Terreno Deportivo

The IOC’s latest Giving is Winning campaign has been lifted to new heights with more than double the results of the first edition organised during the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. Some 75,000 items of casual and sports clothing, which corresponds to 16 containers, were collected from the Olympic Family in the run-up to and during the Olympic Games in Beijing. In the Olympic Village alone, athletes, team members and officials donated more than 21,000 items.

The project was jointly implemented by the IOC and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with the aim of facilitating sports activities in refugee camps. The UNHCR has distributed the collected clothes to various camps in Europe, Asia and Africa. For refugees, sport can provide a semblance of normality, hope and structure to lives that have been disrupted by conflict. Feedback from the ground has shown that, especially for young refugees, the gift of sportswear associated with famous athletes is a tremendous morale-booster and a sign that the outside world does still care.

Reacting to the news about the final numbers, Mr António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, expressed his gratitude to the Olympic Family. “On behalf of the UNHCR and the nearly 32 million people of concern to this office, I would like to express my appreciation and commend those Olympic athletes and National Olympic Committees from around the world who, during a moment of immense concentration and focus, took the time to help those less fortunate. Contributions, in the form of sports clothing, have been distributed to refugees around the world, providing them with the opportunity to play.”

IOC President Jacques Rogge was equally pleased with the success of the project, which he has personally supported along with his IOC colleagues: “I am thrilled by this success and the strong support of the Olympic Family. This campaign is an excellent example of how the IOC and its partners can easily help sport bring a little joy to people living very difficult lives. Sport has given a lot to all of us and who would not be happy to give back? Participation is made really easy and this makes the campaign’s success. We will continue using sport as a tool to assist those whose lives are ravaged by war and disease and who are disadvantaged and marginalised.”

Athletes and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have been amongst the most eager donors. The British Olympic Association and the US Olympic Committee set the ball rolling with huge donations in summer 2007. The NOC of Singapore soon followed with a donation that included items from local school children.

A number of NOCs were very innovative in encouraging their athletes to donate. The German NOC developed a special “athlete passport” that also dedicated one section to “Giving is Winning”, appealing to everyone to join in the campaign. Thomas Bach, President of the German NOC and IOC Vice-President stated in Beijing: “I am very happy that our athletes were so keen to donate. What a great opportunity to be giving and winning at the same time”.

Two other major donors were the Australian Olympic Committee and the President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), Mario Vázquez Raña. Vázquez Raña donated thousands of new polo shirts which benefitted refugees in Africa.

Financial donations from IOC member HRH Princess Haya bin Al Hussein and the NOC of the United Arab Emirates helped to fund project operations.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today revealed the names of the finalist Candidate Cities from which the host city for the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012 will be elected. Innsbruck and Kuopio were selected by the IOC Executive Board last week, and will now be submitted to a postal vote by the IOC members. The host city will be announced by IOC President Jacques Rogge in a live web cast on www.olympic.org, provisionally scheduled for 12 December 2008.

The EB’s decision on the two finalists was based on an IOC Evaluation Commission report, which is now available below. Chaired by Pernilla Wiberg, the Commission assessed the projects of the four shortlisted Candidate Cities - Harbin (China), Innsbruck (Austria), Kuopio (Finland) and Lillehammer (Norway). The report focused on the risks associated with the organisation of the Games within the timeframe of only three years to plan and prepare to host the first edition of this new event.

The vote will take place over the coming weeks, with all IOC members, except those from Austria and Finland, entitled to vote. An independent and certified notary based in Lausanne, Switzerland, will oversee the process to guarantee confidentiality. The city with the highest number of votes will be elected as the host city of the 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012, marking the conclusion of a candidature process that started in March 2008. In the event of a tie, the IOC President will consult the EB members entitled to vote and will make the final decision based on this consultation.

Report of the IOC Evaluation Commission

The Youth Olympic Games aim to bring together talented athletes – age group 14 to 18 - from around the world to participate in high-level competitions but also to run, alongside the sports element of the event, educational programmes on the Olympic values, the benefits of sport for a healthy lifestyle, the social values sport can deliver and the dangers of doping and of training to excess and/or of inactivity.

The first Winter Youth Olympic Games will bring together approximately 1,000 athletes and 500 team officials The sports programme will encompass all sports on the programme of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, with a limited number of disciplines and events.

