The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has created a two million dollar fund that will be made available to National Olympic Committees (NOCs) for programmes focused on refugees.
“We have all been touched by the terrible news and the heartbreaking stories in the past few days. With this terrible crisis unfolding across the Middle East, Africa and Europe, sport and the Olympic Movement wanted to play its part in bringing humanitarian help to the refugees. We made a quick decision that we needed to take action and to make this fund available immediately,” IOC president Thomas Bach said on Friday.
“We have a long term relationship with the United Nations and with the UNHCR and we draw on their help and expertise. We know through experience that sport can ease the plight of refugees, many of them young people and children, be they in the Middle East, Africa, Europe or in other parts of the world. Our thoughts are with the many refugees risking their lives and the lives of their families to escape danger.”
The fund is made up of one million dollars directly from the IOC and a further one million from Olympic Solidarity, which is an IOC commission that organises assistance for NOCs, particularly those with the greatest needs, by redistributing broadcast rights through programmes offered to all NOCs.
NOCs and other interested parties will be asked to submit projects to the IOC for funding.
“Because of the nature of the crisis the assessment of projects and the distribution of funds will be carried out extremely quickly,” said Bach.
“We are able to work on the ground with our partners in the National Olympic Committees and the expert agencies to get help to where it is needed most urgently.”
The IOC already works with a number of United Nations agencies to help refugees around the world. In April 2014 the two organisations signed a historic agreement aimed at strengthening collaboration.
The IOC has been working with the UNHCR for two decades and has already seen thousands of refugees benefit from sports programmes and equipment donated by the IOC.
Last year IOC Honorary President Jacques Rogge completed his first mission as Special Envoy of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General for Youth Refugees and Sport.
With the goal of raising awareness on the conditions of youth refugees and the impact of sport for their well-being, Rogge visited Syrian refugees currently living in the UN camp of Azraq, located in the desert 100 kilometres east of the Jordanian capital, Amman. The camp currently hosts more than 5,000 shelters housing some 18,000 refugees.
Since 2004, the IOC and UNHCR have organised a “Giving is Winning” programme. This global solidarity campaign allows athletes, officials and sponsors of the Olympic Games, National Olympic Committees , International and National Federations, and other Olympic Movement stakeholders to donate tens of thousands of clothing items to help refugees . The campaign has already collected over 170,000 items of clothing, which have reached refugees in 23 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe.
In 2013 and 2014, the IOC, Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung and the UNHCR joined forces to distribute IOC Sports Kits to more than 180,000 internally displaced young people living in refugee camps in 20 countries throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Category: Event Management
-
IOC allocates US$2m immediately to help refugees
-
FIFA reform report slams “old boys’ networks”
The FIFA Audit and Compliance Committee on Thursday proposed a wide-reaching reform of the organisation and its “old boys’ networks”, including a break up of its powerful Executive Committee.
A FIFA reform plan drafted by Domenico Scala, chairman of the FIFA Audit and Compliance Committee, proposes the following eight points: Enhanced and centralized integrity checks; Introduction of term limits; Direct election of FIFA Executive Members by the Congress; Disclosure of individual compensations; Increased efficiency and enhanced independence of Standing Committees; Higher standards of governance at Confederation and Member Association levels; Revised World Cup bidding rules and procedures; and Improvements regarding FIFA’s organisation and structure.
“The greatest current risk in/for FIFA is the present institutional position and structure of the FIFA Executive Committee and the conduct of some of its members,” Scala’s report states.
“The Executive Committee has too many powers and competences and is de facto more powerful than the Congress.”
The “most significant single problem” of the ExCo is the misconduct of some of its members, some of whom hold “multiple functions as a member of FIFA’s Executive Committee, as a member of executive bodies of Confederations and/or national associations,” the reports states.
The report also highlighted “the existence of ‘old boys’ networks’ along the Executive Committee – Confederations – Member Associations line (as well as within these bodies).”
“The most recent incidents and developments – especially those that occurred in May 2015 – manifested the considerable virulence of these risks.”
The solution proposed is to break the ExCo up into two entities, one responsible for strategic decisions and another for business administration.
“The Executive Committee in its present form needs to be split into two different bodies: A Governing Board dedicated to strategic issues, and a Management Board entrusted with business management.”
Scala also recommended that FIFA must also exert higher standards of governance on Confederations and Member Association levels.
