Federica Pellegrini among the thirty athletes to run for IOC Athletes’ Commission elections in Tokyo
Nominated by their respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs) together with their NOC Athletes’ Commissions, the 30 candidates contending for the four available positions within the IOC AC are from 30 NOCs and 19 summer sports.
The full list of candidates and their biographies can be downloaded here.
Commenting on the announcement, Kirsty Coventry, the current Chair of the IOC AC, said: “It is great to see such a fantastic response from the athlete community with the interest we have received from athletes around the world in this election. I am impressed by the diverse representation of sports and countries, and this demonstrates how much athletes care, and want to share their voice and play a central role in the Olympic Movement. It is exciting to have such a high calibre of candidates, and I wish them all the very best of luck,” Coventry added.
The athletes elected by their peers during the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will replace the following members, whose term of office will expire at the end of these Games: IOC AC Chair Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe), Vice-Chair Danka Bartekova (Slovakia), Tony Estanguet (France) and James Tomkins (Australia). In addition, an appointed member of the Commission, Stefan Holm (Sweden), will also end his term next year.
All athletes competing at Tokyo 2020 will be able to vote for their representatives at the Athlete365 Space positioned at the entrance to the dining hall in the Olympic Village, and also at other sites such as the football cities and the sailing venue. The poll will be open from 14 July (the day the Olympic Village opens) to 4 August 2020.
The vote will be supervised and certified by an Election Committee, appointed by IOC President Thomas Bach, whose members are: Nicole Hoevertsz (Chair), as a representative of the IOC Legal Affairs Commission; Pâquerette Girard Zappelli, as the IOC Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer; and Kikkan Randall, as a representative of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.
The IOC AC is composed of a maximum of 23 members (12 members directly elected by their peers and a maximum of 11 appointed), who serve a term of eight years. The vote is held at every Olympic Games, with four members elected at each Summer Games, and two at each Winter Games. Furthermore, the IOC President, in consultation with the IOC AC Chair, can appoint further Commission members, to ensure a good balance between regions, genders and sports. The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Commission are elected by the Commission members, and must also be elected members of the AC.
Up to 15 members of the IOC AC are IOC members, providing athlete representatives with the same representation within the IOC membership as the International Federations and NOCs. Furthermore, the IOC AC Chair is a member of the IOC Executive Board, to ensure that athletes are part of the decision-making process within the Olympic Movement, which is one of the main responsibilities of the AC, together with supporting athletes’ development in their sporting and non-sporting careers, and serving as a link between the athletes and the IOC.
IOC appoints Coordination Commission for the Olympic Winter Games
- MILANO CORTINA 2026
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today unveiled the composition of the commission that will support the organisation of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
The CEO of the future Organising Committee for the XXV Winter Olympic Games has been appointed
- MILANO CORTINA 2026
The Steering Committee for Milano Cortina 2026, meeting today at the Ministry for Youth Policies and Sports, in the presence of Minister Vincenzo Spadafora, has unanimously decided to appoint Vincenzo Novari as CEO of the future Organising Committee for the XXV Winter Olympic Games 2026.
Milano Cortina 2026, press release
- OLYMPiC GAMES
The 2026 Milan Cortina Steering Committee (CIC) met today, completed with the entry of the government and the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano which committed to ensuring their relative financial guarantees.
The Milano Cortina 2026 presentation closes the 24th ANOC General Assembly
- DOHA
The 24th General Assembly of ANOC ended today in Doha. During the meeting of the World Olympic Committees, meeting on the side-lines of the first edition of the World Beach Games, general topics and leading issues related to the Olympic movement were discussed. The work was opened yesterday by the applauded speech of the President of the IOC, Thomas Bach, who recalled the need to affirm the values of “respect, unity and political neutrality as vital factors for the universality of the movement”, and continued - among other things - with a window reserved for the now imminent Tokyo 2020.
During today's meeting, the showcase was instead dedicated to the insights of the various ANOC committees, the financial report for the World Beach Games, and the presentations of the Organising Committees of the Dakar 2022 Summer Youth Olympic Games, the Beijing 2022 Winter Games and the Paris 2024 Summer Games, with the final section reserved for Milano Cortina 2026. The President of CONI, Giovanni Malagò, presented the project, illustrated in detail by Diana Bianchedi and Anna Riccardi, who focused on the most relevant aspects with regards to technical and infrastructural content. A video with the masterplan was also shown during the presentation. The 25th ANOC General Assembly will be held in 2020 in Seoul.
