Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah re-elected President of the Association of National Olympic Committees

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah was re-elected President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ACNO) this morning in Bangkok. The Sheikh, who is also a member of the IOC Executive, was the sole candidate. During the ACNO Assembly, the President of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) and IOC member, the Irish Patrick J. Hickey, was also elected First Vice President of ACNO. Both votes took place by acclamation.

Malagò: good decision to keep sports facilities outside of the Stability Pact

"I am very happy with the decision of the Parliament to bring sports facilities outside of the Stability Pact. It was a commitment agreed with the government - in particular with Undersecretary Graziano Delrio - in recent months, aimed to make an important change in the industry that might otherwise have been severely impacted."

This were the words of the President of CONI Giovanni Malagò, who is currently in Bangkok to attend the World Assembly of National Olympic Committees, after learning the news that the Senate has finally approved the enactment of the Decree Law of September 12th, 2014 n. 133 (the so-called "Unlock Italy" Decree), which contains important exclusions from the constraints of the Stability Pact for the local authorities (paragraph 3 of Art. 4) in the field of school buildings, sports facilities, hydro-geological upheaval prevention and road safety.

Malagò to meet Bach tomorrow

The President of CONI, Giovanni Malagò, will meet IOC President Thomas Bach tomorrow morning in Bangkok.

Malagò will inform the world's biggest sports authority on the contents of his recent meeting held at Palazzo Chigi with the Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi.

Malagò and Coe sign MoU

The President of the Italian National Olympic Committee, Giovanni Malagò, and the Chairman of the British Olympic Committee, Sebastian Coe, after meeting today in Bangkok, where tomorrow will begin the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees World (ACNO), signed an agreement for a technical and scientific cooperation between the Olympic Committee and the BOA (British Olympic Association) in accordance with the Olympic spirit and the principles that characterise it.

The agreement aims to establish a mutual relationship and to develop areas of common interest in view of the Summer and the Winter Olympics. The two Olympic Committees will be committed to develop reciprocal exchanges between athletes and to promote this experience exchange also among coaches, managers and experts through participation in seminars, courses and shared experiences. The BOA will especially provide assistance within several summer disciplines (including Athletics, Track Cycling, golf, fencing, archery, shooting, triathlon and sailing), while CONI will endeavour to ensure similar commitment to Winter Games-related sports (Bob, Curling, Freestyle, Speed Skating, Short Track, Snowboarding, Skeleton).

The Letter of Intent reads as follows

Malagò meets Renzi: Prime Minister will be at CONI on December 15 for the Golden Collars

The President of CONI, Giovanni Malagò, met the Prime Minister Matteo Renzi this morning at Palazzo Chigi. A series of national and international sporting issues were discussed during the meeting in view of the forthcoming institutional duties of the President: Malagò will be in Bangkok for the World Assembly of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) tomorrow, will participate in the Assembly of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in Baku on November 20, and will be in Monte Carlo for the IOC Extraordinary Session from December 7. At the end of the interview, the Prime Minister Renzi has confirmed his presence at the traditional ceremony of the Golden Collars to be held at CONI Hall of Honor on December 15.

Historic milestone: United Nations recognises autonomy of sport

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today welcomed the historic recognition by the United Nations of the autonomy of the IOC and sport.

The recognition comes in a resolution adopted by consensus at the 69th regular session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The document states that the General Assembly "supports the independence and autonomy of sport as well as the mission of the IOC in leading the Olympic Movement".

IOC President Thomas Bach had emphasised the need for the autonomy of sport in a speech he delivered to the UNGA in New York in November 2013. "Sport [is] truly the only area of human existence which has achieved universal law," he said at the time. "But to apply this universal law worldwide, sport has to enjoy responsible autonomy. Politics must respect this sporting autonomy."

The resolution acknowledges sport as a means to promote education, health, development and peace, and highlights the important role of the IOC and the Olympic Movement in achieving these goals. 