The Commission was composed of Pernilla Wiberg (Athletes’ Commission), Victor Khotochkin (NOC representative), Fredi Schmid (IF representative), Martin Rutishauser (Member, EYOF Commission of the EOC), Gilbert Felli (IOC Olympic Games Executive Director), Christophe Dubi (IOC Sports Director) and Essar Gabriel (IOC Head of Youth Olympic Games).

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For further information, please contact the IOC Communications Department, Tel: +41 21 621 60 00, email: pressoffice@olympic.org

The Coordination Commission of the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games concluded its first visit to the host city Singapore today. Eight months after the host city announcement on 21 February 2008, the Singapore Organising Committee (SYOGOC) has already established all the foundations necessary to stage the Games in 2010. “We are impressed with how the preparations have advanced. SYOGOC is very much on track”, said Sergey Bubka, Chairman of the Coordination Commission, at the end of the visit. “We can count on the full support of the whole of Government and all Singaporeans, as well as on a highly dynamic team committed to serving our vision for these Games”, concluded SYOGOC Chairman and IOC Executive Board member Ser Miang NG.

The Coordination Commission had the opportunity to visit various venues that will stage the 200 events in 26 sports. A master plan proposal for the venues for the 1st Youth Olympic Games was put forward by SYOGOC for approval.

The seven members* of the Coordination Commission were highly impressed by the Youth Olympic Village based at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) campus. This site offers not only the capacity to host the 5,000 athletes and team officials expected to participate in the Games, but also training facilities for many sports and excellent facilities for the culture and education programme.

The Organising Committee emphasised in its presentations the importance of the culture and education programme. In order to match the different origin and languages of all participants, most of these activities would be centred on experience-based education, allowing the athletes to experiment and learn at the same time. The project also includes well targeted communications initiatives, including a specific youth website and other digital applications to reach out to young people all over the world.

”Presentations were of a high standard and we can return home with the feeling that our partners in Singapore have well understood the mission entrusted to them, and that they can cope with the considerable time pressure. We just have to keep up the same pace and vigilance for the remaining 22 months until the opening of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games”, concluded Sergey Bubka.

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The Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, to be held between 14 and 26 of August 2008, will bring together 3,500 athletes between 14 and 18 years of age from all 205 National Olympic Committees to compete in the 26 sports on the London 2012 Olympic Games programme. fully fledged education programme will raise participants’ awareness of the Olympic values and topics like healthy lifestyles and the fight against doping. A number of communications initiatives will link the youth of the world with the event. A culture programme will ensure a festive and pleasant atmosphere within the host city.

*Members of the Coordination Commission: Sergey Bubka, IOC member and Chairman; Nat Indrapana, IOC member; Syed Shahid Ali, IOC member; Raja Randhir Singh**, IOC member; Frank Fredericks, IOC member and Chairman of the Athletes’ Commission; Rania Elwani**, IOC member; Guido de Bondt, NOC representative; Andrew Ryan, IF representative; and Gilbert Felli, Olympic Games Executive Director. The Coordination Commission is the group of representatives from the IOC and the Olympic Movement who will be monitoring the Youth Olympic Games preparations and guiding the Singapore Organising Committee.

(** not present at the 1st Coordination Commission meeting in Singapore)

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Discover the spirit of Olympism and trace Singapore’s journey as host of the first Youth Olympic Games: this is what thousands of young Olympic fans will experience in a special Learning Centre, which opened yesterday in Singapore. “The opening of the YOG Learning Centre is a milestone in our journey. Its setting up attests to our commitment to promote Olympic education,” said Mr Ng Ser Miang, IOC member and Chairman of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC).

The first of its kind in the world
Teo Chee Hean, President of the Singapore National Olympic Council, and Sergey Bubka, Chairman of the International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission for the First Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2010, officially opened the new Learning Centre, the first of its kind in the world.

Eight zones showcasing the YOG
Visitors to the Learning Centre, housed at the SYOGOC headquarters, can find out moreabout the Olympic Movement, Olympic values, the 26 sports of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (Singapore 2010) and Singapore’s journey towards hosting the first YOG. There are eight zones in the YOG Learning Centre, each showcasing different aspects of the Olympic Games.

The Centre will be operated by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC). For more information, click on www.singapore2010.sg.

From 31 October to 5 November 2008, the Italian city of Milan will be the world’s capital of Sport, Movies and TV, host of the 26th edition of the International “Sport Movies & TV 2008” Festival. Organised by the International Sports Movies and Television Federation (FICTS), and supported by the IOC, this Festival is the final phase of the “World FICTS Challenge”, staged in 12 cities on the five continents.

