The OCI, which governs all Olympic sport matters for the island of Ireland, normally holds all its meetings in Dublin, but responded positively to an invitation by Derry’s Mayor, Helen Quigley, to break with tradition and to come to Derry.
The historic OCI visit will also include a civic reception at the Guildhall and a guided tour of the City Walls.
With Derry City Council looking at the possibility of using the city’s sports facilities to attract a team to do pre-Olympic training there in the run up to the London 2012 Games, the visit of the OCI is seen as crucial.
Quigley said she welcomed the response from the OCI to her invitation and believed the visit presented an unprecedented opportunity.
“Raising our profile with OCI and discussing our investment plans for sport is essential to realise our ambition to meet the needs of elite sportsmen and women as well as promoting state of the art facilities for young people to participate in sport,” she said.
“This is an excellent opportunity and I am delighted the OCI have accepted our invitation to visit and hold their monthly executive meeting in the city.”
Derry City Council representatives have already met with leading members of the OCI in advance of their participation in the Sport Accord International Convention in Beijing during April.
The city has already unveiled its plans for centres of excellence in judo, boxing and fencing along with other regional centres for sport.
Hickey is also a key member of the Irish Government’s Working Group on the London 2012 Games that is tasked with promoting Ireland as a pre and post-Olympic attraction to nations and tourists coming to London for the Games.
Among the OCI Executive Board members visiting Derry will be representatives of the sports of athletics, boxing, rowing, archery, baseball, football, cycling and fencing