International Olympic Committee announces plans to move Olympic marathon and race walking to Sapporo
- TOKYO 2020
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced that it is planning to move the Olympic marathon and race walking events to Sapporo, the host city of the Olympic Winter Games 1972. The move to Hokkaido, the northern-most prefecture of Japan, will mean significantly lower temperatures for the athletes during the Olympic Games. In Sapporo, temperatures during the Games period are as much as five to six degrees centigrade cooler during the day than in Tokyo, which is more than 800 kilometres further south.
The plans are part of a wide range of measures already being taken by Tokyo 2020 in consultation with the IOC and the International Federations to mitigate the effects of the temperatures which may occur next summer. The IOC has informed World Athletics about the proposed changes.
This latest initiative by the IOC and Tokyo 2020 comes on top of other heat countermeasures which are already planned and being implemented on the recommendations of the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission Adverse Weather Impact Expert Working Group (the IOC Working Group). They are:
- Athletics: 5,000m and longer distance races scheduled in the evening athletics sessions and not in the morning sessions, and moving the marathon and race walk events to earlier starting times.
- Rugby: all morning games scheduled to finish before 12 p.m.
- Cycling: mountain bike start time delayed to 3 p.m.
The IOC Working Group identified the marathon and race walk as the events that would put particular heat stress on the athletes.
Regarding other events and competitions, the IOC Working Group concluded previously that the timing of those events should be kept under review and may not need to be changed at this moment, assuming that the prevention, mitigation and treatment measures it recommended for each event and each group (athletes, workforce, officials and spectators) are implemented.
Many of these measures have been trialled in test events this summer. These include better shade, water sprays, better access to water supplies and an initiative to help the athletes in their preparations via detailed information on Athlete365.
The implementation of the initiative to move the marathon and the race walks will be discussed with all the stakeholders concerned, in particular the host city Tokyo, along with World Athletics, the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) and the Rights-Holding Broadcasters (RHBs). The IOC Coordination Commission for Tokyo 2020, chaired by IOC Member John Coates, has dedicated a special session in its meeting from 30 October to 1 November in Tokyo to heat countermeasures.
During its meeting, the Coordination Commission will also have the opportunity to discuss the survey by Tokyo 2020 of the International Federations and their advice regarding heat countermeasures. As part of its athlete-centred approach, the Organising Committee has reached out to each International Federation with a heat countermeasure questionnaire on top of the many measures already taken.
Heat was already taken into consideration when Tokyo presented its candidature in 2013, and since then the IOC and the Organising Committee have continued to monitor the situation. The measures proposed today, and those already adopted, take the changing landscape into account as the IOC continues to put athlete health and performance at the heart of its decision-making.
IOC President Thomas Bach said: “Athletes’ health and well-being are always at the heart of our concerns. A range of measures to protect the athletes have already been announced. The new far-reaching proposals to move the marathon and race walking events show how seriously we take such concerns. The Olympic Games are the platform where athletes can give ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ performances, and these measures ensure they have the conditions to give their best. I would like to thank World Athletics, and we look forward to working with them on the implementation.”
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: "We have been working closely with the IOC and Tokyo 2020 on the potential weather conditions at next year’s Olympic Games and will continue to work with the IOC and Tokyo 2020 on the proposal to move the road events to Sapporo. Giving athletes the best platform for their performances within the environment they are in is central to all major events, and we will work with the organisers to create the very best marathon and race walk courses for next year’s Olympic Games.”
Lausanne 2020 marks 100 days to go
- WINTER YOG
Today marked exactly 100 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland. An international Olympic sporting event of the highest level for athletes aged 15 to 18, these games combine sports performance, culture and education in an authentic celebration of sport with a festive atmosphere.
As the home of the International Olympic Committee, the Swiss city of Lausanne may be known as the Olympic capital, but it has been over 70 years since Switzerland itself last hosted any Olympic competitions.
The Alpine resort of St Moritz was the host city of the Olympic Winter Games in 1928 and 1948, but Swiss fans have had to wait almost 72 years for the Olympic flame to return.
The long wait will finally be over in 100 days’ time, when the Winter YOG Lausanne 2020 begin, with events being held in the Olympic capital, across Switzerland and even in neighbouring France.
Lausanne will host ice hockey, short-track speed skating and figure skating, while Alpine skiing, ski mountaineering, freestyle skiing and snowboarding will take place in the Vaud Alps.
Curling will be held in Champéry in the canton of Valais, with cross-country skiing taking place in the Vallée de Joux, and Les Tuffes in France playing host to ski jumping, biathlon and Nordic combined.
St Moritz will also add to its special Olympic heritage by staging bobsleigh, skeleton, luge and speed skating.
