Olympic Newsletter

N° 957 15 JULY 2011 www.olympic.org actualites@olympic.org

IOC ACTIVITIES IOC PRESIDENT This week, IOC President Jacques Rogge has been in Tokyo (Japan) where he has attended the General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), whose President is IOC member Sheik Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah.

President Rogge will also take part in several th ceremonies commemorating the 100 anniversary of the Japanese Olympic Committee. This Friday, during a symposium, he will give a talk about the Olympic values. The following day he will speak at a ceremony attended the Emperor and Empress of Japan, whom he will meet shortly beforehand.

From Tokyo, President Rogge will go to Shanghai (People’s Republic of China) to th attend the 14 World Swimming Championships. More on this next week.

MEMBERS Sheik Ahmad Al-Fahad AlSabah was re-elected as th President of the OCA at its 30 General Assembly on 14 July 2011. He has been President of the OCA since 1991.

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graphic works on the theme of “Sport and the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect”. An international jury, to be set up by the IOC’s Commission for Culture and Olympic Education and which will include art experts and academics from all continents, will select three winners in each category (sculptures and graphic works) in June 2012. Read more at www.olympic.org (Media section).

The winner of the competition launched by the IOC on YouTube for Olympic Day, who has won a trip to the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 2012, has been named as Sascha Straub. The young German won the competition with a stunning video filmed during a bike trial event in Nuremberg. The IOC had invited people to submit videos of themselves celebrating Olympic Day to YouTube. The competitions launched on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter together attracted over 30,000 entries. See the video at www.olympic.org.

INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FEDERATIONS SUMMER IFS

Today, 15 July, marks less than one month th remaining to sign up for the 14 World Conference on Sport for All, which will be held from 20 to 23 September 2011 in Beijing (People’s Republic of China). This edition will be devoted to implementing Sport for All programmes. Registration and more information at www.sportforall2011.org.

The International Rowing Federation (FISA) has informed us that the 2011 Thomas Keller Medal has been awarded to Estonian rowing legend Jueri Jaanson, who has won five World Championship medals and taken part in six Olympic Games. At the 2004 Games, he won a silver medal in the single sculls event, followed by another silver four years later in Beijing in the double sculls. Jaanson retired after the 2009 World Championships in Poznan (Poland), 23 years after making his debut in international sport.

Read the press release at www.worldrowing.com.

In the run-up to the London 2012 Games, the th IOC has just launched the 4 edition of its Art and Sport Contest. Artists from all countries that have a recognised NOC can participate by entering either sculptures or

The World Swimming Championships are taking place from 16 to 31 July in Shanghai.

The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has announced that record participation will be set

OTHER NEWS

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for this occasion. Indeed, no fewer than 181 nations have entered competitors, compared to 172 in Rome for the previous edition in 2009. In terms of athletes, these Championships - the first in history to have qualifying standard times in swimming – will be attended by around 2,220 competitors. The images will be broadcast in high definition by Chinese broadcaster CCTV in over 190 territories. More info at www.fina.org.

In a press release, the International Softball Federation (ISF) informed us of a five-day playing clinic organised in St Thomas and St Croix. Organised by the Virgin Islands Softball Federation in collaboration with the Housing, Parks and Recreation Department and the NOC, this clinic attracted about 50 female softball pitchers. The ISF had sent Liz Kelly, head coach of the Dutch Olympic softball team in 2008. Info at www.ISFSoftball.com.

WINTER IFS th

At its recent 59 Congress in Berlin (Germany), the International Luge Federation (FIL) took a number of decisions. These included awarding Sigulda (Latvia) the 2015 World Championships, th and Riga (Latvia) the organisation of the 60 FIL Congress; and recognition of Tonga as an FIL member. The FIL how has 49 member federations. More info at www.fil-luge.org.

The International Ski Federation (FIS) has announced the death of Mika Myllylä on 5 July in Kokkola (Finland). Aged 41, Mika Myllylä was one of the most successful Finnish skiers. All in all, he won 15 Olympic and world championship medals in Nordic skiing and won 10 World Cups. After his sports career, he became a technical delegate for the FIS. Read the press release at www.fis-ski.com.