It recognises "that major international sports events should be organised in the spirit of peace, mutual understanding, friendship, tolerance and inadmissibility of discrimination of any kind and that the unifying and conciliative nature of such events should be respected". This clearly implies that full participation at sporting events is encouraged, and that in turn boycotts are incompatible with this UN request for respect of the values of sport.

"We highly welcome this resolution as a historic milestone in the relations between sport and politics," President Bach said today. "We must form partnerships with political organisations based on this recognition of the autonomy of sport. The excellent relations between the UN and the IOC can in this respect serve as an example for relations on the national level between National Olympic Committees and national governments. This relationship with governments requires that sport always remains politically neutral."

The UN acknowledged the Olympic Charter, and in particular Principle 6, that "any form of discrimination is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement". This acknowledgement reflects the IOC’s responsibility to have Principle 6 and the Olympic Charter fully respected at the Olympic Games and in its Olympic activities.

As a sports organisation, the IOC does not, however, have a mandate to impose measures on sovereign states outside its own fields. The Olympic Games can show the world and the host country that a peaceful society is possible, that competition among people can happen in harmony and with respect for the dignity of all.

In a letter to the Presidents of the 205 National Olympic Committees, the IOC President called on them to strengthen the autonomy of sport in their countries and, in any dialogue with their national political leaders, to encourage them "to give sport due consideration in the context of the UN post-2015 Development Agenda".

"It is essential that NOCs work with national governments to integrate sport into those goals, particularly in the fields of education, health, urban planning, cohesion of society and peace-building," President Bach wrote.

The announcement by the UNGA was taken after the UN Secretary-General presented a biennial report on Sport for Development and Peace. The IOC, enjoying UN Observer Status since in 2009, was represented by IOC member and Permanent Observer of the IOC to the United Nations Mario Pescante.

In his speech on behalf of the IOC, Pescante said: "The IOC’s collaboration with the UN demonstrates the positive impact that results from effective engagement between sport, business, politics, culture and other aspects of society. Sport can change the world, but it cannot change the world alone. That is why the IOC, under the leadership of President Thomas Bach, is engaging more than ever before with political and business leaders at the highest levels."

The UN Secretary-General will report back to the UNGA at its 71st Session on the implementation of the initiatives outlined in the resolution during an item on the agenda called "Sport for development and peace".

Statement from the National Board, contributions of the Federations for year 2015 defined

At 17:40 on October 28th, at the end of the National Council, the proceedings of the Board suspended at 13.20 on the same day, in sight of the resolutions made by the National Council about the budget for the year 2015, were resumed. After the National Council shared the new criteria for allocation, the Board has defined the contributions for the year 2015 of the National Sports Federations (see table) for the sports, as well as contributions for Human Resources and for office and sport facilities spaces. The resolution was approved by majority, while the Federation Representative Giancarlo Abete voted against.The Board ended its work at 18.20.

Statement from the National Council

The 236th CONI National Council met this afternoon at 14:30 at Foro Italico to discuss the following agenda:

1) Approval of the minutes of meeting held on July 15th, 2014: the minutes were approved unanimously.

2) Communications by the President: President Malagò opened the meeting by welcoming the establishment in the Council of Carlo Tavecchio, new FIGC President, and Luciano Serafica, new FISW President. A special thanks went to Michele Uva for the commitment shown as DG of Coni Servizi, before switching to the FIGC in the same office.

The President then welcomed the credibility given by the Government to the policy of CONI, the most obvious evidence being the minor funding cutback for the body under the Stability Law.

The Council was then informed about the new economic contributions system to the Association: in the past months, a committee made up of 12 federal Presidents had established new criteria for the funding distribution. Malagò also emphasized that a proper intervention was mandatory in order to balance the accounts while trying to avoid disparities through percentage limit increase for Olympic and non-Olympic Federations. He also added that there is an engagement with FIGC for an integration of the current contributive parameter.

Malagò expressed his satisfaction with the implementation of the Italian sports "Walk of Fame", made possible thanks to the work of CONI Athletes' Commission in identifying the 100 names of retired athletes: the foundation stone will soon be laid on Via delle Olimpiadi in Parco del Foro Italico.

