ATHLETES BULLETIN

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE IOC ATHLETES’ COMMISSION — March 2012

N°19

CHAIRMAN’s Foreword

OLYMPIC NEWS

INSIDE THE COMMISSION

IOC Athlete career programme ATHLETES BULLETIN N°19

Looking to London Foreword by Frank Fredericks, IOC Athletes’ Commission Chairman

We will all look back on 2012 as a fantastic year of sport and it really could not have got off to a better start than it did in Innsbruck for the 1st Winter Youth (YOG). Innsbruck 2012 will be remembered for the iconic venues, the incredible welcome and the stunning backdrop of the Tyrolean Mountains. We saw incredible performances and were wowed by the talent of the young athletes who were competing. I am sure we will see many of them on the Olympic stage itself in years to come. The Athletes’ Commission was highly visible in Innsbruck and many of its members served as Athlete Role Models (ARMs) throughout the 10 days of the YOG. I remember myself when I was starting off in athletics, I looked up to © IOC the great Olympians of the time - people who were at the peak of their careers, who had achieved so much and in whose steps I desperately wanted to follow. The effect that meeting a sporting hero can have on a young athlete is incalculable. It’s an incredible opportunity for youngsters to learn from people who once were in their shoes but through hard work and perseverance have made it to the top of their sport. The ARMs were present throughout the Youth Cover: 4-time Olympian & of , Saku Koivu celebrates Athletes’ Village, making themselves available for meetings, casual drop-ins and a win over the chats over a hot drink. in the quarter-finals during the Vancouver Games. Their efforts were hugely appreciated by the YOG athletes, and it goes to show how important it is that athletes put something back into the sports from which they themselves have derived so much success and pleasure. In London this summer we will see the election of four candidates to the IOC Athletes’ Commission. There are 21 candidates, each of them a great example of sportsmen and women who understand how important it is that they exercise their voice within the Olympic Movement. I am very proud that so many talented individuals are putting themselves forward for election to the four places available. The list of candidates features a diverse group of athletes, and I am confident they will all make an amazing contribution towards the success of the Athletes’ Commission.

CHAIRMAN FOREWORD ATHLETES BULLETIN N°19

And the Candidates are…

Twenty-one athletes are candidates for the IOC Athletes’ Commission elections, 21 IOC Athletes’ Commission Candidates which will be held during the London 2012 Nasser Saleh AL-ATTIYA Femke DEKKER Jefferson PEREZ . Four places will be available Olympic Games Qatar / Shooting Netherlands / Rowing Ecuador / Athletics for a term of eight years, replacing Chairman Sergei ASCHWANDEN Tony ESTANGUET Zoran PRIMORAC Frank Fredericks, Hicham El Guerrouj, Switzerland / Judo / Canoe/kayak / Rania Elwani and Jan Zelezny. David BARRUFET Susana FEITOR Antonio ROSSI / Handball / Athletics / Canoe/kayak To be eligible, the candidates must have been Danka BARTEKOVA Stefan HOLM Hadi SAEI accredited athletes in the 2008 Games / Shooting / Athletics Islamic Republic of Iran / or be accredited athletes in the London 2012 Milorad CAVIC Viktoriya KOVAL Taekwondo Games. Serbia / Aquatics Ukraine / Archery Jean-Michel SAIVE Belgium / Table tennis All the athletes participating in the Games in Mu-Yen CHU Eirik Verâs LARSEN Chinese / Taekwondo Norway / Canoe/kayak Barbora SPOTAKOVA 2012 will be eligible to vote. They will have Kirsty COVENTRY Koji MUROFUSHI Czech Republic / Athletics to vote for four candidates chosen from four Zimbabwe / Aquatics / Athletics James TOMKINS different sports, in order to reflect the diversity / Rowing of the Olympic programme. Each athlete will receive a manual which explains functions and responsibilities of the Athletes’ Commission and features a profile of each of the 21 candidates. Voting offices will be set up in the three Olympic Villages – London, Royal Holloway and Weymouth and Portland – as well as the four cities hosting football competitions. After acceptance by the IOC Session, the four elected athletes will become IOC members for the same duration as their term of office on the Commission.

