AthleteS BULLETIN

ATHLETES
BULLETIN
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE IOC ATHLETES’ COMMISSION — March 2012
19
N°
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
Olympic Games (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.
© IOC
Cover: 4-time Olympian & Captain
of Finland, Saku Koivu celebrates
a win over the Czech Republic
in the quarter-finals during
the Vancouver Games.
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
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
Athletes’ Village, making themselves available for meetings, casual drop-ins and
chats over a hot drink.
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,
which will be held during the London 2012
Olympic Games. Four places will be available
for a term of eight years, replacing Chairman
Frank Fredericks, Hicham El Guerrouj,
Rania Elwani and Jan Zelezny.
To be eligible, the candidates must have been
accredited athletes in the Beijing 2008 Games
or be accredited athletes in the London 2012
Games.
All the athletes participating in the Games in
2012 will be eligible to vote. They will have
to vote for four candidates chosen from four
different sports, in order to reflect the diversity
of the Olympic programme.
21 IOC Athletes’ Commission Candidates
Nasser Saleh AL-ATTIYA
Qatar / Shooting
Femke DEKKER
Netherlands / Rowing
Jefferson PEREZ
Ecuador / Athletics
Sergei ASCHWANDEN
Switzerland / Judo
Tony ESTANGUET
France / Canoe/kayak
Zoran PRIMORAC
Croatia / Table tennis
David BARRUFET
Spain / Handball
Susana FEITOR
Portugal / Athletics
Antonio ROSSI
Italy / Canoe/kayak
Danka BARTEKOVA
Slovakia / Shooting
Stefan HOLM
Sweden / Athletics
Milorad CAVIC
Serbia / Aquatics
Viktoriya KOVAL
Ukraine / Archery
Hadi SAEI
Islamic Republic of Iran /
Taekwondo
Mu-Yen CHU
Chinese Taipei / Taekwondo
Eirik Verâs LARSEN
Norway / Canoe/kayak
Kirsty COVENTRY
Zimbabwe / Aquatics
Koji MUROFUSHI
Japan / Athletics
Jean-Michel SAIVE
Belgium / Table tennis
Barbora SPOTAKOVA
Czech Republic / Athletics
James TOMKINS
Australia / Rowing
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.
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 Barcelona 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
BOUZOU TO HEAD
THE OLYMPIANS
OLYMPIC NEWS
ATHLETES BULLETIN
N°19
Interview with the Fearless Finn
Saku Koivu
Finnish ice hockey player Saku Koivu is a four-time
Olympian who has won one silver and three bronze medals,
competing at the Lillehammer, Nagano, Turin and
Vancouver Games. He currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks
in the National Hockey League (NHL). Koivu was elected to
the IOC Athletes’ Commission during the 2006 Turin Games.
to have a first taste of international competition. But the
YOG is so much more than winning a medal; it is about
the Olympic spirit, making new friends and most of all,
experiencing sport in its purest form.
In your opinion, how important is the voice of the
athletes within the Olympic Movement?
In order to excel at anything, you obviously have to have talent
and passion, but the most important quality is your character.
You often hear people say that “practice makes perfect” and
I do agree to some extent, but in the end it is the person’s
character that will determine whether you make it or not. I
always felt that I was not the most talented player but I always
strived to be the best and never gave up on anything.
You have had a long and distinguished career,
what do you contribute to your success?
The Olympic Movement and the Games are continuously
growing and it is vital that the athletes’ voices are heard and
valued. The most important aspect for the Games is to make
sure that the athletes are and remain the focal point, and that
they can compete in the best possible conditions. In order to
achieve this standard, the Olympic Movement will continue
to embrace the athletes’ input.
What inspired you to return to the ice after your
recovery from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
The inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games was
held this January. What opportunities do the YOG
present for future generations?
It was my way of proving to myself that I was done with
treatments and we had won the battle with cancer. Everybody
said that it was impossible to come back so soon but it
was another challenge for me and it represented returning
to normal life after the tough cycles of chemotherapy.
© Getty Images
The YOG is an amazing opportunity for our young athletes
to meet other athletes, learn about different cultures and
Koivu pumps up his
teammates during the
Vancouver Games.
