ATHLETESISSUE004 APRIL 2005 BULLETIN: It is often difficult for an athlete to today it has become a reality thanks to Athens, thanks to your vote, Rania A MESSAGE imagine his/her life after sport. What can this agreement. Elwani, Hicham El Guerrouj, Frank one do after having dedicated years to The issue of reintegrating athletes will Fredericks and Jan Zelezny have joined FROM SERGEY training and competition? Is there life also be at the centre of discussions at the Athletes’ Commission and are now after sport? Like all of you athletes, I the 2nd Athletes’ Forum, which will take defending your interests, just like their BUBKA asked myself this question, and those place next June at the Olympic Museum colleagues who work on the other IOC around me also asked. That is why the in Lausanne. Also on the agenda are the commissions. In less than one year, it will IOC Athletes’ Commission can only be economic influences on athletes and be the turn of all those who will take part delighted by the agreement recently sport, and the protection of athletes in the Olympic Winter Games in Turin to signed by the IOC and Adecco, which against doping. exercise their right to vote and choose focuses on reintegrating athletes. Every athlete must get involved to their representatives. Thanks to this programme, every encourage clean sport and help to rid Dear Colleagues, it is our duty to athlete will be offered the appropriate sport of cheats so that the new place our skills, our experience, our means to take the best professional generations are set a healthy example. enthusiasm and our passion at the route possible and to fully succeed in The fight against doping is one of the service of the Olympic and sports his/her new life. Athletes’ Commission’s missions. Movement. The Commission had already This Commission is your link with expressed such a desire at the 1st sports leaders to make your voice heard Sergey Bubka Athletes’ Forum in October 2002, and and express your concerns. Since Chairman, IOC Athletes’ Commission FACILITATING ATHLETES’ POST-SPORTS CAREERS he period following the end of a Tsports career can often be difficult, even very difficult. For this reason, the IOC Athletes’ Commission had proposed that something be done to facilitate athletes’ redeployment. This dream, formulated at the first Athletes’ Forum in October 2002, is now a reality. In February 2005, the IOC, in close redeployment and accede to the labour useful skills throughout their sports Above: “The athletes are convinced of the cooperation with human resources market. To achieve this, Adecco is relying careers, which makes it easier for them to usefulness of this programme” company Adecco, launched the on some 20 dedicated teams around the reintegrate working life.” “Athletes’ Career Programme” (ACP) world, as well as a personalised IOC President Jacques Rogge has considers this agreement to be very which aims to facilitate athletes’ insertion methodology incorporating professional shown his enthusiasm for this project: important for the athletes, and thanks the into the labour market. evaluation, career planning, support and “The athletes are at the heart of the IOC and Adecco for having made this step. finding employment. Olympic Movement,” he stated. “They The Commission believes that this THIRTEEN NOCS IN 2005 devote their life to sport and it is fair that programme provides appropriate means This worldwide programme will offer the USEFUL SKILLS sport gives something back to them at the for guiding the athletes towards a better athletes, during and after their sports Caille is convinced that athletes have great end of their sporting career.” career path and helping them to succeed careers, professional career management potential: “Athletes develop extremely The IOC Athletes’ Commission in their new life. services. In 2005, 13 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) were selected to take part in this programme. Adecco, the IOC’s partner in this 2nd INTERNATIONAL ATHLETES’ FORUM programme, already has many years of fter the great success of the first ● Transition after sport well as to set up a communications experience in this area. AInternational Athletes’ Forum in ● Anti-Doping – safeguarding the network between the athletes and their “Since 2000, we have helped more than October 2002, a second meeting will be athletes representatives. 