BOUZOU TO HEAD THE OLYMPIANS

Joël Bouzou, four-time Olympian and world champion in modern pentathlon, has been elected President of the World Olympians Association (WOA) for the next four years. He was elected, as well as a new Executive Board during the WOA General Assembly at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne last November. He succeeds Dick Fosbury, who remains a member of the WOA Executive Board. Bouzou participated in four consecutive editions of the Olympic Games, from Moscow 1980 to 1992, winning a bronze medal in Los Angeles in 1984. A member of the WOA Executive Board since 2003, and its Treasurer since 2007, he is the current Secretary General of the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) and President of the Peace and Sport Organisation. More information can be found

at www.woaolympians.com. © Getty Images

OLYMPIC NEWS ATHLETES BULLETIN N°19

Interview with the Fearless Finn Saku Koivu

Finnish player Saku Koivu is a four-time to have a first taste of international competition. But the Olympian who has won one silver and three bronze medals, YOG is so much more than winning a medal; it is about competing at the Lillehammer, Nagano, and the Olympic spirit, making new friends and most of all, Vancouver Games. He currently plays for the experiencing sport in its purest form. in the (NHL). Koivu was elected to You have had a long and distinguished career, the IOC Athletes’ Commission during the 2006 Turin Games. what do you contribute to your success? In your opinion, how important is the voice of the In order to excel at anything, you obviously have to have talent athletes within the Olympic Movement? and passion, but the most important quality is your character. The Olympic Movement and the Games are continuously You often hear people say that “practice makes perfect” and growing and it is vital that the athletes’ voices are heard and I do agree to some extent, but in the end it is the person’s valued. The most important aspect for the Games is to make character that will determine whether you make it or not. I sure that the athletes are and remain the focal , and that always felt that I was not the most talented player but I always they can compete in the best possible conditions. In order to strived to be the best and never gave up on anything. achieve this standard, the Olympic Movement will continue What inspired you to return to the ice after your to embrace the athletes’ input. recovery from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma? The inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games was It was my way of proving to myself that I was done with held this January. What opportunities do the YOG treatments and we had won the battle with cancer. Everybody present for future generations? said that it was impossible to come back so soon but it The YOG is an amazing opportunity for our young athletes was another challenge for me and it represented returning to meet other athletes, learn about different cultures and to normal life after the tough cycles of chemotherapy.

What has it meant for you to represent Finland in four Olympic Games? Is it your to participate a fifth Koivu pumps up his teammates during the time in Sochi 2014? Vancouver Games.

© Getty Images The four Games and four medals have been highlights of my career. I started my Olympic career in 1994 in Lillehammer and I remember how special it felt to represent Finland. In Vancouver, 16 years later, I still felt the same overwhelming joy of being part of the Olympic Movement. At this point in my career and life, I take one year at a time, but it would be absolutely amazing to be able to compete in one more Olympic Games. If I stay healthy and can keep up with the younger players, it is a dream that I am most certainly aiming to achieve. © Getty Images

INSIDE THE COMMISSION ATHLETES BULLETIN N°19

IOC Athletes’ Entourage INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

© Getty Images Athlete entourages are becoming more complex and sophisticated in sport, as the number of experts needed around athletes to perform, including trainers, coaches, agents, technicians, psychologists and physiotherapists, has significantly increased over the years. The relationships are complex and the respective roles and responsibilities of each person/ entity are not always clear. Following the approval of the “Conduct of the Athletes’ Entourage” by the IOC Executive Board in Durban in July 2011, the International Olympic Committee has developed “Information for Parents”.

“Early in my sporting career, my parents were definitely the most important part Jon Montgomery of Canada with his parents as they celebrate of my entourage… I wouldn’t be in the sport after he won the gold medal without them” — Angela Ruggiero, member for men’s skeleton in the Vancouver Games. of the Entourage Commission

The primary objectives of the document: › Help parents in decision-making by providing tools and concrete examples, › Help parents to deal with the complex stakeholder environment of an elite athlete, › Help parents to maintain a balanced approach to the athlete’s sport and entourage. To access “Information for Parents” please click on the Families/Friends tab. If you have any questions concerning the IOC Athletes’ Entourage, please email: [email protected].

Check out the Blogging Guidelines for London 2012.

INSIDE THE COMMISSION ATHLETES BULLETIN N°19

Athletes’ Commission in Action rebecca Scott

The IOC Athletes’ Commission is the consultative body which acts as liaison between active athletes and the IOC. In addition to their many contributions within the IOC Athletes’ Commission, the 20 individual members also take part in the work of the IOC’s other commission and working groups. In this capacity, they represent the athletes on a wide range of issues within the Olympic Movement.

© IOC Rebecca Scott (Beckie) is a three-time Olympian in cross-country skiing, having won the silver medal for Canada at the 2006 Turin Games and gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. In addition to Olympic medals, IOC Athletes’ Scott has also won 17 World Cup medals and competed in five World Commission member Rebecca Scott Championships. At the Turin Games in 2006, she was elected to the IOC competing in the Athletes’ Commission and has been active in this role ever since. In addition, 2002 Salt Lake City Games. she recently served as Chef de Mission for the Canadian Youth Olympic team at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG). Scott served as a role model, mentor and spokesperson for the 51 athletes representing Canada at the YOG. Her experience as a competitor in two editions of the Olympic Games, combined with her work in the IOC Athletes’ Commission, made her the perfect person to provide guidance and support to the young athletes. Reflecting on this position, Scott commented: “Being Chef de Mission for the Canadian team in Innsbruck was an immensely diverse and rewarding role, with the best part, of course, being the opportunity to get to know and support the athletes. We had a really wonderful group of young athletes and it was truly energising and inspiring to be around them.” Scott has continued to put her Olympic experience to work while serving on the Coordination Commission for the 2014 Sochi Games. Each coordination commission is established by the IOC President and are composed of representatives of the IOC, IFs, NOCs and athletes. Her involvement ensures that the voice and priorities of the athletes are taken into consideration in all steps of the planning process for these Games. For more information on the 2014 Sochi Games, go to www.olympic.org/sochi-2014-winter-olympics. © IOC