Located in the Upper Engadin, in the south-eastern canton of Graubünden, the two-time Olympic host city is one of the most famous winter destinations in the world, having welcomed tourist visitors since 1864 and, along with Innsbruck and Lake Placid, it is one of only three cities to have twice hosted the Olympic Winter Games.
in both 1928 and 1948, the renowned Cresta Run natural toboggan track was used for the skeleton events, while the Olympia Bob Run – the oldest bobsleigh track in the world – hosted the bobsleigh.
In January next year, the Olympia Bob Run will once again stage Olympic events, with the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton all set to be contested on the historic track.
And according to Martin Berthod, the head of Lausanne 2020’s host site in St Moritz, the events will provide a fantastic opportunity to share the venue’s unique history and tradition with a new generation.
Unveils Mascots for Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
- Beijing 2022
The Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (BOCOG) launched the much-anticipated official Games mascots, Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon, in a festive ceremony attended by more than 1,600 people at the Shougang Ice Hockey Arena today.
Cheerful Panda as Olympic Mascot
Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, and Minister of the General Administration of Sport of China and BOCOG Executive President Gou Zhongwen jointly unveiled Bing Dwen Dwen(冰墩墩), the official mascot for the Olympic Winter Games, along with Chinese short track speed skater Wu Dajing and local school student Zhang Jiman.
The jovial panda mascot is an ambassador for winter sports. Bing (冰) is the Chinese character for ice, while Dwen Dwen (墩墩) is a common nickname in China for children that implies healthiness, cuteness, and ingenuousness – characteristics also shared with pandas.
Clothed in a full body suit of ice, a symbol of purity and strength, Bing Dwen Dwen wants to emulate the physical and mental power of Olympians, and to help spread the enduring Olympic spirit. The heart shape in its left palm represents the host country’s hospitality, and the mascot is expected to connect and bring joy to people participating and watching the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 from all over the world.
The coloured halo surrounding its face is suggestive of ice and snow tracks, as well as the flowing “ribbons” on the exterior of the National Speed Skating Oval, one of two new competition venues in the Beijing zone that is expected to become a landmark of the Games.
The dynamic lines of the halo also embody the increased connectivity in the era of 5G communications. Resembling an astronaut, Bing Dwen Dwen stands for Beijing 2022’s embrace of new technologies that will bring about a future with infinite possibilities.
Glowing Lantern as Paralympic Mascot
Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and BOCOG President Cai Qi, Governor of Hebei Province and BOCOG Executive President Xu Qin, Chairperson of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation and BOCOG Executive President Zhang Haidi, together with Chinese wheelchair curler Chen Jianxin and local student Wang Ruoyu, introduced Shuey Rhon Rhon to the audience as the official mascot for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.
Shuey Rhon Rhon (雪容融) is a Chinese lantern child ready to welcome friends from around the world for a big party. Exuding positivity, the glow emanating from its heart symbolises the inspiring warmth, friendship, courage, and perseverance of Para athletes that light up the dreams of millions every day.
The Chinese lantern is a millennia-old cultural symbol associated with harvest, celebration, prosperity, and brightness. Red is the most auspicious and festive colour in the country, and is all the more fitting given that the Games will coincide with Chinese New Year celebrations in February and March 2022.
The overall design on Shuey Rhon Rhon draws from traditional Chinese papercut art and Ruyi ornaments, and features doves, Beijing’s iconic Temple of Heaven, and snow to symbolise peace, friendship, and good fortune.
Shuey has the same pronunciation as 雪, the Chinese character for snow. The first Rhon (容) in the mascot’s Chinese name means “to include, to tolerate”, while the second Rhon (融) means “to melt, to fuse” and “warm”. The name expresses the hope that there would be more inclusion for people with impairments, and more dialogue and understanding between cultures of the world.
Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Flame lit in Athens
- WINTER YOG
The Flame for the 3rd Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland , was lit today in the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, Greece. This marks one of the most symbolic milestones in the lead-up to next year’s Winter YOG, which kick off on 9 January 2020 in the Olympic Capital.
The torch lighting ceremony preceding any Olympic torch relay is one of the most emblematic Olympic events. During this ceremony, a flame is lit using the rays of the sun, as was done for the ancient Olympic Games. This ignites the Olympic torch, which will then continuously burn until the Opening Ceremony of the Games.
Today, it was Lausanne 2020’s turn to step into the spotlight as this edition’s Youth Olympic flame was lit, marking the beginning of its journey from Athens to Lausanne. A crowd of 1,400 school children, together with Hellenic Olympic Committee and Local Organising Committee representatives and guests, watched on at a special flame-lighting ceremony.