What has it meant for you to represent Finland in four
Olympic Games? Is it your goal to participate a fifth
time in Sochi 2014?
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.
© Getty Images
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.
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”.
Jon Montgomery of Canada
with his parents as they celebrate
after he won the gold medal
for men’s skeleton in the
Vancouver Games.
“Early in my sporting career, my parents
were definitely the most important part
of my entourage… I wouldn’t be in the sport
without them” — Angela Ruggiero, member
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
© IOC
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.
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,
Scott has also won 17 World Cup medals and competed in five World
Championships. At the Turin Games in 2006, she was elected to the IOC
Athletes’ Commission and has been active in this role ever since. In addition,
she recently served as Chef de Mission for the Canadian Youth Olympic team
at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
IOC Athletes’
Commission member
Rebecca Scott
competing in the
2002 Salt Lake City
Games.
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.
© IOC
For more information on the 2014 Sochi Games, go to
www.olympic.org/sochi-2014-winter-olympics.
INSIDE THE COMMISSION
ATHLETES BULLETIN
N°19
IOC ACP
SPOTLIGHT
Australia
According to Adecco Chief Executive Officer Australia and
New Zealand Mr Jeff Doyle, “The unique backgrounds and
capabilities of Olympic athletes can bring a positive edge
to an organisation. Athletes who excel in their chosen sport
need qualities similar to those that support success in
business. I am confident that with the support of Adecco
clients, our career training programmes and follow-up
services, Australia’s Olympic athletes will be able to live
their dreams, not only in the sporting arena, but also in
their careers.”
A new programme to assist Olympic athletes in Australia was
launched in Melbourne in November 2011 by the Australian
Olympic Committee (AOC) and the Adecco Group with a
determined bid to transition elite athletes into elite professionals.
The AOC is aware that when some Olympic athletes finish
competing at an elite level they suddenly find they have
no career prospects and nothing to fall back on. Their
programme has been designed to overcome that problem
by producing “well rounded” athletes who are learning
workplace skills during their sporting careers and can then
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
education or professional work while training for the Olympic
Games. They develop a much wider skill set and take a
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.”
Alisa Camplin,
Australian gold and bronze
medalist in aerial skiing
addresses the crowd.
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.
© Australian NOC
For more information on the IOC Athlete
Career Programme, go to
www.olympic.org/athletes-space.
IOC ATHLETE CAREER PROGRAMME
ATHLETES BULLETIN
N°19
Success in Innsbruck
Following the success of workshops organised at the
Singapore Youth Olympic Games and in continued
efforts to keep reaching out to a younger audience,
the IOC Athlete Career Programme (IOC ACP),
in cooperation with Adecco, has conducted two
workshops, “Balance Your Act” and “Act on Your
Time”. Both activities were part of the Culture and
Education Programme (CEP) at the recent Winter
Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria.
Four times a day during every day of competition,
the 1,000 plus athletes from around the world had
the opportunity to learn the value of good timemanagement, networking and learned skills and tips
for balancing the demands of education and sport in a
hands-on experiential approach. During each workshop,
one or two Athlete Role Models (ARMs) were on hand to
share their personal experiences on the topics and help
the athletes with their group exercises.
Afterwords, the ARMs interacted with the young
athletes, by listening to their feedback from the
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
applicable in their daily lives. Andreas Küttel, an ARM
during the YOG and three-time Olympian as well
as former member of the Swiss ski jumping team,
shared his experience and commented: “I really
enjoyed participating in the workshops and I believe
the athletes who attended heard some very important
messages”.
After retiring in 2011 from his professional sports
career, Andreas is applying for a Ph.D. at the Sports
University in Odense (Denmark), which is a next step
in his second career as a sports teacher. IOC Athletes’
Commission Chairman and Innsbruck ARM Frank
Fredericks commented: “It’s a fantastic collection of
great athletes, who inspire not only on the field of play,
but off it as well by living by the Olympic values.”
The two workshops provided a unique opportunity for
the IOC ACP to reach out to a younger audience and
promote important life skills that they will hopefully
keep with them as they proceed through their
educational and sporting careers.
Video: Innsbruck 2012 Youth Olympic
Games CEP Workshops.
Click on the image to start the video
IOC ATHLETE CAREER PROGRAMME