Over six days, 180 cinema and TV productions from 44 countries and representing 46 sports disciplines will be in competition. The best production in each of the six categories of: “Olympic Spirit”, “Documentaries”, “TV programmes”, “Sport and Society”, “Films” and “Sport and Advertising” will be awarded the prestigious “Guirlande d’honneur” by the international jury. Parallel to the screenings and the film competition, workshops, meetings and exhibitions will offer a comprehensive approach to the world of sport.

Personalities from the world of sport, cinema and journalism are expected in Milan. Among them are Edoardo Mangiarotti, the fencer with 13 Olympic medals; Yelena Isinbaeva, Olympic champion and new world record holder in the pole vault; Dick Fosbury, of “Fosbury flop” fame; Gianluigi Buffon, the goalkeeper world champion with Italy; and some 30 Olympic medallists.

Visit the official FICTS website

At the end of its seventh visit to Vancouver, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission confirmed that the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC) continues to be on the right track to host top quality Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February 2010. The Commission was particularly pleased to see that VANOC’s participation in the IOC’s Beijing 2008 Observer’s Programme had had a positive impact on its planning and that the Games legacy remains a top priority for the next Olympic Games organisers.

Commenting on the visit, IOC Coordination Commission Chairman René Fasel said, “With the Beijing Games now over, it is Vancouver 2010’s turn to step into the spotlight and I am confident that Vancouver 2010 can also raise the bar for the Olympic Winter Games. Our Canadian friends learned many important lessons during their stay in Beijing as part of the IOC’s Observer’s Programme, and this can be seen in their planning, which is being fine-tuned as VANOC moves into its operational phase.”

During its visit, the Commission had the opportunity to review the venues in the Whistler area, which will host the skiing and sliding sports as well as the athletes’ village. Fasel commented, “The competition venues in Whistler are truly spectacular and will provide a fantastic back drop for the athletes, as they strive for sporting excellence. It is particularly reassuring to see that they are all largely complete and are already being used. Indeed, as VANOC starts to test them, and all of its other Games-time arenas, with its 17 up-coming sport events, it will be a fantastic opportunity for the athletes to get a feel for what awaits them in 2010 and for the public to experience many sports and disciplines that may not be familiar to them.”

The Olympic Games are more than just 16 days of sporting competition, and this was underlined by two announcements made during the visit that will undoubtedly produce positive legacies from the Vancouver Games. On Tuesday 21 October, the Province of British Columbia and VANOC announced an initiative to use temporary housing from the Whistler athletes’ village to help combat homelessness across British Columbia. Additionally, the IOC and VANOC, in close partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), announced the dates of next year’s 8th World Conference on Sport and the Environment, which will be held in Vancouver from 29 to 31 March 2009.

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.

At the end of its seventh visit to Vancouver, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission confirmed that the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC) continues to be on the right track to host top quality Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February 2010. The Commission was particularly pleased to see that VANOC’s participation in the IOC’s Beijing 2008 Observer’s Programme had had a positive impact on its planning and that the Games legacy remains a top priority for the next Olympic Games organisers.

Commenting on the visit, IOC Coordination Commission Chairman René Fasel said, “With the Beijing Games now over, it is Vancouver 2010’s turn to step into the spotlight and I am confident that Vancouver 2010 can also raise the bar for the Olympic Winter Games. Our Canadian friends learned many important lessons during their stay in Beijing as part of the IOC’s Observer’s Programme, and this can be seen in their planning, which is being fine-tuned as VANOC moves into its operational phase.”

During its visit, the Commission had the opportunity to review the venues in the Whistler area, which will host the skiing and sliding sports as well as the athletes’ village. Fasel commented, “The competition venues in Whistler are truly spectacular and will provide a fantastic back drop for the athletes, as they strive for sporting excellence. It is particularly reassuring to see that they are all largely complete and are already being used. Indeed, as VANOC starts to test them, and all of its other Games-time arenas, with its 17 up-coming sport events, it will be a fantastic opportunity for the athletes to get a feel for what awaits them in 2010 and for the public to experience many sports and disciplines that may not be familiar to them.”

The Olympic Games are more than just 16 days of sporting competition, and this was underlined by two announcements made during the visit that will undoubtedly produce positive legacies from the Vancouver Games. On Tuesday 21 October, the Province of British Columbia and VANOC announced an initiative to use temporary housing from the Whistler athletes’ village to help combat homelessness across British Columbia. Additionally, the IOC and VANOC, in close partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), announced the dates of next year’s 8th World Conference on Sport and the Environment, which will be held in Vancouver from 29 to 31 March 2009.