800 former athletes to make a second organised on 11 and 12 June 2005 at ● Economic influences affecting This second Forum can once again career in various countries,” said Adecco the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. Eighty athletes in sport count on the participation of all the CEO Jérôme Caille at the launch of the members of Athletes’ Commissions of members of the IOC Athletes’ operation. International Federations and Continental The main goal of the International Commission, who will share their vast Adecco is counting on helping 2,000 Associations of NOCs will meet to Athletes’ Forum is to strengthen ties experience during the debates with more athletes to manage their discuss three main themes: between the federations and NOCs as the athletes. ATHLETES BULLETIN: ISSUE004 APRIL 2005 THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY (WADA): REACHING OUT TO ATHLETES IN ATHENS n an effort to raise awareness and Programme has proven successful over anti-doping organisations (ADOs) worldwide Ieducate the athletes about anti-doping the years and Athens was no exception. for use in the doping control process. With issues, WADA was on hand during both Over 300 athletes visited the Outreach the insight and feedback from the IOC the Olympic and Paralympic Games to booth on a daily basis to speak with anti- Athletes’ Commission, there will now be a speak with competing athletes and doping experts, play the interactive doping place on the form for the names of both quiz and win their prize to promote the doctor and coach of the athlete. officials. WADA’s Athlete Outreach Above: Over 50% of athletes voted during doping-free sport. The forms were created to standardise the Athens Games The IOC Athletes’ Commission played the documentation and simplify the doping an important role in this success by control process for athletes and sample supporting the programme, liaising with collection personnel. It is hoped that ADOs ELECTION TO competing athletes and encouraging them worldwide will adopt these forms, which to visit WADA. have already been translated into several THE ATHLETES’ languages, including Czech and Turkish. ALSO IN TURIN COMMISSION Plans are currently under way for the WADA’S ATHLETE GUIDE IN TURIN Outreach Programme to take place during WADA has a new Athlete Guide, which is the 2006 Olympic and Paralympic Games in French and English, and will soon be n February, the IOC Athletes’ Commission in Turin, as well as during many regional translated into Spanish. For access to the Ilaunched the procedure for the election events in 2005. guide and other educational materials, of two new members during the XX Olympic Above: Athletes involve themselves in WADA has developed several doping please visit WADA’s website at Winter Games in Turin. All the NOCs that the fight against doping control forms, which can be adopted by www.wada-ama.org. participated in the last Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, as well as those taking part in the Games in Turin, have the THE NEW IOC ATHLETES’ COMMISSION possibility of submitting a candidature, by 1 June 2005, as long as there is no present he IOC Athletes’ the XXV Olympiad in 1992 in Chairman of the Athletes’ Sydney in 2000; finalist in the member of the Commission from the same TCommission is pleased to Barcelona, and the Games of Commission of the Namibian 1,500m in Atlanta in 1996 NOC. It is also important to recall that only be able to count on the the XXVI Olympiad in 1996 in NOC; member of the (fell over); World NOCs with an athletes’ commission can experience of its four new Atlanta; world 200m Executive Board of the Championships: four times submit a candidature. We therefore members, elected at the champion in 1993 and vice- Namibian NOC. 1,500m world champion encourage all the NOCs that do not have an Games of the XXVIII Olympiad champion in 1991, 1995 and (1997, 1999, 2001 and athletes’ commission to create one. At the in Athens. All these athletes 1997; world 200m indoor HICHAM EL GUERROUJ 2003) and runner up (1995); Turin Games, two new members will be ● have knowledge and champion in 1999. Career: President of the twice runner up in the elected. They will serve eight years in the ● experience that will enrich the Sports administration Béni-Snassen Charity 5,000m (1992 and 2003). Commission and will also be proposed for ● Commission’s discussions. career: Member of the Association. Sports administration election for the same duration as an IOC ● International Association of Sports career: Participated career: Member of the IAAF member. RANIA ELWANI Athletics Federations (IAAF); in three editions of the Games Athletes’ Commission. “We would like the choice to be as rich ● Education/career: Biology Athletes’ Commission; of the Olympiad: gold medal in and diverse as possible,” underlines degree from the Southern Chairman of the Athletes’ the 1,500 and 5,000 metres JAN ZELEZNY Commission Chairman Sergey Bubka. “Our ● Methodist University, Dallas, Commission of the African in Athens in 2004; silver Sports career: Participated Commission plays an important role in the Texas, USA (1999); diploma Athletics Federation (AAC); medal in the 1,500m in in four editions of the Games IOC and the Olympic Movement, and inter- from the School of Medicine of the Olympiad: XXIV est in such an election must really be of the Misr Science and Olympiad in Seoul 1988 marked. If many NOCs participate, this will Technical University, Cairo, (silver medal), XXV Olympiad strengthen our position,” he concludes.