Malagò ended his speech with two other important communications: the reduction of non-EU athletes by 125 units, and the Mass of the Athletes that will be held on December 19th in St. Peter, with subsequent audience of a delegation with the Pope. Upon concluding, the President unveiled the first CONI sustainability report, underlining its importance.

Numerous representatives of Sports Federations and Associated Disciplines and Sports Promotion Institutions intervened on said report.

3) F.S.N-D.S.A-E.P.S activities: the following resolutions were approved: 1) Model of CONI Contributions Allocation to the Sports Federations for the year 2015; 2) Alteration to the Fundamental Principles of the Statutes of the National Sports Federations and Associate Sports Disciplines, item 6 on the assembly principles. 3) Annual entry limit for non-EU foreign athletes set in 1190 units for the 2014-2015 season. 4) Approval of amendments to the Rules of Sport Promotion Institutions.

5) Following today's approval from the Board, the National Council approved the second 2014 CONI budget restructuring, which includes cost savings / efficiencies on a number of management areas, reallocated to provide more support to the projects of the National Sports Federations through the allocation of specific additional contributions for the activities of High Level Olympic Training.

6) Simultaneously with the second 2014 BDG restructuring, and again following today's approval from the Board, the Council approved CONI budget for the year 2015 with a situation of substantial break-even. State contributions show a slight decrease from the previous year (-7.6 €/mil., 2%). The Council concluded its work at 17:30.

CONI sustainability report 2013

National Board communication

The 1,028th meeting of the CONI National Board was held this morning at the Foro Italico. It began its work by approving the minutes of the previous meeting on 16 September. In his communications, President Malagò began by talking about the contributions that the Government has reserved for CONI for 2015 with a reduction of 1.84%. He then appointed Carlo Mornati as a CONI representative within the Commission for the Mutuality Fund of football in the place of Michele Uva. The Board took note of the work of CONI’s Commission of athletes which has identified "Legends of Sport”, the 100 greatest athletes from the past. This list will be increased each year based on specific criteria, which does not allow, however, the inclusion of athletes that are still active. The Legends of sport will be remembered along the Viale delle Olimpiadi (Olympic Avenue) at the Foro Italico.

The Board then examined the details of the new model for allocating the contributions of the National Sports Federations. This was presented by the engineer Carlo Piccolo of the PMA, the advisor in charge of stating in economic terms the criteria established for the distribution of contributions to the Federations. In this respect, he was invited to participate in the work of the new president of the FIGC, Carlo Tavecchio. The new Olympic Club was then approved and a new list of Olympic hopefuls was launched and a new category of athletes and team sports was made ​​available to the Federations. The Board then approved the resolution on the allocation of the admissions of the athletes outside the EU by reducing the number from 1,315 to 1,190 units. They awarded three Collari d'Oro: the first to the memory of Alfredo Martini, the second to Giacomo Agostini and the third to Luca di Montezemolo. After reviewing a long list of other organisational and administrative matters, and having accepted the relevant resolutions, the Board concluded at 13:20 by adjourning the session to the afternoon after the National Council.

"Destination Rio", Malagò and Mornati present programs for the 2016 Olympic Games

Destination Rio 2016. A picture of the Olympic aims 648 days from the XXXI edition of the Summer Games, the testimony of the efforts made by the Olympic Committee to concretely support the athletes and the federations in the march towards the event that will be held in Brazil from 5 to 21 August 2016. In Casa delle Armi the President of CONI, Giovanni Malagò, and Deputy Secretary and Head of the Sport and the Olympic Training, Carlo Mornati, in the presence of the Secretary General, Roberto Fabbricini, explained the initiatives, the resolutions and the synergies to be put in place to give centrality to Italian sporting activity and major sports figures. Forty-one Italian athletes, including five Olympic athletes, medalists and belonging to Olympic clubs, as well as a significant representation of Federal Presidents and Secretaries, Scrutineers, the leaders of CONI Servizi, President and Chief Executive Officer Franco Chimenti, Alberto Miglietta and several members of the Board.

