The staging of the Olympic Games face a new world order IOC President Thomas Bach is warning the sports federations that deliver the competition. Bach spoke in Lausanne at the general assembly for the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations.
The IOC president mentioned the coronavirus pandemic, the war by Russia against Ukraine and soaring inflation as factors shaping the Olympics and the business of the Games.
Bach told federation leaders to prepare for “revenue to decline in a significant way” as sport deals with the changing conditions ahead.
Bach said that as the 2024 Paris Olympics approach, federations will need to follow the example set in the lead-up to pandemic-postponed Tokyo 2020. Bach praised the federations for their cooperation and collaboration in Tokyo. The same will be needed in Paris he says, even with the ebbing of the pandemic possibly by then.
“Tight financial restraints” is how ASOIF president Francesco Ricci Bitti described the situation to the assembly. Nonetheless, he says all the federations should have received their full share of the $540 million in revenue from Tokyo 2020. That number is the same amount available from the 2016 Games in Rio. Whether Paris is able to nudge that figure higher depends on the financial skills of Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet and CEO Etienne Thobois. Both reported in person to the ASOIF meeting on Wednesday. The assembly included all of the current summer Olympic sports. Boxing – suspended by the IOC – still holds associate member status and was represented by its president Umar Kremlev.
In his remarks at the start of the meeting, Bach told the federations that the role they play in the situation between Russia and Ukraine, both sanctioned by the IOC for violating the Olympic Truce with the February invasion by Russia into Ukraine.
He noted the distinction between the just-ended French Open and the upcoming Wimbledon championship.
“In Paris, Russian players can play as neutral athletes. In London, at Wimbledon, the government is saying no way. And if we allow this, if we give into this, then we are lost, said the IOC leader.
“How then can you guarantee in your sport a fair international competition, if the governments are deciding according to their own political interests, who can take part in a competition and who cannot take part?
“If you open this gate, today, it is Russia and Belarus, tomorrow it is your country.
Allowing governments to dictate to federations would destroy the autonomy of sport from politics says Bach. Dystopia, not utopia could be the consequence, he says.
“There is a new world order in the making. The trend goes to a more divisive world order,” warns Bach.
Últimas Noticias
Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons
Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024
Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris
Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years
Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”
