IOC Members Comment on Olympic Agenda 2020 Debate

(ATR) IOC members give their feedback to the debate about the future of the Olympic Movement, with elections for the executive board and 2017 host city wrapping up the Session.

IOC president Thomas Bach kicked off the meeting, saying the first IOC coordination meeting with Sochi 2014 organizers early this morning revealed that preparations in the run-in to tonight’s opening ceremony were going pretty smoothly aside from a few hiccups.

Following his opening remarks, the IOC commissions and the organization’s administration reported. Elections to fill the vice-president seat vacated by IOC president Thomas Bach and another seat on the EB take place before lunch.

China’s Zaiqing Yu, an IOC vice-president from 2008 to 2012, is running unopposed for IOC president Thomas Bach’s vacant VP seat. Canada’s Richard Pound and Turkey’s Ugur Erdenerare seeking a place on the EB.

The re-election of some IOC members and election of one new member is also planned on the concluding day of the IOC Session. Also today is the selection of host cities for the 2017 and 2018 Session cities; Helsinki, Mexico City and Lima, Peru are in the running.

IOC Members on 2020 Discussions

Camiel Eurlings of the Netherlands: "I think this was very good in many ways. First of all the president

He praised the forward-looking, opportunity-oriented open nature of the debate. "There is an open discussion about certain issues, what do you think about it? Which direction should we go? That is very much appreciated. Also as a new member, usually it is not common that as a new member you speak. But the president has really incentivised us. He invited us to do so when we had our introductory days in Lausanne and he repeated it today. That is very good. You are involved from the very first one. It gives a lot of energy to be part of this meeting."

China’s Yang Yang described it as a "great" debate. "For me it is more an opportunity to speak out. We are all experts in some areas so it is a good opportunity for everyone to participate in the Olympic Movement."

She agreed the IOC under Thomas Bach’s leadership was moving in the right direction, especially with regard to involving youth and growing the Olympics appeal to the younger generation.

Denis Oswald of Switzerland: "I think it was a good debate, a lot of interest and contribution from the members. It is mainly throwing ideas and then it will be up to us to study more in depth the different proposals. There were a number of issues where everyone agreed like the uniqueness of the Olympic Games. The question of the program clearly is a difficult topic but everyone wants to do something… more flexibility, possibly more sports but at the same time we don’t want to have higher costs."

Canada’s Richard Pound: "I think we are touching on a lot of the issues that have to be discussed and decided."

On discussions about dropping the ban on bid city visits: "There is some caution… there’s some enthusiasm from people who weren’t there in 1999. My view on that is it’s 15 years later, conditions are different, let’s have a look at it but let’s not jump down the well before we know what the implications are."

On proposals to revamp the Olympic sports program: "The program has been dysfunctional for a long time. We have fallen into this trap of thinking there are 25 core sports. Well I’m sorry I don’t care what anyone says, there are not 25 core sports. Out there around the edges there has got to be a lot more capacity to move. Otherwise we end up in the idiotic position we got into in Buenos Aires where we turfed out wrestling, which was mismanaged, so we had them back when all the new sports wanted some movement."

United States member Anita DeFrantz: "I am delighted at the level of debate. "It’s clear people have thought about these questions and they are feeling free to express their thoughts.

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