IOC Debriefing transfers knowledge from Beijing to London
November 28, 2008
The IOC completed yesterday its week-long review of the Beijing 2008 Games to ensure that London and other Games Organising Committees benefit from the lessons learned in Beijing. The IOC Official Debriefing of the Beijing 2008 Games examined all planning and operational aspects of the Beijing Games to highlight best practices, as well as the challenges that were encountered.
Distinct Personality
“We’re delighted that the Olympic Games are returning to Great Britain, the birthplace of modern sport,” IOC President Jacques Rogge said. “Every Olympic Games has a distinct personality. The successful Games in Beijing were unique in many ways. London has its own unique assets that will ensure the success of the 2012 Games as well.” Rogge has made knowledge transfer a top priority during his tenure as IOC President. “The 2008 Games set new standards for organisation, venues and athletic performances, but we can always improve,” Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli said. “I’m confident that the London organisers will host a first-class event with a uniquely British atmosphere.”
Beijing Debriefing
Bringing together around 900 participants, the IOC Official Debriefing of the Beijing 2008 Games took place from 24 to 27 November 2008 in London. This event, which was attended by members of the Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014 Organising Committees (OCOGs), as well as representatives of the 2016 Candidate Cities and other Games stakeholders, gave these future Games organisers the chance to learn from the experience and knowledge gained by their Beijing counterparts during their seven years of preparation. Comprising two plenary sessions, eight stakeholder sessions and 18 functional area workshops, the event looked at the planning, operational and technical elements of organising an Olympic Games, such as sport, accommodation, transport, culture, education and logistics. The debriefing also addressed the various stakeholders’ experience of groups at the Games like athletes, spectators, workforce and the media. A full technology debrief of the Games was also held in London from 20 to 22 November 2008.
The OGKM Programme
The Beijing Debriefing is a key component of the IOC’s Olympic Games Knowledge Management (OGKM) programme, which consists of three main sources: services, personal experience and information. The services include workshops, seminars and a network of experts with Games experience on a range of Olympic topics that the OCOGs are able to call upon throughout their lifecycle. The OCOGs are also able to gain personal experience on Games preparations and operations through the Games-time observers’ programme, the official Games Debriefing and a secondment programme, which allows staff members from future OCOGs to work on the current edition of the Olympic Games. The final element of OGKM is information, which includes elements like the Official Games Report, technical manuals, knowledge reports, a range of useful documents and publications and the IOC’s visual transfer of knowledge of photos and films. All this information is available to the OCOGs through an extranet that is managed by the IOC.
Conversation, not “preaching”, key to winning youth says President
November 28, 2008
IOC President Jacques Rogge has spoken in London on the role of the Olympic Movement in getting young people to lead physically active, healthy lifestyles, and the impact of the global credit crunch on the Olympic Games.
Giving the second annual de Coubertin Lecture to an audience of leading figures from the worlds of sport, arts and culture, the President said that it was “vital” that the Olympic Movement focuses on getting young people around the world into sport: “I believe that catching the sports bug simply helps you cope with life better. It encourages you to value yourself, and your body. It equips you for learning, and improves your ability to think and create.”
Hooking young people on sport
Giving the second annual de Coubertin Lecture to an audience of leading figures from the worlds of sport, arts and culture, the President said that it was “vital” that the Olympic Movement focuses on getting young people around the world into sport: “I believe that catching the sports bug simply helps you cope with life better. It encourages you to value yourself, and your body. It equips you for learning, and improves your ability to think and create.”
Hooking young people on sport
Presented by London 2012 in conjunction with the Royal Society of Arts and the British Olympic Foundation, the de Coubertin lecture is a landmark opportunity to promote the role of Olympism in society. The President used the event, on the eve of the Beijing Debrief, to link the UK’s proud Olympic history with the chance the 2012 Games provides to address inequalities in society.
Increased physical activity was vital if younger generations were to avoid the health consequences of a “sitting down” lifestyle said the President. “British children spend 5 hours and 20 minutes a day glued to a screen. Young people are playing sport less, they are spending more time in cars, and the consequence is more obesity and greater problems.”
