News

The 11th World Sport for All Congress opened this morning in Havana in the presence of IOC President Jacques Rogge, First Vice President of the Cuban Council of State Raùl Castro and some 300 thought leaders in the field of health, sport and science. Over two-and-a-half days, discussions will focus on the benefits and challenges of physical activity – from promoting the merits of sport and exercise to people of all ages in the developed and developing world to influencing decision makers who can help implement Sport for All ideas and programmes.

John O'Donoghue T.D. Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism today (Wednesday 23nd August 2006) launched the first meeting of the London 2012 Olympics Task Force. This high level group has been appointed to ensure Ireland can identify and maximise the complete range of opportunities arising from its proximity to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London 2012. This task force will draw on the expertise of people from across the sport, tourism, cultural and business sectors supported by staff within the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.

Thus did the Extraordinary General Assembly held in Rome on July 29 unanimously express itself, following Mario Pescante’s (ITA) decision to resign from the leadership of the Association.

Ten years ago the spotlight and cameras turned to Atlanta to cover the Games of the XXVI Olympiad. After long years of preparations, dreams came true for hundreds of athletes who entered the Olympic stadium for the Opening Ceremony, where the last torchbearer, Muhammad Ali, lit the Olympic cauldron and President Clinton opened the Games.

Dozens of happy schoolchildren from Scoil Mhuire primary school in Howth, Co. Dublin celebrated Olympic Day on Thursday June 22nd – just the day before the anniversary of the creation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Paris in 1894.

Schoolchildren from Scoil Mhuire primary school in Howth, Co. Dublin will help celebrate Olympic Day on Thursday June 22nd – a day that commemorates the creation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Paris in 1894.

Pat Hickey, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland, is to become President of the European Olympic Committees organisation (EOC), one of the most powerful positions in the Olympic movement.

Dr. Kevin O’Flanagan, who died in a Dublin hospital today (May 26th ), was one of the most extraordinary sportsmen Ireland has ever produced – being capped in soccer and rugby as well as playing for Arsenal Football Club and being an Irish athletics champion. He was also a long-time member for Ireland of the International Olympic Committee and a former chairman of the National Rehabilitation Board.

An important Olympic Sport Seminar is being held at Olympic House tomorrow evening (May 26th) to discuss, in the main, science and medical proposals for the Beijing Olympic Games. Key practitioners from National Federations who have been identified as being likely to have athletes in Beijing have been invited to attend.

On Thursday 20 April, the Olympic Museum in Lausanne hosted the 4th edition of the SportStar Awards. The ceremony was held under the patronage and in the presence of Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Juan Antonio Samaranch, IOC Honorary President for Life, and Mario Pescante, President of the European Olympic Committees. Also present were Valentino Castellani, President of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games Organising Committee (TOROC), and representatives of the Winter Sports International Federations, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Eurosport.

The Organising Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs) – Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 – have all been in attendance at the XV General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), taking the opportunity to work and discuss with the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), one of their key stakeholder groups, as well as to inform them of the progress of their respective Games. The NOCs along with the athletes, the International Federations (IFs), sponsors, partners, media and others are all stakeholders the OCOGs work closely with to ensure the delivery of quality Olympic Games. This close collaboration with stakeholders is an integral part of the IOC’s Games Management process through which the IOC brings together the key stakeholders and the OCOGs, notably through the IOC’s Coordination Commissions, in order to help guide and support each OCOG.

The Founder of the Olympic Council of Ireland and Ireland’s First Member of the International Olympic Committee John James Keane (1871 –1956)