President Malagò issued the challenge, without forgetting the critical issues. "Winning a medal today is more difficult than four or eight years ago, but that should not be an excuse: if all goes well, we'll take the credit, but if it goes wrong, we'll take our responsibilities. However, I am optimistic. The support team is very good, there is a nice atmosphere, a modern and innovative business management, and there are many fields in which we can hit targets like getting to the finals. This is life, this is sport. We will not make excuses if we were to win 15 medals, but there are considerations that make me feel optimistic. I think that we are very competitive in many disciplines and I want to emphasize that thanks to cost containment and spending review measures we saved more than €2.9 million, a bonus that will be immediately distributed to the Federations, but only for Olympic or high-level activities management. We must make a virtue of necessity and invent something different. We Italians have imagination, and from this point of view it is obvious that we suffer more in terms of financial gigantism. We need to enhance our technical centers and synergies through Olympic training centers. The main thing is to have a clear conscience: our credibility amongst the institutions is the fruit of the excellent work carried out to date. We have less than two years before Rio Olympic Games, and many other games will be held in the coming months with qualifications for various sports."

Deputy Secretary Carlo Mornati, as head of the Olympic Preparation, provided details of the measures taken with a view to Rio 2016. "This project aims to create a sort of hub to let all the components effectively interact on their road towards the Games. There are three support areas to be monitored: first, the financial area, then the technical-scientific area, and last but not least, the healthcare area. In the past year the Federations have been provided with €137.4 million for the Olympic and High-Level Training activities, in addition to €4.2 million in grants related to the Olympic Club and €3.25 million for Military Sports Groups: it is also important to remind the costs, amounting to approximately €13 million, and the investments of over €2 million for the Olympic Training Centers in Rome, Formia and Tirrenia. These figures show the commitment of the Olympic Committee, which extends to scientific and technical support thanks to an evaluation of physical skills through strength, endurance and biomechanics tests, not to mention the optimization of equipment and or racing vehicles thanks to the synergies adopted in order to develop high technological specialization.

We will also offer support to Italia club, because we believe that permanent meetings are vitally strategic. Lastly, the healthcare support: the Institute of Medicine is constantly available to athletes, and in a few weeks, it will be possible to have an MRI scan directly in the premises. There will eventually be a new concept of the Olympic Club: the 86% of London Olympic Games medalists was part of it, last year it was made up of 104 athletes, and this year the number increased to 121, 71 of which are newcomers. The "Olympic Promises" category, aimed at those athletes who are considered by the Olympic Committee, in consultation with the Federation, of particular interest for the future, will be established. Mornati then distributed to the 41 Italian athletes present the "Athletes' Card", another new feature: it will allow members of the Olympic club to freely use all of the facilities made available by the Olympic Committee in Parco del Foro Italico and the Institute of Medicine and Sports Science and also to take advantage of conventions - even personalized - with commercial partners.

Here are the names of the 41 Italian athletes present at Casa delle Armi:

Carlo Molfetta (Taekwondo), Marco Galiazzo, Michele Frangilli e Mauro Nespoli (Archery), Daniele Lupo e Paolo Nicolai (Beach Volley), Rossella Fiamingo, Enrico Garozzo, Irene Vecchi, Lucrezia Sinigaglia, Ilaria Bianco, Rossella Gregorio, Mara Navarria, Giorgio Avola e Francesca Quondamcarlo (Fencing), Stefania Pirozzi, Gabriele Detti, Federico Turrini, Chiara Masini Luccetti, Erika Ferraioli, Aurora Ponselè, Giada Galizzi (Swimming), Romano Battisti, Francesco Fossi, Pietro Ruta e Andrea Micheletti (Rowing), Vincenzo Mangiacapre, Valentino Manfredonia, Guido Vianello (Boxing), Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cycling), Antonino Barillà e Daniele di Spigno (Shooting), Francesca Clapcich, Vittorio Bissaro e Silvia Sicouri (Sailing), Marta Pagnini, Andrea Stefanescu, Camilla Patriarca, Alessia Maurelli, Sofia Lodi, Arianna Facchinetti (Gymnastics Rhytmic).