INSIDE THE COMMISSION ATHLETES BULLETIN N°19

IOC ACP SPOTLIGHT Australia

A new programme to assist Olympic athletes in Australia was According to Adecco Chief Executive Officer Australia and launched in in November 2011 by the Australian New Zealand Mr Jeff Doyle, “The unique backgrounds and Olympic Committee (AOC) and the Adecco Group with a capabilities of Olympic athletes can bring a positive edge determined bid to transition elite athletes into elite professionals. to an organisation. Athletes who excel in their chosen sport The AOC is aware that when some Olympic athletes finish need qualities similar to those that support success in competing at an elite level they suddenly find they have business. I am confident that with the support of Adecco no career prospects and nothing to fall back on. Their clients, our career training programmes and follow-up programme has been designed to overcome that problem services, Australia’s Olympic athletes will be able to live by producing “well rounded” athletes who are learning their dreams, not only in the sporting arena, but also in workplace skills during their sporting careers and can then their careers.” apply those skills once they have finished competing. Speaking at the launch, Olympian and world champion aerial skier Alisa Camplin made the point that, “There is nothing more formidable, than an athlete who balances further

Alisa Camplin, education or professional work while training for the Olympic Australian gold and bronze Games. They develop a much wider skill set and take a medalist in aerial skiing addresses the crowd. far broader perspective into the competition arena. These athletes really understand the level of commitment required to succeed and the attention to detail that secures a win – in both sport and business.” National mountain bike cross-country and short-track champion Katherine O’Shea was the first athlete to participate in the programme, joining the Adecco Group as a Business Analyst. “Katherine has all the qualities we were looking for. She is technically sound, has great experience, and is determined to succeed. We are delighted that she is part of the Adecco team,” Jeff Doyle commented. Olympic athletes eligible for the new programme are those who have been selected for the 2012 Olympic Team, are in contention for selection for the 2012 Olympic Team or were a member of the 2010 Olympic Winter Team or Olympic Team. For more information on the IOC Athlete Career Programme, go to www.olympic.org/athletes-space. © Australian NOC

IOC ATHLETE CAREER PROGRAMME ATHLETES BULLETIN N°19

Success in Innsbruck

Following the success of workshops organised at the applicable in their daily lives. Andreas Küttel, an ARM Singapore Youth Olympic Games and in continued during the YOG and three-time Olympian as well efforts to keep reaching out to a younger audience, as former member of the Swiss ski jumping team, the IOC Athlete Career Programme (IOC ACP), shared his experience and commented: “I really in cooperation with Adecco, has conducted two enjoyed participating in the workshops and I believe workshops, “Balance Your Act” and “Act on Your the athletes who attended heard some very important Time”. Both activities were part of the Culture and messages”. Education Programme (CEP) at the recent Winter After retiring in 2011 from his professional sports Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. career, Andreas is applying for a Ph.D. at the Sports Four times a day during every day of competition, University in Odense (Denmark), which is a next step the 1,000 plus athletes from around the world had in his second career as a sports teacher. IOC Athletes’ the opportunity to learn the value of good time- Commission Chairman and Innsbruck ARM Frank management, networking and learned skills and tips Fredericks commented: “It’s a fantastic collection of for balancing the demands of education and sport in a great athletes, who inspire not only on the field of play, hands-on experiential approach. During each workshop, but off it as well by living by the Olympic values.” one or two Athlete Role Models (ARMs) were on hand to The two workshops provided a unique opportunity for share their personal experiences on the topics and help the IOC ACP to reach out to a younger audience and the athletes with their group exercises. promote important life skills that they will hopefully Afterwords, the ARMs interacted with the young keep with them as they proceed through their athletes, by listening to their feedback from the educational and sporting careers. workshops. The ARMs then shared what it meant to set the right priorities and interact with the right people to help be amongst the best in their class. The interactions with the ARMs combined with the hands-on approach of the workshops allowed each athlete to see how the themes could be useful and Video: Innsbruck 2012 Youth Olympic Games CEP Workshops.

Click on the image to start the video

IOC ATHLETE CAREER PROGRAMME