RECOGNISED IFS The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) has appointed Séphane Desprez as Deputy CEO. He will join the FIM in October 2011 before taking up the position of current CEO Guy Maître, who will retire in early January 2012. Stéphane Desprez joined the 2007 Rugby World Cup Organising Committee in 2004 as Head of Planning and later joined the Executive Committee as Competitions Director. He was appointed Secretary General of the International Aeronautics Federation (FAI) in January 2010.

In addition, Neville E. Goss, FIM Honorary Deputy President, died on 9 July at the age of 93. He entered the FIM at its Congress in 1971 as a member of the International Technical Commission. More details at www.fim-live.com.

The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has informed us that the first World Championships will take place from 15 to 24 July 2011 in Arco (Italy). These championships will be broadcast live on RAI Sport, with over 10 hours of action. More into at www.ifsc-climbing.org.

NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES The Australian NOC has signed a cooperation agreement with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to strengthen their preparations for the Sochi 2014 and in Rio 2016 Games. The presidents of the two NOCs, John Coates and Larry Probst respectively, signed this agreement in Durban (South Africa) on 6 July. The points addressed in this agreement include organising athlete and coaching exchanges; exchanging information on the education and development of coaches, technical officials and sports administrators; exchanging information on the fight against doping and irregular and illegal sports betting; and sharing information on event management and marketing. Read the press release at www.olympics.com.au.

The Colombian NOC has just launched its social networking strategy, entitled “Colombia in London 2012”. This launch was made in collaboration with the British Ambassador in Bogotá and the Colombian Paralympic Committee. By following the NOC on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr, you Page 2/4

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can access all the information on the Olympic Games, the activities of the NOC and the Embassy, and also interact with the athletes who will represent Colombia at the London Games. Info at www.coc.org.co.

An exhibition is currently paying tribute to Ecuadorian race walker Jefferson Pérez th (photo), on the 15 anniversary of his winning gold at the Atlanta 1996 Games. This exhibition is running in the library at the Ecuadorian NOC’s headquarters. Produced by the Alberto Jurado González Library, the Alberto Jarrín Jaramillo Museum and the Ecuadorian Olympic Philately Association, the exhibition is displaying publications, articles, stamps, images of the athlete in Atlanta and Beijing, items produced in his honour, stories, etc. Info at www.ecuadorcoe.org.ec.

Spanish NOC President Alejandro Blanco (left) and the President of the SEK Educational Institute, Nieves Segovia (right), have signed a cooperation agreement to promote and improve university training for Spanish athletes. With an initial duration of four years, this agreement will give the students the possibility of taking training that is personalised and flexible as regards timetables and exams. A personalised assistance system will be put in place to get round the problem of absences resulting from training or competitions. More info at www.coe.es.

In Durban last week, the USOC signed bilateral cooperation agreements with the Australian (see above) and German NOCs as well as the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA).

Each agreement covers areas of formal cooperation

and aims to strengthen the worldwide Olympic Movement through athlete and coach exchanges; sharing information and organisational best practices; and an overarching commitment to friendship and understanding.

In addition, with over 350 events organised in each of the country’s states (see photo), Olympic Day saw its greatest success in the USOC’s history.

Info and photos at www.teamusa.org.

RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS In a recent press release, the International Association of Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) announced the awarding for the first time of an IOC/IPC/IAKS Architecture and Design Award for Students and Young Professionals. This award commends innovative approaches to sports, leisure and recreational facilities. This competition is aimed at architects and designers who are still students or at the start of their career. As regards participation, a total of 28 candidatures have been received from 13 countries in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The awards ceremony will take place on 26 October 2011 nd during the 22 IAKS Congress. Read the press release on www.iaks.org.

The International Academy of Sports Science and Technology (AISTS) has just announced the creation of a Global Sports Development Scholarship, for one AISTS MSA participant of the 2012 edition. This Master’s is co-managed by the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL), the Universities of Lausanne and Geneva and the Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration (IDHEAP).

The Foundation for Global Sports Development (GSD) is an international organisation which supports programmes to promote sportsmanship, education, fair play and ethics among the world's sports enthusiasts. More info at www.aists.org.

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nd

The 22 SPORTEL Symposium, the international meeting of sport, TV and mew media, will take place from 10 to 13 October 2011 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. The main theme will be “Smart TV: added value for sport?” Information and registration on www.sportelmonaco.com.

IMPRINT N° 957 15 JULY 2011 A publication of the

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