“Some Confederations and FIFA member associations have proved vulnerable when it comes to establishing and complying with governance standards.
“Combined with the phenomenon of ‘double’ and ‘triple heads’ in particular, this constitutes an especially virulent risk for FIFA Executive Committee members, the Executive Committee and FIFA as a whole.
“In an attempt to minimise this risk, the Confederations and the national associations – where applicable – have to be obliged to establish and comply certain minimum standards of governance.”
To hear more about the changing face of sports governance and much more, visit HOST CITY 2015, with speakers from FIFA, IOC, CGF and many more world leading events and cities.
-
New round of FIFA corruption charges anticipated
The investigation into corruption and misconduct in and around FIFA is expanding, with further arrests on the cards, the US and Swiss Attorney Generals handling the case indicated today.
Speaking to press in Zurich, US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said “individuals and entities” could be set to be charged simultaneously in a new phase of investigation.
“We tend to proceed against individuals brought under one indictment together,” she said.
The investigation, which has so far been conducted as a coordinated effort between US and Swiss authorities, is likely to expand into other nations.
“If some ExCo members are not living in Switzerland this could make other jurisdictions think about how they could help,” said Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber.
“We feel that we have received cooperation and collaboration from many parties… There is always the possibility that people have more information to provide,” said Lynch.
Lauber and Lynch did not reveal the subject of new enquiries.
“I’m not going to comment on which individuals or entities will be the subject of the next round of charges… and I am not able to give you information about Mr Blatter’s travel plans,” said Lynch.
She added that FIFA and its members face a choice between corruption and integrity as it seeks to reform.
“FIFA are considering issues of reform and improving the sport,” she said.
“They have a lot to consider… Individuals have a choice between the old way of corruption or moving towards integrity of the sport.”
-
Eurosport secures rights to broadcast Formula E in Germany
Eurosport has secured the broadcasting rights to Formula E in Germany, adding to its deals with seven other EU countries, while the UK rights have been awarded to ITV for the second season.
Eurosport now holds the exclusive TV and digital rights to the FIA Formula E Championship for the next two seasons in Germany, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, as well as Iceland on a non-exclusive basis.
“Following the success of the inaugural season we want to ensure audiences can continue to watch and engage with the series,” said Ali Russell, Director of Media and Strategic Partnerships.
“This latest agreement reinforces our outreach across key target markets in Europe alongside other existing deals.”
Under the deal, all 11 rounds of the 2015-2016 FIA Formula E Championship will be televised live and free-to-air on Eurosport in Germany.
The win adds a fast-growing event property to Eurosport’s growing portfolio.
“Motorsport is one of Eurosport’s pillars, with the channel broadcasting major events including MotoGP, FIA WTCC, Le Mans 24 Hours and the World Superbike Championship,” said Peter Hutton, Chief Executive Officer, Eurosport.
“Securing the rights to Formula E further bolsters the channel’s portfolio with a unique brand of racing. It supports our strategy to bring must-have content to local viewers whilst reaching a wider audience.”
In the UK, Formula E has extended its live and free-to-air broadcast deal with ITV.
“We are delighted to renew our Formula E deal for next year,” said Niall Sloane, Director of Sport at ITV.
“The sport is building significantly on a thrilling first year and we look forward to bringing this fresh, innovative and futuristic series to our viewers on ITV and ITV4.”
The second Formula E season kicks off in Beijing on 24 October.
-
HOST CITY 2015 will help cities get ahead – Sir Craig Reedie
Attending HOST CITY 2015 in Glasgow on 9th and 10th of November is an attractive opportunity for cities to get ahead in the competitive international market of hosting major events, according to keynote speaker Sir Craig Reedie, IOC Vice President.
“From my point of view of being involved in HOST CITY 2015, I am delighted that the event is coming to Glasgow, because Glasgow has shown that it is a sporting city with the way it has developed its facilities, the way it ran a major multi-sport event, the Commonwealth Games in 2014, and what it’s been doing since then – not least a couple of hugely successful Davis Cup tennis ties,” said Sir Craig Reedie.
“So if you look at the excitement that generates locally, and the promotion that it gives the city on a worldwide basis, then I think this indicates that the market out there is a buoyant one.
“Cities should be very well prepared to become involved and therefore they should be thinking ahead; they should be innovative – and with a bit of luck they will reap the benefits that Glasgow has.”