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.

At the end of its seventh visit to Vancouver, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission confirmed that the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC) continues to be on the right track to host top quality Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February 2010. The Commission was particularly pleased to see that VANOC’s participation in the IOC’s Beijing 2008 Observer’s Programme had had a positive impact on its planning and that the Games legacy remains a top priority for the next Olympic Games organisers.

Commenting on the visit, IOC Coordination Commission Chairman René Fasel said, “With the Beijing Games now over, it is Vancouver 2010’s turn to step into the spotlight and I am confident that Vancouver 2010 can also raise the bar for the Olympic Winter Games. Our Canadian friends learned many important lessons during their stay in Beijing as part of the IOC’s Observer’s Programme, and this can be seen in their planning, which is being fine-tuned as VANOC moves into its operational phase.”

He added, “While John Furlong and his team are in the process of finalising a number of key Games-time plans, such as transport, volunteers and staffing, which is normal for an Organising Committee at this stage, we feel that if they can quickly finish them over the coming few months, then they will be in a very good position going into their operational phase at the end of next year. It’s crucial though that no time is lost, because the Games are an immoveable deadline and the margin for error is greatly reduced as we get into the final year of preparations.”

During its visit, the Commission had the opportunity to review the venues in the Whistler area, which will host the skiing and sliding sports as well as the athletes’ village.

Fasel commented, “The competition venues in Whistler are truly spectacular and will provide a fantastic back drop for the athletes, as they strive for sporting excellence. It is particularly reassuring to see that they are all largely complete and are already being used. Indeed, as VANOC starts to test them, and all of its other Games-time arenas, with its 17 up-coming sport events, it will be a fantastic opportunity for the athletes to get a feel for what awaits them in 2010 and for the public to experience many sports and disciplines that may not be familiar to them.”

The Olympic Games are more than just 16 days of sporting competition, and this was underlined by two announcements made during the visit that will undoubtedly produce positive legacies from the Vancouver Games. On Tuesday 21 October, the Province of British Columbia and VANOC announced an initiative to use temporary housing from the Whistler athletes’ village to help combat homelessness across British Columbia. Additionally, the IOC and VANOC, in close partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), announced the dates of next year’s 8th World Conference on Sport and the Environment, which will be held in Vancouver from 29 to 31 March 2009.

Speaking about the importance of legacy, Fasel said, “The International Olympic Committee has long recognised the importance of planning for the post-Olympic legacy in host regions and that it is of great importance that organisers are sensitive to the social impact of the Olympic Games, and plan carefully to ensure that all sections of the community benefit from the Games legacy. This is particularly apparent here in Vancouver, where VANOC has created exceptionally strong partnerships with its local government partners and the Four Host First Nations (FHFNs), whose traditional lands will welcome the Games in 2010.”

“As we expected, the pace has increased after the Beijing Games and it requires our team to be able to respond quickly to change, particularly given the challenging economy,” said VANOC Chair Jack Poole. “In these circumstances the guidance and insights provided by the IOC are particularly valuable. We were proud this week to showcase to our partners and receive positive feedback on our sport venues and the legacies being created.”

“As always, our friends at the IOC ask great questions and stimulate important discussions. While this review has been extremely reassuring for our team, we must stay completely focused and not become complacent as we face the major operational challenges that lie ahead,” said VANOC CEO John Furlong.

During its meetings, the Commission also heard from VANOC about a number of other areas linked to Games organisation, such as sport, NOC services, technology, marketing, accommodation, transport and communications.

Today marks the registration launch for the 8th World Conference on Sport and the Environment (WCSE). The event will be held from 29 to 31 March 2009 in Vancouver, host of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Organised jointly by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC), in close partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the conference will bring together representatives of governmental and non-governmental institutions dealing with sport and the environment, the United Nations system, universities, as well as the Olympic Family.

Two conference tracks
Under the main theme, "Innovation and Inspiration", the 2009 World Conference on Sport and the Environment will focus on two conference tracks: Sport for Environmental Solutions and Sport for Sustainable Living. The conference will provide a timely opportunity for the global community to come together and recognise the progress being made in staging more sustainable sporting events; and to encourage cooperation and further development of environmental initiatives relating to sport. In addition to the conference, an "Innovation and Inspiration" exposition will showcase best practices by sport organisations, event organisers, host and bid cities, corporate sponsors and NGOs, all of whom promote sustainable living and development through sport.

