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Olympic Agenda 2020: Strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement unveiled
©IOC / Ian Jones
18/11/2014
IOC President says “Now is the time for change”
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President
Thomas Bach today revealed the 40 proposals that make up Olympic Agenda
2020, a strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, which
will be discussed and voted on by the full IOC membership at the 127th
IOC Session this 8 and 9 December in Monaco.
During the public launch of the recommendations at The Olympic Museum
in Lausanne, President Bach called the 20+20 proposals “the culmination
of a year of open, transparent and widespread debate and discussion,
which had already begun in mid-2013.”
“These 40 recommendations are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle,” he
added. “When you put them together, a picture emerges that shows the IOC
safeguarding the uniqueness of the Olympic Games and strengthening
sport in society.”
The IOC President first presented the recommendations to a round
table of athletes, many of whom actively contributed to the Olympic
Agenda 2020 process. The discussion included a number of medal-winning
Olympians.*
Some of the key areas addressed by the recommendations are:
- Changes to the bidding process (Recommendation 1), with a new
philosophy to invite potential candidate cities to present a project
that fits their sporting, economic, social and environmental long-term
planning needs. Shaping it more as an invitation and introducing an
“invitation phase” – during which cities considering a bid will be
advised about the opportunities this new procedure offers, in particular
in regard to legacy and sustainability. The organisation of sports and
events outside the host city and even, in exceptional cases, outside the
host country could also be allowed, always respecting the integrity of
the Olympic Village.
- Reducing costs for bidding (Recommendation 3), by decreasing the
number of presentations that are allowed and providing a significant
financial contribution from the IOC. At the same time emphasising that
the sustainability of a bid must be taken into consideration right from
the beginning.
- Move from a sport-based to an event-based programme
(Recommendation10). Create limits on accreditation for athletes, coaches
and other athlete support staff to ensure that the Games do not grow
bigger. Allowing more than 28 sports to be on the programme while
respecting these limits.
- Strengthen the 6th Fundamental Principle of Olympism
(Recommendation 14). The IOC to include non-discrimination on sexual
orientation in the 6th Fundamental Principle of Olympism in the Olympic
Charter.
- Launch of an Olympic TV Channel (Recommendation 19) to provide a
platform for sports and athletes beyond the Olympic Games period, 365
days a year. To fully connect with the digital age and connect with
young people on their terms. It will be a worldwide platform and an
opportunity to spread Olympic values as well as highlighting the IOC’s
many cultural and humanitarian projects. Candidate cities may also be
given exposure during the bidding phase.
- Adapting and further strengthening the principles of good
governance and ethics to changing demands. Ensuring compliance with the
Basic Universal Principles of Good Governance (Recommendation 27) and
transparency of accounts (Recommendation 29), with the IOC’s financial
statements to be prepared and audited according to the International
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) even when not legally required.
Strengthening the independence of the IOC Ethics Commission
(Recommendation 30), with the chair and members of the Commission to be
elected by the IOC Session. The IOC will also create the position of
compliance officer (Recommendation 31) to advise IOC members, staff,
NOCs and IFs with regard to compliance.
The athletes remain at the centre of all 40 of the proposals, with
the protection of the clean athletes being at the heart of the IOC’s
philosophy. The central importance of the “athletes’ experience” will be
introduced into the evaluation criteria with no compromise on the field
of play for athletes, and the paramount importance of the Olympic
Village.
Read Olympic Agenda 2020: 20+20 Recommendations here.
Read Olympic Agenda 2020: Context and Background here.
“Over the past year many people have asked me why there is a desire
to make changes. After all, they say, the Olympic Games, the IOC, and
the Olympic Movement have enjoyed many successes and we are in a very
good position,” said President Bach. “My answer is that we are now in
the position to drive change ourselves rather than being driven. We have
to take leadership with Olympic Agenda 2020. We have the opportunity,
and we must seize the moment – now is the time for change.”
There is no change proposed to the age limit of 70 for IOC members.
In a limited number of cases (five), a one-time extension of a member’s
term of office may be made for a maximum of four years (Recommendation
37). There is no proposal to allow individual members to visit candidate
cities, but there is a proposal that will lead to more in-depth
information and discussion about the strengths, weaknesses, risks and
opportunities of candidate cities (Recommendation 2).
The 40 recommendations were finalised by the IOC Executive Board in
October following presentations from the chairs of the 14 Working Groups
that were set up to refine the proposals earlier this year. In addition
to members of the Olympic Movement, including National Olympic
Committees, International Federations, TOP sponsors and athletes, the
Working Groups consisted of experts from civil society such as the
United Nations, Google/YouTube, Transparency International, the Clinton
Foundation, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the World Bank.
Strong interest from across the Olympic Movement has been shown in
Olympic Agenda 2020. Discussions at the 126th IOC Session in Sochi, for
example, included a total of 211 interventions by the
IOC members.
The proposals were also debated by the IOC Commissions and at two
Olympic Summits. The Summits brought together the presidents of the
major stakeholders of the Olympic Movement.
The inclusive and transparent Olympic Agenda 2020 process was
initiated by President Bach over a year ago. His call for contributions
resulted in more than 40,000 submissions and produced 1,200 concrete
ideas.
