Olympics 365

First test events in view as IOC concludes 5th Coordination Commission visit in PyeongChang

The International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 has concluded its fifth visit (22-24 September) to the Korean host city positive about the progress being made, while underlining the importance of test events for the Games preparations. The Commission was joined for the meeting by representatives of the seven International Federations of sports on the programme of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, who were able to share their expertise and actively contribute to shaping the project.

Commenting after the meeting, IOC Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg said, “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 continued, “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.”

Additionally, the Commission was informed that the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG), the National Government and the Gangwon authorities were working together in a venue legacy advisory group in order to deliver on their commitment to complete the detailed legacy plans for the venues by December. It was underlined by the Commission that one of the key legacies of these Games would be human, with expertise being developed in numerous areas but especially in the organisation of winter sports. The upcoming test events will already start to deliver on that promise, with local staff working closely with federation experts on the competitions.

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.”

The support of local partners was also reinforced during the visit, as the Commission learnt about POCOG’s third-wave restructuring, which has seen the number of staff at the Organising Committee grow in line with the increasing workload that comes as the Games approach. The different levels of government have contributed positively to this evolution by supporting the recruitment and retention of secondees from their respective administrations.

There was also good news on the marketing front, as POCOG announced that it has now reached over 50 per cent of its sponsorship target. This showed the Commission the strong backing of the Korean business community for the Games.

Over the three days, the Coordination Commission heard updates about areas as diverse as Athlete and National Olympic Committee (NOC) Services, Sport and International Federation Services, Media Operations, Spectators, Technology and the Paralympic Games. As well as visiting the Jeongseon Alpine Centre and Alpensia Sliding Centre, the Commission members participated in the ground-breaking ceremony of the PyeongChang Olympic Village.

The next visit of the full Commission will be in March 2016.

A new generation of change-makers gets ready for the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lillehammer 2016

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has today announced an impressive list of 39 inspirational young people who will serve as Young Ambassadors for the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Lillehammer 2016.

The eclectic list features active athletes, including Olympians and YOG alumni, sports coaches, students and young professionals, all aged between 18 and 28. Despite coming from all walks of life, the Young Ambassadors, who were nominated by their National Olympic Committees, have one mission in common – to support the young YOG athletes and to inspire other young people in their communities using their experiences at the Youth Olympic Games.

The Young Ambassadors programme is now in its fourth cycle following its success at the previous three Summer and Winter Youth Olympic Games. The programme demonstrates just one of the unique elements of the YOG, along with the Young Reporter and Athlete Role Model initiatives. Samsung has once again pledged its support to the programme by supplying a Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ to each Young Ambassador, enabling mobile technology to enhance their YOG experience – sharing stories, interacting and promoting the YOG in their countries.

As well as promoting the YOG and the Olympic values in their countries, the role of the Young Ambassadors is focused on helping the athletes of their national teams get the most out of their YOG experience. They will encourage them to interact with people from different sports and backgrounds and to take part in a unique programme of activities and workshops, featuring sessions on healthy eating, injury prevention, anti-doping, careers in sport and media training. The lessons learned will equip the athletes with the sports skills to perform to the best of their ability on the field of play, and the life skills to be true ambassadors of their sport off the field of play, inspiring young people in their communities to get active and embrace the Olympic values.

Previous Young Ambassadors have credited this unique opportunity as a means to help them pursue professional careers in the field of sport, in areas such as events, coaching, media and social development, with many staying within the Olympic Movement as volunteers or securing jobs with NOCs, sports federations and organising committees, or even returning to the YOG in the role of Chef de Mission.

The newly appointed Young Ambassadors will gather in Lillehammer from 1 to 5 October for a seminar during which they will be fully briefed on their role, and will test out some of the workshops and activities that will be available during Games times.

Click here for the full list of 39 Young Ambassadors.

The second edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games will be held from 12 to 21 February in Lillehammer, Norway.

For more information on the Youth Olympic Games, please visit:www.olympic.org/yog.

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The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 3.25 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.