Pushing for sustainable environmental legacies

“The environment is an important part of the work of the Olympic Movement, and we recognise there can be many opportunities for sport and the Olympic Games to provide sustainable environmental legacies,” said Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC. “The recent attention given to global warming has pushed sustainability to the very top of the agenda for governments, businesses and ordinary citizens. The Conference brings together the worlds of sport and environment to share knowledge and advance practices related to sport and its relationship with the environment and communities.”

First ever IOC Sport and Environment Award

The conference will also be the perfect platform to hand over the first ever IOC Awards for Sport and the Environment. These new, biennial awards, which will be given to a nominee from each of the five continents, recognise outstanding activities by the Olympic Family in the field of sustainable sport and the environment.

Save your place!
Save your place and register now on the dedicated conference website at www.wcse2009.com. Besides the registration section, the website offers extensive information on the programme, the exhibition, the organisers, side events, the venue and accommodation. Furthermore you can learn about the organisers’ efforts to make this event truly sustainable.

Today marks the registration launch for the 8th World Conference on Sport and the Environment (WCSE). The event will be held from 29 to 31 March 2009 in Vancouver, host of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Organised jointly by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC), in close partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the conference will bring together representatives of governmental and non-governmental institutions dealing with sport and the environment, the United Nations system, universities, as well as the Olympic Family.

Two conference tracks
Under the main theme, "Innovation and Inspiration", the 2009 World Conference on Sport and the Environment will focus on two conference tracks: Sport for Environmental Solutions and Sport for Sustainable Living. The conference will provide a timely opportunity for the global community to come together and recognise the progress being made in staging more sustainable sporting events; and to encourage cooperation and further development of environmental initiatives relating to sport. In addition to the conference, an "Innovation and Inspiration" exposition will showcase best practices by sport organisations, event organisers, host and bid cities, corporate sponsors and NGOs, all of whom promote sustainable living and development through sport.

Pushing for sustainable environmental legacies

“The environment is an important part of the work of the Olympic Movement, and we recognise there can be many opportunities for sport and the Olympic Games to provide sustainable environmental legacies,” said Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC. “The recent attention given to global warming has pushed sustainability to the very top of the agenda for governments, businesses and ordinary citizens. The Conference brings together the worlds of sport and environment to share knowledge and advance practices related to sport and its relationship with the environment and communities.”

First ever IOC Sport and Environment Award

The conference will also be the perfect platform to hand over the first ever IOC Awards for Sport and the Environment. These new, biennial awards, which will be given to a nominee from each of the five continents, recognise outstanding activities by the Olympic Family in the field of sustainable sport and the environment.

Save your place!
Save your place and register now on the dedicated conference website at www.wcse2009.com. Besides the registration section, the website offers extensive information on the programme, the exhibition, the organisers, side events, the venue and accommodation. Furthermore you can learn about the organisers’ efforts to make this event truly sustainable.

As from April 2009, the IOC Evaluation Commission will visit the four Candidate Cities bidding for the 2016 Olympic Games. The visits will be carried out by the Commission from 4 to 7 April in Chicago (USA), 16 to 19 April in Tokyo (Japan), 29 April to 2 May in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and 5 to 8 May in Madrid (Spain)*. The Commission will spend four days with each bid committee.

Key role for Evaluation Commission
Before going on the road to visit the cities, the Evaluation Commission will analyse the four Candidature Files due for submission to the IOC by 12 February 2009. Then during the visits to each city, the Commission will check the facts and figures of the Files, before issuing a report to be distributed not later than one month before the election of the host city to all the IOC members. The report will also be made public on www.olympic.org.

For the second time, after the 2012 Evaluation Commission, Nawal El Moutawakel, IOC Executive Board member and Olympic champion, will lead a team composed of representatives from the Olympic Movement and advisors: Ching-Kuo Wu (Chinese Taipei), Craig Reedie (Great Britain), Guy Drut (France), Mounir Sabet (Egypt), Alexander Popov (Russian Federation), Els van Breda Vriesman (Netherlands), Andrès Botero Phillipsbourne (Colombia), Gregory Hartung (Australia), Philippe Bovy (Switzerland), Simon Balderstone (Australia), Etienne Thobois (France) and IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli.

