|
International Olympic Committee
|
| The International Olympic
Committee is the supreme authority of the Olympic Movement. |
|
Organisation:
|
|
 The
International Olympic Committee was founded on 23 June 1894 by the
French educator Baron Pierre de Coubertin who was inspired to revive
the Olympic
Games of Greek antiquity. The IOC is an international non- governmental
non-profit
organisation and the creator of the Olympic Movement. The IOC exists
to serve as
an umbrella organisation of the Olympic Movement. It owns all rights
to the Olympic
symbols, flag, motto, anthem and Olympic Games. Its primary responsibility
is to
supervise the organisation of the summer and winter Olympic Games.
Mission of the International
Olympic Committee
|
The International Olympic Committee is the supreme authority of the
Olympic Movement. Its role is to promote
top-level sport as well as sport for all in accordance with the Olympic
Charter. It ensures the regular celebration
of the Olympic Games and strongly encourages, by appropriate means,
the promotion of women in sport, that of
sports ethics and the protection of athletes. The IOC is composed
of a maximum of 115 co-opted members
( however until 31 December 2003, the total number of IOC members
may reach 130 ) who meet in Session at
least once a year. The Session elects a President for a term of eight
years, renewable once for four years, and
Executive Board members for terms of four years. By retaining all
rights relating to the organisation, marketing,
broadcasting and reproduction of the Olympic Games, the IOC ensures
the continuity of a unique and universal
event. The Olympic Movement receives most of its funding from the
Olympic Games rights bought by broadcast
networks. However, it also benefits from the Olympic Partners world-wide
sponsorship programme (TOP)
comprising multinational companies. |
|
Revolution of
its structure
|
Following the corruption
allegations made in December 1998 against the Bid 
Committee for the XIX Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City in 2002,
IOC
President Samaranch immediately appointed a Commission to gather evidence.
Six weeks later, the IOC published the results of its inquiry and
recommended to
the Session that the members involved be punished. The crisis resulted
in four
resignations, six expulsions and ten official warnings. This crisis
showed the IOC
members how much they needed to modernise their institution. This
was
undertaken in a very short space of time, with radical decisions taken
during 1999: |
|
 |
- Procedure for electing candidate
cities for 2006 amended and visits by IOC
members to candidate cities
abolished.
- 15 active Olympic athletes, elected by their peers at the Olympic
Games.
- Creation of a Nominations Commission for IOC membership.
- Mandate of IOC Members to last eight years, renewable through re-election.
- IOC to have a maximum of 115 members.
- Presidential mandate limited to eight years, renewable once for
four years.
- 15 members to come from IFs, 15 from the NOCs and 70 other as individual
members.
- Age limit lowered to 70.
- Creation of the IOC Ethics Commission.
- Creation of the World Anti-Doping Agency.
- Greater financial transparency through the publication of financial
reports on the
sources and use of the Olympic Movement's income.
- IOC Session opened to the media for the first time. |
|
