Summer Games

Volkswagen is to provide sponsorship support to the Olympic Council of Ireland and members of Ireland's Olympic Games squad during the build-up to their participation in the 2008 Olympic Games in Bejing and throughout the period of their stay in China.

Patrick Parsons is resident in Beijing and is a fluent Chinese speaker. Undoubtedly he will be a great asset to the Irish Olympic Team with his in depth knowledge of the language and culture of China.

Leading sports psychologists such as Niamh Fitzpatrick (OCI) , Phil Moore (Hockey) Alan Ringland (Swimming) and Tadhg McIntrye (Canoeing)attended. Simon drew on his experience of taking GB Bob Skeleton to Olympic medal success at the 2002 and 2006 Olympic Winter Games. He is currently Sports Science Director with English Cricket. The seminar was enriched by the presence of one of our leading Equestrian Sport coaches Lars Christensson.

BOCOG plans to recruit 120,000 volunteers for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The BOCOG website www.beijing2008.com has all the details about volunteer application.

An invited group of Team Managers,coaches,medical personnel and athletes will have an opportunity to hear a Beijing 2008 operational planning update by Chef de Mission Dermot Henihan.

Dermot Henihan , Irish Olympic Team Chef de Mission will lead a delegation to China between the 11th – 18th November 2006.
Meetings have been arranged with BOCOG sports officials to progress plans for the Irish team's participation in the 2008 Games.

Next week will see the IOC’s Coordination Commission return to Beijing for the seventh time since the Chinese capital was awarded the Games back in 2001 at the 112th IOC Session in Moscow. The Commission, which is chaired by IOC member Hein Verbruggen, will also be joined for part of this visit by the President of the IOC, Jacques Rogge. The Commission will be looking at a full range of Games-related areas to ensure that the Organising Committee for Beijing 2008 (BOCOG) is continuing to progress in the right direction with its Games preparations.

Following a workshop in June with Steve Bull, a series of Sports Psychology seminars for 2006-08 Olympic preparation period were agreed.

The Olympic Council of Ireland, in consultation with the relevant National Federations, today (Oct 10th) announced the selection of a further list of Team Managers Designate for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The Olympic Council of Ireland, in consultation with the National Federations are pleased to announce the following seven as Team Managers Designate for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games:

A further meeting of Team Managers Designate for the Beijing Olympic Games will take place at the Olympic Council of Ireland headquarters on 11th September 2006. The meeting will be lead by Chef de Mission, Dermot Henihan, assisted by his deputy, Tom Rafter.

With exactly two years to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad – Beijing 2008, the Organising Committee for Beijing 2008 (BOCOG) and the people of Beijing have been involved in numerous events to mark this momentous occasion – ranging from sport for all activities, to children’s plays, and press conferences with the international media. Perhaps one of the most striking events was the participation of about one million Beijing residents in morning exercises marking the two-years-to-go anniversary.