The election of the host city of the 2016 Games will take place on 2 October 2009 during the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen (Denmark). The Commission Chairwoman, Nawal El Moutawakel, will present a final report before the IOC members cast their votes until one city has obtained a majority.

* The order of the visits has been established based on logistical considerations to ensure the best travel arrangements for the Commission.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission will pay its seventh visit to Vancouver, the host city of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, this week and its first visit since the Canadian city became next in line to be Olympic host. The visit will also see the Commission pay a short trip to Whistler, which will be the site of a number of the events during the Games.

500 Days And Counting

With less than 500 days to go until the Vancouver Games begin, the Commission will be hearing from the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC) about its progress in a number of areas including sport, spectator experience, National Olympic Committee services and media services. Under the Chairmanship of IOC member René Fasel, the Commission will be looking to see that VANOC has learned the lessons from its observation of the Beijing Games and that as the upcoming sports events approach that VANOC’s move towards operations is well on track.

VANCOUVER 2010

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission will pay its seventh visit to Vancouver, the host city of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, this week and its first visit since the Canadian city became next in line to be Olympic host. The visit will also see the Commission pay a short trip to Whistler, which will be the site of a number of the events during the Games.

500 Days And Counting

With less than 500 days to go until the Vancouver Games begin, the Commission will be hearing from the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC) about its progress in a number of areas including sport, spectator experience, National Olympic Committee services and media services. Under the Chairmanship of IOC member René Fasel, the Commission will be looking to see that VANOC has learned the lessons from its observation of the Beijing Games and that as the upcoming sports events approach that VANOC’s move towards operations is well on track.

VANCOUVER 2010

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.

Who has not dreamed of one day imitating the people they have seen on television, slaloming down the Olympic ski runs, performing stunning flips and axel jumps or flying off the end of a ski jump? The chance to discover and try out these sports in the very place where the champions performed is exactly what Torino Olympic Park (TOP) is proposing, through its TOP School Project, to the children of Piedmont schools from October 2008 to March 2009, in collaboration with the Piedmont Region, the Province of Turin, the Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) and the winter sports federations.

In February 2006, the city of Turin hosted the Olympic Winter Games. These Games did not end after the 16 days of competition: they left an exciting legacy to the local population, not just through memories of sporting achievements, but also through sports facilities and knowledge. Many of the Olympic competition and training venues are now used to provide a magnificent sporting and educational legacy to Turin and the Piedmont region. Thus, some 10,000 children and young people of the region’s schools now have the chance to try an Olympic winter sport at the Olympic venues used by the champions they watched live or on television two years ago.

All the children (from kindergarten to secondary schools) will have the chance to discover the ice sports – figure skating, short track speed skating and even ice hockey, on the ice of the “Palazzetti” in Pinerolo and Torre Pellice and the Palavela in Turin. This year, the TOP project has also introduced the snow sports. Thus, the older children - from primary schools to secondary schools – can experience a ride in a bobsleigh, skeleton or luge on the track at Cesana San Sicario, learn about ski jumping in Pragelato, and try their hand at cross-country skiing and biathlon in Cesana.

Already looking to the future, the Torino Olympic Park has a new project called “Dream 2014”. As its name indicates, this project aims to offer to these youngsters the opportunity to take their sporting experience to higher levels and do like the champions they admire: fulfil their dreams by representing their country at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games.

TOP School Project: Winter Sports Enter the Schools

Visit the official website of the Torino 2006 Olympic Park www.torinolympicpark.org

Sergey Bubka, IOC Member and Olympian, made sure an official Beijing 2008 Olympic torch found a new home today amid the extensive Olympic memorabilia on display at the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, USA.

The Beijing Olympic torch joins a collection of Olympic memorabilia that includes seven other Olympic torches, thousands of Olympic-themed pins and artefacts dating as far back as the 1928 Olympic Games, all commemorating the 80-year partnership between Worldwide TOP Partner Coca-Cola and the Olympic Games.

Sergey Bubka, President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, also holds the world record (6.15 metres) in pole vaulting and is a six-time World Champion and Olympic gold medal winner in the event. He attended the ceremony which was directed by Philip Mooney, Director of Heritage Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, who serves as the official archivist of the company.

“Coca-Cola has always embodied the shared optimism and inspiration that is so central to the Olympic Movement,” said Bubka. “Thank you to Coca-Cola for playing such a critical role as a sponsor and representing the spirit of the Games and its enduring traditions so well for the past 80 years.”

