At a time when the world order is deeply troubling, the Olympic values of solidarity, equality and human dignity for all have never been more important. This was the powerful message delivered by IOC President Thomas Bach, speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the 142nd IOC Session in Paris on the eve of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron.
The iconic building of the Foundation is situated in the very park where Pierre de Coubertin hosted the closing evening of the historic congress that founded the IOC in 1894.
Addressing the assembled audience, President Bach said: “We are witnessing a new world order in the making. Historic disruptions are upending the system of international relations that has been in place since the second World War. The trends are unfortunately clear: decoupling of economies; beggar-thy-neighbour; narrow self-interest trumping the rule of law; ‘Global South’ vs ‘Global North’. Everywhere you look, multilateralism is on the backfoot. In this new world order, ‘cooperation’ and ‘compromise’ are sadly considered disparaging terms.
“These trends are deeply disturbing to us because they are going straight against our mission to unite. Grounded in and united by our Olympic values – we must be ready to face this sea-change.”
On a decidedly more optimistic and upbeat note, however, Bach said: “We are prepared because we are not only multilateral – we are global. The Olympic Movement is a global movement. In the Olympic Movement, we are all equal. There is no ‘Global South’ or ‘Global North’. We have 206 National Olympic Committees that all enjoy equal rights under the Olympic Charter. What is more, we are living in solidarity with each other. Solidarity – this core value defines our Olympic community.”
In a wide-ranging speech, Bach reflected on how the Olympic values transcend all the activities of the IOC and the Olympic Movement as they seek to lead by example and contribute to a better world, and most especially the Olympic Games.
Speaking directly to the French hosts, Bach thanked President Macron and everyone involved in the organisation of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 for their commitment and devotion. He noted that these Games, the first organised from start to finish under the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020, are more youthful, more inclusive, more urban and more sustainable. They will truly live up to the organisers’ motto of “Games Wide Open” – Games for everyone.
Emphasising the importance of solidarity in the Olympic mission, he expressed his gratitude to the Olympic sponsors and media rights-holders, explaining that, thanks to their steadfast support, the Olympic Movement is in robust health, ready to face the challenges of the future from a position of strength. This too, he noted, is exemplified by the fact that hosts for future Olympic Games have been secured up to 2032, with two future hosts for the Olympic Winter Games – 2030 and 2034 – likely to be elected on Wednesday.
Bach further noted that the values of solidarity and equality are very much front and centre as the Olympic Movement contemplates this future. This is especially apparent in the evolution of the IOC’s digital strategy, and not least in discussions about the impact of AI on sport, an area of particular interest to the Olympic Movement.
When the IOC launched its Olympic AI Agenda earlier this year, he noted, these values were very much at the heart of the approach which seeks to ensure that the integration of AI into sport will yield benefits for the entire community and not just for the few. Bach once again renewed his call to “governments to agree on worldwide applicable AI Governance Regulations that set the parameters for (…) a humanistic vision of AI.”
Continuing his focus on the Olympic values, he observed that these are equally at the heart of another evolution of the IOC’s digital strategy: esports and gaming. Since the younger generations are above all digital natives, he noted, there is a need to connect with them where they are living their lives.
“Young people everywhere are living such digital lives. Our young Olympic fans are living digital lives. The 120 million followers who engage with us over 600 million times per month are living digital lives. The athletes are living digital lives. If we want to remain relevant in their digital lives, we must engage with this digitally native generation in their digital way of living.”
It was this that had inspired the IOC to explore the possibility of establishing Olympic Esports Games. Since the announcement about studying the establishment of Olympic Esports Games made at the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, India, in October 2023, the IOC Esports Commission has done a magnificent job.
The IOC Executive Board recently announced that it has proposed to the IOC Session to enter into a 12-year agreement with the NOC of Saudi Arabia to organise and host Olympic Esports Games.
Of this decision, he said: “By partnering with the Saudi NOC we ensure that all our activities will happen in full compliance with the Olympic Charter. At the same time, we want to support the enormous progress the Saudi NOC has made with regard to the popularisation of sport and in particular the participation of girls and women in sport.”
All this, he explained, will allow the Olympic Movement to reach new and younger audiences and further disseminate the Olympic values, something that the world desperately needs right now.
These Olympic values will be on display over the next two weeks in Paris as athletes come together in peaceful competition as the world watches on.
Concluding his speech, Bach said: “This is our Olympic answer to all the forces that want to divide us: our values matter. In these dark times, our Olympic values matter more than ever. It is only by living our Olympic values – the values of solidarity, equality, human dignity for all – that we can manage to bring the entire world together in peace.
"The athletes this afternoon have made this very clear. When they assembled around the Olympic Truce Mural and were sending from there a call to all the political leaders of this world. United, all the athletes of countries in war were there. All the athletes of countries in conflict, they were all there. And they all were saying: Give Peace a chance.”
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