*The athletes who attended the round table were:
Claudia Bokel – Germany – Fencing – Olympic silver medallist; IOC member; Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission
Vincent Defrasne – France – Biathlon – Olympic gold medallist and two-time bronze medallist; Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Athlete Role Model
Susana Feitor – Portugal – Racewalking – Competed in
five editions of the Olympic Games; Athletes’ Commission and IOC
Athletes’ Career Programme Outreach trainer
Jessica Fox – Australia – Canoeing – Olympic silver medallist; YOG gold medallist; YOG Young Ambassador
Jade Jones – Great Britain – Taekwondo – Olympic gold medallist; YOG gold medallist
Stéphane Lambiel – Switzerland – Figure skating – silver medallist; YOG Athlete Role Model; Olympic silver medallist
Marsha Marescia – South Africa – Hockey – Three-time Olympian
Kaveh Mehrabi – Iran – Badminton – Olympian at the 2008 Beijing Games – WADA Athlete Committee
Koji Murofushi – Japan – Hammer throw – Olympic gold and silver medallist; Sports Director, Tokyo 2020
Maria Höfl-Riesch – Germany – Skiing – Three-time Olympic gold medallist and silver medallist
Jean-Michel Saive – Belgium – Table tennis – Seven-time Olympian; Chair, EOC Athletes’ Commission
QUOTES FROM MEMBERS OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT:
“Supporting clean sport and clean athletes is what the IOC and WADA
are all about. The IOC has shown itself time and again ready to invest
in making Olympic sport credible, and these proposals are an important
pillar in that fight. Part of the recommendations for Olympic Agenda
2020 will see a continued and renewed investment to protect sport and
the athletes. Sports fans must be able to believe in the sporting events
they watch if our Movement and the good it can do are to have a
future.”
–
Craig Reedie, IOC Vice-President and WADA Chairman
“We have to find a way of being able to introduce new sports that are relevant to young people.
I
was very impressed by the new sports presented at the Sports Lab at the
Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing in the summer, and particularly the
culture of those athletes taking part. We just have to be flexible to
include new events – and I think the recommendations contained in
Olympic Agenda 2020 will help us to do that.
Above all, for me the
credibility of sport remains crucial to the future of the Olympic
Movement. It is good to see us investing in protecting athletes who play
fair when it comes to doping, and particularly when it comes to
match-fixing and manipulation.”
–
John Coates, IOC Vice-President
“Thirty years ago, I became the first Moroccan athlete to win a gold
medal at the Olympic Games. The celebrations in my home country
underlined to me the important role that sport and the Olympic Games
play in people’s lives. It is therefore essential for me that, as a
Movement, we continue to evolve and stay relevant for the athletes and
the watching world. This is why I fully endorse the outcomes of Olympic
Agenda 2020 and am looking forward to seeing how the Olympic Games can
benefit from our final decisions.”
–
Nawal El Moutawakel, IOC Vice-President and Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for Rio 2016
“Olympic Agenda 2020 has seen stakeholders from all around the world
and from very many different backgrounds contributing ideas that will
make our Movement stronger in the future.
The Olympic Games
continue to push new boundaries and to appeal to many different
audiences of sports fans around the world. We must continue to do this.
The power of the Olympic ideal is that it reflects universal ideas in
different ways around the world. Olympic Agenda 2020 will build on our
success.”
–
Zaiqing Yu, IOC Vice-President and ANOC Vice-President
“These reforms will shape the future development of the Olympic
Movement so that Olympic sport can continue to connect with people
around the world. At the ANOC General Assembly in Bangkok early this
month, we gave unanimous backing to Olympic Agenda 2020. As the
President of the IOC said, the time to change is when you are successful
and it is indeed a pleasure to see the launch of these reforms, which
will ensure we remain relevant to all generations around the world. We
must continue to appeal to different cultures and populations with a
unifying message based on the Olympic values.”
–
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, IOC Member, ANOC and OCA President, Chair of the IOC Olympic Solidarity Commission
“The International Federations have been involved every step of the
way in the creation of these recommendations, which lay out a
comprehensive plan for the future of Olympic sport.
Through the
Working Groups and through our representatives in the IOC, we have been
able to help shape these proposals, which, if accepted, will lead to
greater flexibility and help maintain the relevance of Olympic sport,
particularly among young people.”
–
Francesco Ricci Bitti, ITF President and ASOIF President
“For winter sports, it is imperative that the Olympic Winter Games
remain strictly for sports on snow and ice. We need to continue to
spread their popularity and ensure that more cities come forward with
bids that work for them and that the Olympic Games remain attractive
around the world.
There has to be a place for a wide range of
concepts for the Games, and the proposals contained in Olympic Agenda
2020 are designed to encourage more cities with different ideas on the
size and scope of the Games to come forward. The IOC is listening and
wants the bidding process to help cities and governments to propose
Games that appeal to their citizens.”
–
Gian-Franco Kasper, IOC member, FIS President and AIOWF President
“I am extremely pleased to see the recommendation in Olympic Agenda
2020 to include sexual preference in the Fundamental Principles of the
Olympic Charter. This recommendation by the IOC sends a strong and
powerful signal to all athletes, and to the world at large, of our
message of absolute non-discrimination. Including sexual orientation
reaffirms that Olympic sport stands for fundamental values, and
hopefully ensures that each and every athlete attending the Olympic
Games feels inclusion and acceptance. Hopefully this amendment to the
Charter will also send a message of tolerance and acceptance to the rest
of the world.”
–
Angela Ruggiero, IOC member, IOC Athletes’ Commission member, 4 Olympic medals (1 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)
“The recommendations in Olympic Agenda 2020 are designed to change
the bidding process in a positive way. I think it is important to bring
the Olympic Winter Games especially back to their roots, where the
organisers are creating genuine winter festivals and where the
inhabitants of the host city are as important as the athletes.
I
think it is a step forward that the bidding cities will have the chance
to focus on Games that work in the local context – socially,
economically and environmentally. I also think it is positive that the
IOC will encourage the re-use of venues, temporary venues, and even the
use of some venues in other regions and countries. This will lower the
costs, which will hopefully make staging the Games more attractive for
more countries.”
–
Ole Einar Bjørndalen, IOC member and most medalled Winter Olympian, 13 Olympic medals (8 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze)