The Coca-Cola Company has been involved in eight Olympic Torch Relays over the years”, said Mooney. “These Torch Relays bring the excitement of the Olympic Games to people directly, and we continue to share that spirit today by giving visitors to the World of Coca-Cola an opportunity to see a real Olympic torch up close. This is also part of our vision of continually refreshing the attraction so that our guests have a unique experience every time they visit.”

Some 1,055 athletes, representing 9.6% of all athletes participating in the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing, had to be treated for an injury. This is the overall outcome of a study carried out for the first time by the IOC during the Olympic Games based on data provided by physicians or physiotherapists responsible for 92 national teams.

Lower extremity injuries top injuries list
More than half (55%) of the injuries affected the lower extremity, 20% the upper extremity, 15% the trunk and 10% the head. The most common diagnoses were thigh strain and ankle sprains. About a quarter of injuries were incurred during training, 74% in competition. One third of the injuries were caused by contact with another player, followed by overuse (22%) and non-contact incidences (20%).

All disciplines
Injuries in competitions were reported from all disciplines; time-loss injuries from all disciplines except canoe flatwater, diving, sailing and synchronised swimming. In relation to the number of registered athletes, the risk of incurring an injury was highest in taekwondo, football, hockey, handball, weightlifting and boxing (all 15% of the athletes).

Important task of the IOC
The protection of the Olympic athletes’ health by preventing injuries is an important task for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Standardised assessment of sports injuries provides not only important epidemiological information, but also direction for injury prevention, and the opportunity for monitoring long-term changes in the frequency and circumstances of injury. Therefore, the IOC decided for the first time to record and analyse all athlete injuries incurred in competition and/or training during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Study group
The group carrying out this study was composed of Prof. Lars Engebretsen (IOC), Prof. Jiri Dvorak (FIFA, F-MARC), Dr Astrid Junge (FMARC), Prof. Per Renström (IOC), Dr Margo Mountjoy (IOC, FINA), Dr Juan Manuel Alonso (IAAF), Dr Mark Aubry, (IOC, IIHF), Agnès Gaillard (IOC, administration). The authors highly appreciate the cooperation of all NOC and IF physicians as well as the medical staff of the Beijing Olympic Games who volunteered their time to collect the data for this important project. A more detailed analysis will be published in a sports medical journal, and this publication will be distributed to all NOCs, the participating team physicians and International Sports Federations.

The IOC intends to further analyse the samples collected this summer during the Olympic Games in Beijing. Substances that will be analysed across all sports include EPO CERA.

All samples are currently being repatriated to the WADA-accredited laboratory in Lausanne where Olympic samples are usually stored after the Games. The details of the procedure, such as the number of samples to be further analysed and the timeline, are currently being discussed with WADA.

As part of its zero-tolerance policy against doping, the IOC is storing samples collected during the Olympic Games for eight years. This allows the IOC to analyse samples retroactively should fully validated tests to detect new substances/methods become available.

"Our message is very clear. The IOC will not miss any opportunity to further analyse samples retroactively. We hope that this will work as a strong deterrent and make athletes think twice before cheating," said IOC President Jacques Rogge.

Some 4,770 doping tests were carried out in Beijing in the framework of the largest ever testing programme for an Olympic Games. The tests included 3,801 urine and 969 blood tests. Urine tests included 817 EPO tests, and blood tests covered 471 human Growth Hormone (hGH) tests. All the tests covered the 29-day period from 27 July until 24 August 2008. Athletes qualified for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were tested by the World Anti-Doping Agency and BOCOG under the authority of the IOC. As a general rule, all top five finishers, plus a further two, were tested.

The IOC intends to further analyse the samples collected this summer during the Olympic Games in Beijing. Substances that will be analysed across all sports include EPO CERA.

All samples are currently being repatriated to the WADA-accredited laboratory in Lausanne where Olympic samples are usually stored after the Games. The details of the procedure, such as the number of samples to be further analysed and the timeline, are currently being discussed with WADA.

As part of its zero-tolerance policy against doping, the IOC is storing samples collected during the Olympic Games for eight years. This allows the IOC to analyse samples retroactively should fully validated tests to detect new substances/methods become available.

"Our message is very clear. The IOC will not miss any opportunity to further analyse samples retroactively. We hope that this will work as a strong deterrent and make athletes think twice before cheating," said IOC President Jacques Rogge.

