The International Olympic Committee Study Guide
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THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE STUDY GUIDE THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is a not-for-profit independent international organisation that is committed to building a better world through sport. Created on 23 June 1894, just under two years before the first Olympic Games of the modern era in April 1896, the IOC is the supreme authority of the Olympic Movement. As the leader of the Olympic Movement, the IOC acts as a catalyst for collaboration between all parties of the Olympic family, from the NOCs, the IFs, the athletes and the OCOGs to the Worldwide Olympic Partners, broadcast partners and United Nations (UN) agencies, and shepherds success through a wide range of programmes and projects. On this basis, it ensures the regular celebration of the Olympic Games, supports all affiliated member organisations of the Olympic Movement and strongly encourages, by appropriate means, the promotion of the Olympic values. VISION AND MISSIONS OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT The President represents the IOC and presides over all its activities. He is elected by the Session. The members vote in a secret ballot. In the past unlimited, the length of the President’s term of office is now fixed at eight years (entered into force 12 December 1999), renewable once for four years. Rule 20 of the Olympic Charter defines the role of the President, particularly his or her representation function. THOMAS BACH, PRESIDENT OF THE IOC SINCE 10 SEPTEMBER 2013 Thomas Bach was born on 29 December 1953 in Würzburg, Germany. Married and a lawyer by profession, he has had a successful career in sports both on and off the field of play. He became an Olympic champion when he won a gold medal in fencing (team foil) at the Games of the XXI Olympiad in Montreal in 1976 and in 2006, he was named as the founding President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). Thomas Bach was an athletes’ representative at the XI Olympic Congress in Baden-Baden (1981) and a founding member of the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission. He became an IOC member in 1991, was elected as a member of the IOC Executive Board in 1996 and served as an IOC Vice-President for more than 10 years. He has also chaired several IOC Commissions. On 10 September 2013, Thomas Bach was elected as the ninth President of the IOC. YOUR SOURCE OF REFERENCE FOR OLYMPIC KNOWLEDGE The IOC Olympic Studies Centre is the world source of reference for Olympic knowledge. Our mission is to share this knowledge with professionals and researchers through providing information, giving access to our unique collections, enabling research and stimulating intellectual exchange. As part of the IOC, we are uniquely placed to collect and share the most up-to-date and accurate information on Olympism. Our collections include the IOC archives, the official publications of the IOC and the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games as well as books, articles and journals. Our resources cover all the key themes related to the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement and their place within society. FIGHT AGAINST DOPING Protecting clean athletes by fighting against doping is a top priority for the IOC, which has established a zero-tolerance policy to combat cheating and to make anyone responsible for using or providing doping products accountable. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is an international, independent organisation monitoring and regulating the global fight against doping through the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code), and is responsible for monitoring the implementation of and compliance with the Code by its signatories. The Code works in conjunction with five International Standards. As the Olympic Movement governing body, the IOC makes the Code mandatory for the entire Movement. During the Olympic Games, it oversees all doping control and testing processes in compliance with the Code regulations. However, the IOC is striving to make all these processes independent. Since the Olympic Games Rio 2016, sanctioning has been handled by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and its Anti-Doping Division. The creation of an independent testing agency is also underway. INTEGRITY Integrity entails credibility, and the credibility of competitions and sports organisations is one of the three pillars of Olympic Agenda 2020. If the credibility of sports competitions suffers, then sooner or later the credibility of sports organisations will suffer. The same is true the other way around. The IOC has continuously set up structures, policies, processes and programmes to improve integrity at competitions and within its own organisation, and any time it was needed, the IOC acted to tackle ethical misconduct. As leader of the Olympic Movement, it has also worked with the various stakeholders of the Olympic Movement to help enhance governance across all levels. To maximise the impact of these activities, the IOC has likewise coordinated with governments, international organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and many more stakeholders. These efforts are ongoing and keep evolving to anticipate new trends and adjust to new situations in the best possible way. WHAT IS DOPING? 'Doping' refers to an athlete's use of prohibited drugs or methods to improve training and sporting results. Steroids are the drugs that often come to mind when we talk about doping, but doping also includes an athlete's use of other forbidden drugs (such as stimulants, hormones, diuretics, narcotics and marijuana), use of forbidden methods(such as blood transfusions or gene doping), and even the refusal to take a drug test or an attempt to tamper with doping controls. As you continue to participate in sport, doping is an issue that you will increasingly face: you could be tested for drugs; some of your competitors will be cheating by using drugs; you may even be tempted to do so yourself. WHY DO PEOPLE CHEAT? Most athletes know that doping is cheating, however, some still take the risk. Sometimes prizes, money or fame can cause people to make bad decisions.They are told that doping might give them a boost, provide a shortcut to long years of training or help them win. And they are prepared to risk their sporting careers and their health - they are prepared to win at all cost! Others feel pressure from coaches, parents or themselves to be the best. They see doping as a way to meet these expectations. Some athletes use drugs to overcome an injury. Trainers or coaches might say that drugs can make you forget about the pain or may help speed up recovery, but they often do not mention the health risks and that doping is cheating. Whatever the reason, there is no excuse for doping. WHAT DRUGS ARE BANNED? There are many types of drugs that are banned in sport because of the damage they can do to an athlete's health and to fair play. Every year a new list of banned drugs is prepared by the World Anti-Doping Agency. These drugs fall within the following categories: Stimulants may increase concentration and reduce tiredness, but they can also damage the heart; Steroids can increase muscle and strength, but they harm the heart, liver and reproductive system and can cause sudden death; Hormones can have a variety of useful medical purposes, but they can be harmful when you are young and still growing; Diuretics may help with weight loss but they cover up the use of other banned drugs and can cause dehydration and fatigue; Narcotics can relieve pain but this could lead to a lasting injury; Cannabinoids (hashish, marijuana) can act as relaxants, but may also lead to a loss of coordination and concentration. Even if you take something by accident it is still considered doping. Ultimately, you are responsible for everything that goes into your body. PLAY FAIR To be successful in sport, you need the right attitude. Honesty, dignity, fair play, respect, teamwork, commitment and courage are essential to a memorable sporting performance. All these values can be summed up in the term ‘fair play’. Fair play has to do with the choices you make - what is right and wrong. People will notice how you play the game. You will get a reputation for being a good or a bad sport which will follow you around long after the competition is over. It can shape how people act towards you before they even get to know you. To conform with the spirit of sport and build a good reputation, always: show respect for yourself and for others (competitors, umpires/referees and officials); respect the rules of the competition and of clean sport; be gracious as much in victory as in defeat; have fun and enjoy being part of the action! Sport has little meaning without fair play. We play sport because of the chance to show our unique talents, to share, to make friends and to have fun. Fair play makes all this possible. DOPING CONTROL As you get older and get better at sport it is likely that you will be tested for doping. These tests are aimed at preserving the spirit of sport by catching the cheats. Testing can take place during a competition, during training, or in the off-season and will generally be given without forewarning. If you refuse to take a test or to follow the testing procedures, you will receive the same sanction as an athlete who tests positive. These tests are done by a certified Doping Control Officer who collects a urine sample. In some cases, both a blood sample and urine sample is required. Samples are sent to an approved lab for analysis. Some drugs can be detected in very small amounts and months after they have been taken.