Under the theme of “Creative Innovation Connecting Cities with Sports, Business and Culture Events”, HOST CITY 2015 is an opportunity to meet, influence and network with a unique collection of city leaders and cross-sector rights holders and gain intelligence on the challenges and benefits of event bidding and hosting.
Sir Craig Reedie was deeply engaged in the IOC’s own “Olympic Agenda 2020” process of creative innovation, one of the primary aims of which was to make bidding for the Olympic Games more appealing to cities.
“We came up with a coordinated and sensible view of how we wanted to run the Games but also to promote the Olympic movement for the future.
“There were some fairly dramatic discussions on the bidding process of the Games. We wanted to make it more inclusive, we wanted to make it more cooperative, we wanted to make it cheaper, we wanted to make it encouraging to more cities to become involved.
“In the process of bidding for sporting events, it’s a competitive field. The Olympic Games are the greatest show on earth; it’s important that they maintain this status. It’s important that the athletes regard them as the greatest show on earth and something they really want to take part in.
“So therefore a process of change is a perfectly reasonable thing to undertake.”
More than 200 delegates have already confirmed their attendance at Host City 2015. Read the agenda and Register at www.bidtowin-hostcity.net to get involved and get ahead. -
PyeongChang progress hailed as ski events approach
As IOC’s Coordination Commission for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games concluded on Thursday, the International Ski Federation (FIS) secretary general Sarah Lewis told HOST CITY that progress is impressive, expressing confidence that venues will be ready in time for test events in 2016.
“The Alpine Skiing downhill course at Jeongsong and Freestyle and Snowboard cross and slopestyle courses are really starting to taking shape now and the progress with their construction over the past three months is impressive,” Sarah Lewis, FIS Secretary General told HOST CITY, speaking from PyeongChang.
“We’re confident that the FIS World Cup competitions in February 2016 will prove to be an important milestone in the preparations for the Games and generate true excitement in PyeongChang and Korea when the world’s best athletes are competing.”
Sarah Lewis, who is also Secretary General of the Association of Winter Olympic International Federations, is to speak at HOST CITY 2015 on “The Changing Face of Sports Organisations”.
The IOC’s Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg also hailed the good progress.
“The preparations for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 are developing well. Support from all the local partners continues to be strong, with the national and regional governments both present during our meetings. We were also delighted to have with us representatives of the seven International Federations on the 2018 programme, who brought their sport-specific expertise to the discussions.
“This was helpful for PyeongChang 2018, as it has now entered the delivery phase of preparations and is working on the detailed services for the athletes and technicians. This will be particularly important for the first sports events early next year, which include important dates on the international calendar, namely an FIS Alpine World Cup, an FIS Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard World Cup, and an IBSF/FIL pre-homologation event.”
She also stressed that PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG) must maintain its good progress as these test events loom.
“The venues continue to progress rapidly. We visited Jeongseon and the Alpensia Sliding Centre, and got a really good impression of what the athletes will experience come Games time. I am confident that they will be very pleased.
“The competition sites remain on schedule for the Games, but the organisers need to maintain their focus, as some delivery dates are very close to the start of the test events. It is important that PyeongChang 2018 delivers these events successfully and, in particular, the first events next February, in order to create a solid basis for its planning and preparations for the Games.
“This will also be a great opportunity for Koreans to experience elite winter sport and get engaged in the Games, as some of the world’s best athletes in those sports will be present in order to get a feeling for the 2018 Olympic venues.”
The next IOC Coordination Commission visit will be in March 2016.
PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee President Yang-ho Cho said, “It has been a very productive three days. I feel that we are moving in the right direction to stage great Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“With the feedback and support of the Coordination Commission, we have made a number of important and critical decisions. As we move further ahead into the operational phase of the Games, I would like to thank the national and International Federations for their guidance and support. Their expertise and Games experience have been instrumental to guiding POCOG.”
-
Eurosport renews Australian Open broadcast rights to 2021
Eurosport has secured the renewal of the exclusive digital and TV rights for the Australian Open, ensuring the Australian Open remains on Eurosport across more than 50 European markets until 2021.
The renewed partnership with Tennis Australia, which begins from 2017, also includes new additional exclusive live rights to two Australian Open warm-up ATP tournaments, the World Tennis Challenge along with rights to the Hopman Cup.
”The Australian Open is much more than just the first Grand Slam of the year,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said.