Some 4,770 doping tests were carried out in Beijing in the framework of the largest ever testing programme for an Olympic Games. The tests included 3,801 urine and 969 blood tests. Urine tests included 817 EPO tests, and blood tests covered 471 human Growth Hormone (hGH) tests. All the tests covered the 29-day period from 27 July until 24 August 2008. Athletes qualified for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were tested by the World Anti-Doping Agency and BOCOG under the authority of the IOC. As a general rule, all top five finishers, plus a further two, were tested.

For winter sports fans across the world, the road to Vancouver 2010 is now well and truly underway with the opening of ticket sales for this next edition of the Olympic Winter Games. The first phase of ticket sales for the Canadian public runs from 3 October 2008 till 7 November 2008, while fans outside Canada should contact their local National Olympic Committee (NOC) or its official ticket agent for more details on ticket availability in their territory.

Canada

As the host population for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Canadian residents have a great opportunity to be able to witness first hand the Winter Games on home soil. Canadians will be able to buy tickets in a number of different ways from the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC). The best place to start creating your experience is by checking out VANOC’s website, where you can learn all about the different options that are available to you if you live in Canada. The best part is that you don’t even have to rush: phase one will run until 7 November 2008, and requests received on 6 November will be weighted equally with requests received early in October, so pick your events, create your own personal experience and come along and join the fun.

Worldwide

For sports fans outside Canada, tickets will go on sale at different times in different territories as of 3 October 2008. The best way to find out about getting tickets where you are is by contacting your local NOC or its official ticket agent. You can get more information about the Games themselves and about visiting Canada at Vancouver2010.com. Speaking on the day of the ticketing launch in Canada, VANOC CEO John Furlong said, “Canadians can’t wait to welcome the world with glowing hearts, and we invite everyone to join us in what is sure to be a spectacular celebration of culture, winter sport and incredible athletic achievement.”

Ticket Sources

Fans are reminded that only tickets purchased from or obtained through official/authorised sources will enable entry to venues. Detailed information on official/authorised ticket sources, in particular a list of authorised ticket resellers (in Canada and internationally), is available on the official Vancouver 2010 ticketing website. Fans who have purchased or obtained tickets from unofficial or unauthorised sources run the risk of having those tickets cancelled, being refused entry and/or being asked to leave the venue without receiving a refund or qualifying for an exchange of ticket. Neither the International Olympic Committee nor VANOC nor any NOC may be held liable for any consequence (such as, without limitation, any loss or damage) related to a ticket purchased from or obtained through an unauthorised or unofficial source.

VANCOUVER 2010

Vancouver and Whistler will host the XXI Olympic Winter Games from 12 to 28 February 2010 and the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from 12 to 21 March 2010. The seven Winter Olympic sports that will be on show in Vancouver are Luge, Skiing, Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Bobsleigh and Curling.

Copenhagen has today launched the logo for the 13th Olympic Congress and the 121st IOC Session, to take place in the Danish Capital in October 2009. IOC President Jacques Rogge, who attended the ceremony at the world famous Tivoli Garden, expressed his high appreciation for the logo: “The slogan of the 13th Congress ‘Taking the pulse’ is nicely reflected in the logo and shows how vital the Olympic Movement is. The red heart also stands of course for the cordial Danish population and the commitment with which the Organising Committee is organising this event.”

The role of sport in society
President Rogge underlined in his short address the role sport and the Olympic Movement play in society. “Sport has played, plays and will always play, an important role worldwide.” According to Rogge, the IOC and all other members of the Olympic Movement will seize the opportunity of the 13th Congress in Copenhagen to demonstrate what has already been achieved in this field, that the Movement is committed to fully playing its role and that it is taking up every challenge in order to set the bar even higher.

The important role of Olympic Congresses
Previous Congresses have led the Movement into new eras and set the tone for the years to come:

What can we expect from the Copenhagen Congress?
Under the umbrella of the overall theme “The Olympic Movement in Society”, the Copenhagen Congress will look closely at five main themes:

- Olympic Games,

- Athletes,

- the structure of the Movement,

- Olympism and Youth and

- the digital revolution

The outcome of the Congress will spur on the Olympic Movement to strengthen its social responsibility and to become an even more active player in society.

Danish Year of Sport
Denmark is adding an important layer to the Congress by Organising the Danish Year of Sport. “All the events organised in the framework of that project are the best illustration for the place of the Olympic Movement in Society” said President Rogge.

Learn more about the Olympic Congress in Copenhagen