The flame will now make its way to Lausanne, and the Torch Tour will officially begin in the Olympic Capital on 21 September, from where it will depart on a 110-day journey during which it will visit each of the 26 Swiss cantons and Les Tuffes in France, bringing the Youth Olympic spirit to local populations. The Torch Tour will include interactive activities for young people as well as an exciting programme about the Lausanne 2020 Games themselves, topped off with a ceremonial torch lighting by special guests including Olympians.
Attending the ceremony, Danka Bartekova, IOC Coordination Commission Chair, said: “This Youth Olympic flame will inspire the amazing athletes training hard for Lausanne 2020, as well as young fans all over the world. Its journey around Switzerland will also help to highlight and celebrate all that Switzerland has to offer, and the talented young people involved in the preparations. It is an honour to be part of this journey and bring the flame back to the Olympic Capital.”
Also in attendance, Virginie Faivre, President of Lausanne 2020, said: “This is an important moment for Lausanne 2020, the City of Lausanne, the Canton of Vaud and our entire country. This has been a journey four years in the making. Since 2015, when Lausanne was selected as host of the Winter Youth Olympic Games, we have been working very hard to create unique Games. Games for young people, by young people and with young people. Today, we are not only lighting the Olympic flame; we are also lighting the Olympic spirit of a whole new generation of young people in Switzerland and around the world.”
Boxing Road to Tokyo 2020: qualification events announced
- OLYMPIC GAMES
The Olympic Boxing Task Force today confirmed the names of the cities to host the five Qualification Events to be held on the Boxing Road to Tokyo 2020. The Task Force also announced the creation of an Athlete Ambassador Group, as well as the collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers on the refereeing and judging process.
Qualification Events
Four Continental Events and a final World Qualification Event will be held between February and May 2020 to give boxers the opportunity to seal their places at the Tokyo 2020 boxing tournament.
The World Qualification Event will give athletes a second chance to qualify and will therefore be open only to those boxers who have not yet qualified for the Games.
“The Qualification Events represent a fair and transparent pathway to the Olympic Games with equal opportunities for all National Olympic Committees,” said Boxing Task Force Chair and IOC Member Mr Morinari Watanabe. “Everything is being done to provide world-class Qualification Events and to ensure the best possible conditions for the athletes.”
The qualifying schedule features a strong emphasis on legacy, with all five events hosted by former or future Olympic Games or Youth Olympic Games host cities or countries.
The five Qualification Events together with planned dates are as follows:
Asia/Oceania: WUHAN, China, 3-14 February 2020
Africa: DAKAR, Senegal, 20-29 February 2020
Venue: Dakar International Expo Centre, Diamniadio
Europe: LONDON, Great Britain, 13-23 March 2020
Venue: Copper Box arena, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
America: BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, 26 March-3 April 2020Venue: CeNARD high-performance athletics training centre
World: PARIS, France, 13-24 May 2020
The competition venues in Wuhan and Paris will be finalised and confirmed in due course.
While the total number of athletes (286) has been maintained from Rio 2016, the number of female boxers has been tripled for Tokyo 2020 in a major boost toward gender equality and in keeping with the enhanced quality and popularity of female boxing. The Tokyo tournament will feature 186 men and 100 women (compared to 250 men and 36 women in Rio).
Athlete Ambassador Programme
The Task Force also announced the creation of an Athlete Ambassador Group to engage with and represent boxers. This group will provide valuable athlete input and feedback to the Task Force and promote the athlete voice and representation in boxing, for Tokyo 2020 and beyond.
The Athlete Ambassadors will comprise 10 boxers, one man and one woman from each of the five regions, providing gender equality and global representation. The 10 will be selected from among nominations received from National Olympic Committees and National Federations by 30 September. They will be joined by additional athletes elected by their peers at each of the four continental events.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to oversee refereeing and judging process
To ensure the successful delivery of the Olympic Qualification Events and the Olympic competition itself, the Olympic Boxing Task Force is currently finalising the appointment of PwC to independently review the process for selecting and evaluating boxing referees and judges.
The assessment will be carried out prior to, and during, the five Olympic Qualification Events and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
The Olympic Boxing Task Force decided to build on the successful delivery at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018, where the partnership with PwC helped ensure the credibility of refereeing and judging processes.
Background information
The creation of the Olympic Boxing Task Force by the IOC Executive Board (EB) followed the recommendation by the IOC EB on 22 May – approved by the IOC Session on 26 June – that boxing keep its place on the Tokyo 2020 programme, but that recognition of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) by the IOC should be suspended and evaluated after Tokyo 2020.
The decision was based on the recommendations of the Inquiry Committee set up by the IOC EB on 30 November 2018 over concerns about AIBA in the areas of finance, governance, ethics and refereeing and judging.
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