“It marks the start of the global annual sporting calendar through four weeks of world class events during Australia’s summer of tennis. As such, we are delighted to have taken our relationship with Eurosport and the Discovery Group to a new level.”
“Fans will now be able to follow in one place the exciting journey we take every year – from Brisbane and Perth, Sydney to Adelaide and culminating in Melbourne at the Australian Open.
Eurosport will broadcast 300 hours of live coverage on Eurosport’s TV channels and, for the first time, live online coverage of available matches from each event as produced by Tennis Australia.
“As viewing habits consolidate through multiple screens, compelling engagement through online platforms is at the heart of this new deal,” said Tilley.
“We’ll deliver fans more and better content than ever before, both on and off the court, when and where they want it.”
All Australian Open matches in 2016 will be available live on Eurosport Player, the online broadcast platform that achieved record-breaking viewing figures for the French Open and the US Open.
Peter Hutton, Chief Executive Officer, Eurosport said: “The Australian Open is a lynchpin in Eurosport’s extensive portfolio of leading tennis properties and has been so for over 20 years.
“Eurosport is dedicated to securing exclusive must-have sports and also building and amplifying key existing partnerships, as we are doing with Tennis Australia by securing additional live rights that give the channel a whole month of exclusive top class tennis.
“This helps Eurosport tell a compelling story and, along with planned enhancements in our on-site production, will result in an exciting viewing experience for tennis fans across the continent.” -
HOST CITY 2015 welcomes leaders of global events to Glasgow
Leading figures from the world of sport governance and major event ownership convened in Glasgow on Monday and Tuesday for the HOST CITY 2015 Exhibition and Conference.
Under this year’s theme of “Creative Innovation Connecting Sports, Business and Cultural Events”, Host City is the foremost EU-based meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events.
Heading up a list of world-class speakers, Sir Craig Reedie CBE, Vice President, International Olympic Committee (IOC), called for host cities of major sporting events to take their lead from the IOC’s Agenda 2020 reform, which has recently seen the Olympic organisation implement a process of positive change.
In his opening keynote address on creative innovation, Sir Craig Reedie CBE said: “The real innovation [of the Agenda 2020 bid process] is what we choose to call the invitation phase. The aim of this phase is to provide an ongoing dialogue with targeted information tailored to meet the city’s specific needs and their own long-term development plans.
“Cities are assisted to better shape their value propositions, discussing proposals and potential solutions that deliver excellent gains without compromising the field of play for the athletes but also meeting the needs of the city and the region to ensure the Games leave a positive, long-term and sustainable legacy.
David Grevemberg CBE, Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation and head of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, continued this theme on a panel that explored how events and cities can innovate to thrive, by explaining how fresh approaches can enable cities to activate their brands, economy and society.
“What we tried to do [with the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games] was to make sure that every milestone we achieved resonated with accessibility and inclusivity for all,” said Grevemberg.
“That was a narrative that the entire partnership subscribed to and held each other accountable to. That approach was innovative in terms of its responsibility.
“The model we created, certainly for the city of Glasgow, will endure for some time – the innovation of creating a legacy conscious model and approach to delivering major events for a greater cause. How do we promote a more peaceful environment, how do we drive a more sustainable approach within cities and how do we help them prosper. If we can drive these things then we can stay relevant as a Federation and as an event.”
The conference also heard from the European Commission’s Head of Culture Karel Bartak, who provided cities bidding for the European Capital of Culture programme with an invaluable briefing, the organisers of some of Europe’s biggest business conventions including EuroScience and Jaarbeurs, and several city representatives.
Also speaking on day one on the topic of the changing face of sports organisations were influential heads of International Federations including Brian Cookson, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), Sarah Lewis, Secretary General of the International Skiing Federation (FIS) and the Association of International Winter Sports Federations and Louise Martin CBE, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation and Chair of sportscotland
Brian Cookson, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), said “The practicalities of Agenda 2020 have hit us quite hard, as a sport we’ve been asked to accept some pretty radical changes for Tokyo 2020 for instance, perhaps more radical than any other sport, and that includes looking at moving our venues quite some distance from Tokyo. That’s a work in progress; we’re quite close to a solution on that.
“But I think if anything Agenda 2020 didn’t go far enough – I think we have to keep adapting to change. Change isn’t something that you do once and forget about it, you have to keep adapting, keep evolving and if you don’t, like the dinosaurs, you become extinct and we don’t want to do that.”
