. This process will benefit future society – becoming a role model for future global events as people adapt to living in the new normal. We will make all efforts to ensure that in the future the Tokyo 2020 Games will be a legacy. We will continue to work hard on simplifications towards next year and ask for the continued cooperation of all those involved in the Games.”

The measures were developed with support from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Tokyo 2020, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) and the Government of Japan. Important input was also obtained from key Olympic stakeholder groups, including National Olympic and Paralympic Committees, International Federations, Rights-Holding Broadcasters, media and TOP Partners.

With these measures now agreed, Tokyo 2020 will start estimating the provisional cost-savings that can be achieved, with a view to providing an update at the IOC Executive Board meeting in October.

COVID-19 Countermeasures

The IOC Coordination Commission also received an update on COVID-19 countermeasure planning. This detailed how the IOC, together with Tokyo 2020 and the All Partners Task Force, which includes the World Health Organization (WHO), the IPC, the Government of Japan and the TMG, with input from experts in relevant areas, have reviewed a range of scenarios. These consider the situation in Japan and globally, illustrating potential scenarios that could be in effect during the Games next year.

This strategic approach has been crucial to identifying possible countermeasures necessary to protect the health of all Games participants. It will also help build a framework for operational planning.

The possible countermeasures have been grouped into seven areas: travel/country access; physical distancing; personal protective equipment/cleaning; food and beverage; testing/tracking/isolating; information provision and vaccines.

As part of this process, the close cooperation between the IOC, International Federations and other event organisers was highlighted. This has provided vital input into an ongoing review of the best practices and key learnings taken from the resumption of sporting events in Japan and around the world.

Looking ahead, the Commission acknowledged that as countermeasures are further developed and reviewed, important discussions will continue to be conducted on a stakeholder-journey based approach, with a focus on athletes, Games-related personnel and spectators. These preparations will continue to evolve in line with the monitoring of the global situation and its impact on Games preparations.

President Thomas Bach writer to Olympic movement: olympism and corona

• IOC

Since the first “Olympism and Corona” message in April, our message about the positive health, social and economic impacts of sport on society at large has gained considerable momentum. What we can see now is that sport is widely recognised as an essential factor in fighting the pandemic, which still persists in many countries. Sport is also accepted as an integral part of the solution for the crisis recovery, which is underway in other countries.

Thankfully, we are also seeing live sports events taking place again. The very positive reception of these events clearly demonstrates that not only athletes and sports organisations but also the public at large have been longing for the return of sport as an integral part of our lives. We also see that sport can be organised safely, even under the ongoing restrictions. This should give all of us confidence in our preparations for future events, including the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. I would like to thank all the people who have brought us this far by working tirelessly to keep our societies going, and all of you in the sporting community who are working with great responsibility and creativity to organise sports events, safeguarding the health of all concerned.

Based on this early success, we are looking forward to the time when the many restrictions, which are essential now, can be eased. But we have to continue to act in a responsible way when it comes to planning and scheduling our sports events. The virus is not defeated yet. We must continue to contribute to its containment and be a part of the solution for the recovery from the crisis. In our planning and scheduling, we all have a great responsibility, not only for our respective stakeholders, but for the entire sports community. From experience, we know that every mishap that affects one of us affects all of us – and has the potential to undo the great progress we have made together in the past few months.

In this context, we are monitoring the potential of innovative testing methods for the safe organisation of events. In addition to the already existing test methods, there are a number of so-called rapid tests already on the market or under development. When used in combination with other virus countermeasures, such rapid tests give us an important additional tool to ensure a safe environment for everyone involved. Further to this good news with regard to testing, there are very encouraging signals from the scientific and medical community about the availability of approved vaccines in the next few months, maybe even before the end of this year.

Taken together, the developments in testing and in vaccines will greatly facilitate the safe organisation of sports events. We should all take the timing of the availability of these new tools into consideration when it comes to the scheduling of our events. Therefore, to the many different scenarios the IOC is planning for, we have added one to fully exploit the potential of testing and vaccines. On the one hand, these recent weeks have shown that we can organise big sports events in a safe way even without a vaccine. On the other hand, we have to realise that even testing methods and vaccines are not the “silver bullet” that will solve all our problems. We just do not yet know the full impact of any potential vaccine. But, altogether, there are good reasons for cautious optimism.

The IOC will continue to study these developments closely. We are also evaluating what consequences they would have for the organisation of sports events, ranging from the need to change certain rules of our respective organisations to medical, economic, social and logistical aspects. To this end, we continue to cooperate closely with the World Health Organization, public authorities, medical and scientific experts, as well as pharmaceutical companies. We are also drawing from the experience of those sports organisations that have recently organised successful events. We of course will share any insights with all those concerned among you, so that all of us in the Olympic Movement can benefit. We have shown in recent months that we are indeed #StrongerTogether. In this spirit of solidarity, we should continue to make our contribution to the containment of the virus and to the recovery from the crisis. In advance, I would already like to thank you very much for your continued cooperation in our shared endeavour to give hope and confidence to the world through sport.