Bach 'Very Happy' With Changing IOC Membership

(ATR) Thomas Bach gazed at the large wall of monitors of his fellow IOC members, satisfied with their unanimous approval of his Olympic Agenda 2020+5 updated strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic movement.

Under normal circumstances, the IOC president and the 99 members in attendance would have convened in Athens for the 137th Session, but the coronavirus pandemic prevented that, a gathering in the birthplace of the Olympic Games that will have to wait until 2025.

Still, the main order of business of the virtual three-day meeting was accomplished – the implementation of 15 recommendations designed to reflect new goals, needs and aspirations for the movement in a vastly changing world. The new recommendations – building upon the original 40 of Olympic Agenda 2020 adapted in December 2014 – will be in effect through the end of the IOC president’s second term in office.

The 15 recommendations are based on five evolving global trends – global solidarity, the digital revolution, sustainable development, credibility, and economic and financial resilience. Bach said his vision for the success of the movement is always influenced by Olympics founder Pierre de Coubertin.

"To make the Olympic Movement fit for the new post coronavirus world, addressing these five major trends, to which I’ve elaborated on today a little bit, and Pierre de Coubertin is always an inspiration,

"This man was always such a visionary – it’s really hard to imagine what steps of visionary thinking he had already in his time and therefore for me, he is always an inspiration.

Responding to a question from Around the Rings editor-in-chief Ed Hula, regarding personally witnessing the ever-changing diversity and globalization of the membership that is vastly different from when he joined the IOC three decades ago, Bach said "this really made me very happy".

"This is also a result of Olympic Agenda 2020 with the new approach of how to elect members, the membership has changed," said Bach, who was elected to a second term in office on Wednesday’s opening day of the session.

"We have much better female distribution, better distribution among the continents, we have many members with great experiences from many different areas, whether it’s politics, finance, sustainability, and all with a great passion for sport.

"I enjoyed it very much today to see this engagement and see this great potential and capability, and great base of human resources."

Bach was also queried as to whether his successor in 2025 will come from the current membership and if it could the first female president of the IOC.

"This is a very interesting field lining up for my succession," Bach said. "Yes, I guess we have heard from my successor today, whoever it is.

"We are gender equality – of course a woman will have the same opportunity as a man. There will be a fair election and we’ll see who will be elected," Bach said.

Dick Pound, the doyen of the IOC, offered his thoughts, in more than just a few words, on what the significance and impact of the 137th IOC Session – and Olympic Agenda 2020+5 – might be, in closing remarks on Friday.

"Many of the desirable goals included in Olympic Agenda 2020+5 are conceptual in nature and their extent and meanings are likely to evolve over time – solidarity, sustainability, credibility, resiliency, diversity, universality, equality, athlete-centricity, accessibility, complexity, hospitality, responsibility, transparency, opportunity, integrity, autonomy, feasibility, and others," said Pound.

"Not all these concepts are used or understood in the same way in different countries, cultures and languages. We have to remember that if we are doing our job properly, it will always be a work in progress."

"This is a session which I believe will be recognized by future Olympic historians as both transformative and foundational."

Homepage photo: IOC/Greg Martin

Written and reported by Brian Pinelli

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