Delegates were also provided with an update on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games from Hidetoshi Fujisawa, Executive Director of Communication and Engagement, Tokyo 2020.
“It’s been a little more than two years since Tokyo was elected and the enthusiasm and passion for the games remains as clear as ever,” said Fujisawa. “The Tokyo 2020 organising committee has not wasted a second in preparing the delivery of the Games.
“Tokyo 2020’s vision is clear. We believe sport has the power to change the world and our future. The Tokyo 1964 Games completely transformed Japan and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, as the most innovative in history, will bring positive reform to the world by building on three core concepts: achieving personal best, unity in diversity and connecting to tomorrow.”
Additional Host City 2015 conference highlights included a panel session on how events, brands and media organisations use creative marketing to maximise consumer engagement – featuring notable speakers including Simon Clegg CBE, former COO, Baku 2015 European Games and Ali Russell, Director of Media and Strategic Partnerships, Formula E.
Day one of the conference concluded with a panel debate on how to build public support as cities bid for and host major international events. The discussion was led by key voices in international sport, including Alexander Koch, Corporate Communications Manager for FIFA and Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, Visit Scotland.
Paul Bush, OBE, who was involved in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, called into question the decision to rely on referendums to gauge public support:
“I’m not a great fan of public votes around major events, I often think they can get hijacked politically so you have to be quite cautionary about how you engage with the public.
“I do think you have to engage, we did some interesting awareness polls around the 2014 [Commonwealth] Games but in terms of actually having referendums, I’m talking about the Boston [2024] situation or the Hamburg [2024] situation, I think you’ve got to be really careful because you won’t always get the result that you’re looking for.”
Host City 2015 is the leading EU-based meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events. Under the theme of “Creative Innovation Connecting Cities with Sports, Business and Culture Events” the conference attracted more than 200 of the world’s leading cities, rights holders and suppliers.
For further information on the panel sessions and other top class speakers for Host City 2015, please visit: http://www.bidtowin-hostcity.net
All the Host City 2015 conference keynote addresses and plenary session content be streamed at http://www.bidtowin-hostcity.net/conference-content/audio – provided by sound-sharing platform audioBoom. -
IOC suspends former IAAF president Lamine Diack
The IOC Executive Board on Tuesday suspended the honorary IOC membership of Lamine Diack, former president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) following the publication of a World Anti-Doping Report on Monday.
“The Independent Commission’s Report contains a series of findings that will shock and appal athletes and sports fans worldwide, and indeed many issues that highlight very current deficiencies with the anti-doping system in Russia,” said WADA President and IOC Vice President Sir Craig Reedie on Monday, during Host City 2015 conference in Glasgow.
Following the publication of the report, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it was “closely monitoring the situation” and expects the IAAF and WADA to “consider all necessary action to be taken to protect the clean athletes and rebuild trust”.
The IOC’s Executive Board on Tuesday confirmed the proposal of the IOC Ethics Commission to provisionally suspend Mr. Lamine Diack, the former President of IAAF, from his honorary membership of the IOC.
In a statement, the IOC said it has asked the IAAF to initiate disciplinary procedures against all athletes, coaches and officials who have participated in the Olympic Games and are accused of doping in the report of the Independent Commission.
“With its zero-tolerance policy against doping, following the conclusion of this procedure, the IOC will take all the necessary measures and sanctions with regard to the withdrawal and reallocation of medals and as the case may be exclusion of coaches and officials from future Olympic Games,” the statement said.
The news follows WADA’s suspension of its accreditation of the Moscow Antidoping Center. The laboratory is now restricted from carrying out any WADA-related anti-doping activities including all analyses of urine and blood samples.
The IOC said it has no reason to question the credibility of the results of the anti-doping tests carried out at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, but will retain all the doping samples for ten years and retest samples “in an appropriate way should substantial doubts arise. In any case, the IOC may retest samples once new scientific techniques become available”.
“While the contents of the Report are deeply disturbing, the investigation is hugely positive for the clean athlete as it contains significant recommendations for how WADA and its partners in the anti-doping community can, and must, take swift corrective action to ensure anti-doping programs of the highest order are in place across the board,” said Sir Craig Reedie.
“WADA is fully committed in its role of leading the charge to protect the rights of clean athletes worldwide.”
