Tuesday, February 28, 2012

London Olympic Highlights of the Week


IOC Announces Olympic Highlights of the Week


This weekend, IOC President Jacques Rogge will be in Lusaka (Zambia), where he will visit the Olympic Youth Development Centre, accompanied by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his Special Advisor on Sport for Development and Peace, Wilfried Lemke.

(PRWEB) February 24, 2012
This weekend, IOC President Jacques Rogge will be in Lusaka (Zambia), where he will visit the Olympic Youth Development Centre, accompanied by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his Special Advisor on Sport for Development and Peace, Wilfried Lemke.
President Rogge will be accompanied on this occasion by IOC Vice-President Thomas Bach; African IOC Executive Board (EB) members Nawal El Moutawakel and Sam Ramsamy; the President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), Lassana Palenfo; and the IOC member in Zambia, Patrick Chamunda.
The delegation will also visit the Fountain of Hope centre where UNICEF is running a project focusing on the rehabilitation of street children and out-of-school children and young people through sport. This project is part of the “International Inspiration” programme, the official legacy programme of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The IOC President will also meet the President of the Republic of Zambia, Michael Sata.
MEMBERS
Mario Pescante has announced that he is stepping down from his position as IOC Vice-President. This resignation will come into force at the Olympic Games in London this summer.
Andrés Botero Philipsbourne has been appointed as Director of Colombian sports institute Coldeportes. On the occasion of this appointment, the members of the Colombian NOC Executive Board paid tribute to him through an audio and video montage retracing his career as an athlete and sports leader.
COMMISSIONS 
As announced last week, the 5th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport, chaired by Anita L. DeFrantz, ended with the unanimous approval of the Los Angeles Declaration by more than 800 delegates from 135 countries. This declaration aims to promote parity between men and women in sport and to use sport as a tool to improve women’s status throughout the world. Organised jointly by the IOC, the United States Olympic Committee and the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games, the theme of this Conference was “Together Stronger: The Future of Sport”.
INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FEDERATIONS
SUMMER IFS
On 20 February, 64 boxers and 14 boxing coaches started their journey to London 2012 by taking part in the first International Boxing Association (AIBA) “Road to London” training camp. This camp, which will be held in Cardiff (Wales) until 10 March, is part of AIBA’s “Road to Dream” programme which allows athletes and coaches from developing countries to participate in two-week training camps. AIBA will invite all the boxers qualified for the 2012 Games to a second camp which will take place in Cardiff from 5 to 24 July.
The 122nd Aerobic Gymnastics (Level 3) Academy took place recently in Cali (Colombia). This was the first time that this event had taken place on the American continent. Thirteen coaches from seven Hispanic member federations of the Pan-American Gymnastics Union (PAGU) took part. The delegates included Hardy Fink, the Director of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Education and Academy Programmes.
The first International Swimming Federation (FINA) School for Swimming Officials of 2012 was held in Tunis (Tunisia) on 11 and 12 February. Some 30 participants listened to lectures given by Søren Korbo, FINA Technical Committee Honorary Secretary, and Olugbenga Lawal, FINA Technical Committee member. The objectives of this programme include increasing the number of officials, enhancing the quality of officiating and creating uniform interpretation and application of rules across all aquatic disciplines, thus raising the quality of refereeing. The next classes will take place in St Petersburg (Russian Federation), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Johannesburg (South Africa).
The International Triathlon Union (ITU) has announced the names of the 42 technical delegates who will officiate at the London 2012 triathlon competition. These officials come from 25 different countries, which is a new record (three more countries than for the previous Games in Beijing).
WINTER IFS
We have learnt through an International Ski Federation (FIS) press release that, for the first time in the history of skiing, Turkey will host a World Championship skiing competition. From 19 to 26 February, the world’s best Nordic junior athletes and under-23 cross-country skiers will compete in the Turkish resort of Erzurum, which hosted the Winter Universiade last year. A total of 35 teams have been entered for this international competition. Furthermore, the “Marc Hodler” Trophy, which is named after the former FIS President, will be awarded to the most successful team across the three disciplines of cross-country skiing, ski jumping and Nordic combined.
NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President of the German NOC Thomas Bach, who is also an IOC Vice-President, recently presented the Sport for All Trophies in Berlin (Germany). The “Stars of Sport” trophy was awarded to the Märkische Turngemeinde Essen-Horst association for its “United Sports” programme for children and young people. This association shows how sport, linked with social education, can bring together people from different cultural backgrounds in an exemplary way. The SV Ahorn 1910 sports club, represented by its President, Klaus Leonhardt, also received a trophy for its integrative approach, offering mixed training groups for the disabled and the able-bodied.
We have just learnt that, at the Plenary Session of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC), which was held at the end of December, COC President Liu Peng handed over the 2011 IOC “Sport and Social Responsibility” Trophy to the Beijing Sport University, represented by its President, Yang Hua. Also featuring on the agenda of this session were the NOC’s work in 2011 and preparations for the Games in London.
Last week in Cali, the “Building the Dream for London 2012” project was launched. The objective of this project is to familiarise the Colombian delegation to the London 2012 Games with the English language and culture. It includes numerous joint initiatives with the Colombian NOC, the British Embassy and the British Council. The personalities attending the launch ceremony included Ambassador John Dew and NOC President Baltazar Medina. Furthermore, the NOC and the Colombian Association of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation Faculties (Arcofader) signed an agreement, joining forces for research and innovation training.
In Singapore, the Tote Board organisation has been awarded the 2011 IOC “Sport and Social Responsibility” Trophy. Teo Chee Hean, the Deputy Prime Minister and President of the NOC of Singapore, presented the trophy to Bobby Chin, Chairman of Tote Board, in the presence of Ser Miang Ng, IOC Vice-President. Tote Board has made a great contribution to sports development, building sports facilities and financing sports programmes.
For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team.

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