Technology’s challenge and opportunity
Increased physical activity was vital if younger generations were to avoid the health consequences of a “sitting down” lifestyle said the President. “British children spend 5 hours and 20 minutes a day glued to a screen. Young people are playing sport less, they are spending more time in cars, and the consequence is more obesity and greater problems.”
Technology’s challenge and opportunity
It was vital to use the digital revolution to inspire more young people to take up sport and become active. “New technologies present a challenge, but they also give us new opportunities to engage and interact. On the internet today, people don’t simply sit passively watching content – they create it and share it.”
London’s imaginative logo and adventurous cultural and sporting initiatives showed that they understood this, said the President. “London’s vision places sport and athletes at the heart of the Games,” said the President, but puts a strong focus on “engaging young people, culture and education.”
Credit crunch
London’s imaginative logo and adventurous cultural and sporting initiatives showed that they understood this, said the President. “London’s vision places sport and athletes at the heart of the Games,” said the President, but puts a strong focus on “engaging young people, culture and education.”
Credit crunch
The President added that the world was going through “difficult times” economically, but that the Olympic Games “had survived difficult times before. They have survived and thrived because of what they mean to people all over the world.” The success of Beijing put the Olympic Movement on a sound footing to deal with the challenges of the coming years, and future organisers were well prepared, he added.
Discover President Rogge’s speech (PDF)
Discover President Rogge’s speech (PDF)Vancouver 2010 Launches Olympic Torch Relay Route
November 28, 2008
The Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee (VANOC) has announced its Olympic Torch Relay route. After arriving in Canada, the Olympic flame’s journey will see it travel from coast to coast to coast beginning its journey in Victoria, British Columbia, before arriving at the Opening Ceremony of the Games 106 days later in Vancouver. The flame will start its journey in Canada on 30 October 2009 after the traditional lighting ceremony is held in Olympia, Greece.
Building The Excitement And Expectation
Building The Excitement And Expectation
Commenting on the Relay, IOC President Jacques Rogge said, “The Olympic Torch Relay holds a unique place in people’s hearts. It not only marks the final countdown to the Games, building the excitement and expectation of people across the host nation and world as it winds its way towards the host city, but it also carries with it a message of peace and hope, transmitting the Olympic spirit to all who come out and celebrate its journey.” He continued, “We wish the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay well and are sure that by reaching the vast majority of Canadians and by allowing the world to see Canada and its people at their finest, that the Vancouver 2010 Relay will leave a lasting legacy to Canada and the Olympic Movement as a whole.”
45,000km
45,000km
The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay will travel over 45,000 kilometres within Canada, travelling 1,000 by water, 18,000 kilometres in the air and 26,000 kilometres on land. This journey will see the flame touch 1,000 communities and pass within a one-hour drive of more than 90 per cent of the Canadian population. The Relay is expected to travel to some remarkable and iconic locations on its journey, including the former Olympic host cities of Montreal and Calgary, aboriginal communities and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The flame will even get to within 900 kilometres of the North Pole, when it stops in Alert, Nunavut. More information on the route can be found at www.vancouver2010.com.
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.
Vancouver 2010: Women’s ice hockey teams already known
November 11, 2008
With fewer than 500 days to go until the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, the eight women’s ice hockey teams which will be taking part in the Olympic tournament in February 2010 are already known. The last two places were allocated at the Olympic qualifying competitions in Bad Tölz (Germany) and Shanghai (China). The Slovak and Chinese players will join their American, Canadian, Finnish, Russian, Swedish and Swiss counterparts, who had already qualified.
13 to 25 February 2010
From 13 to 25 February, Canada Hockey Place and the UBC Thunderbird Arena will be hosting the competitions for the two Olympic tournament groups and deciding which team will succeed Canada.
Group A: Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and Slovakia
Group B: USA, Finland, Russia and China
Group B: USA, Finland, Russia and China
The final schedule for the women’s competition will be known by the end of December 2008 or early January 2009, as with the men’s tournament.
Three men’s places left
In the men’s tournament, we shall have to wait until February 2009 to know the names of the last three teams going to Vancouver with their American, Canadian, Belarusian, Finnish, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Swiss and Czech counterparts.
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