The seventh International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Forum came to a close in Lausanne, Switzerland yesterday, with FIH Athletes Committee Chairman Michael Green and Committee member Marsha Cox helping contribute to the IOC’s decision to approve a set of recommendations aimed at empowering Athletes’ Commissions at all levels.
The Forum welcomed Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, and particularly the athlete-related recommendations, which included:
- Empowering athletes through better communication and provision of information.
- Fully integrating all athletes’ communications into the Olympic Channel.
- To make all International Federations establish athletes’ commissions in accordance with the relevant IOC guidelines.
- The Court of Arbitration for Sport to develop and educate athlete arbitrators.
- Michael Green and Marsha Cox played an important role in representing hockey, offering valued support and input during the three day Forum.
Speaking of his experiences at the Forum, Michael Green said: “Such meetings are very important for hockey to be part of and learn from other Federations. It was particularly interesting to discuss with colleagues from different sports some common opportunities and challenges across different topics addressed during the Forum, in particular how the athlete-related recommendations will have an impact on team sports.”
FIH Athletes Committee Member Marsha Cox was also inspired by what she learned in Lausanne. She said: “The Forum was a huge success and we had great opportunities to interact, share our experiences and learn from other Athletes’ Committees. We also had the opportunity to learn more about new media and communication and the launch of the Olympic Channel which will become a very useful tool for the development of sports.”
Taking place every two years, this year’s Forum saw the participation of over 100 athletes from 40 countries, with 100 Olympic medals and 200 Olympic appearances between them – Michael and Marsha with five Olympic Games appearances in total.
They included Athletes’ Commission representatives from the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), International Federations, Continental Associations and the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games.
The Forum covered a number of topics concerning athletes – from effective leadership and Athletes’ Commission management best practices to athletes’ services and welfare, communication and experiences during Games time and beyond. Many of these topics are also being addressed by the FIH Athletes Committee within the sport of hockey.
The Forum also included practical sessions on the IOC’s latest initiatives for athletes, including the Olympic Athletes’ Hub and Integrity e-learning programme. The participants were given the opportunity to provide feedback on these athlete-centred platforms prior to their launch in early 2016 ahead of the Rio Olympic Games.
IOC President Thomas Bach joined the Athletes’ Forum, taking part in Q&A sessions with the athletes on Friday and Saturday. In his closing remarks, he praised those present for their hard work and welcomed their recommendations. He said: “These are a great set of recommendations that underline the commitment of the IOC to put athletes at the heart of the Olympic Movement. Many of the recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020 were proposed by the IOC Athletes’ Commission, and will further strengthen their role. As one of the founding members of the IOC Athletes’ Commission in 1981 it is great for me to see the progress made from those first steps until today, where the athletes play a fundamental role in decision-making.”
The full set of recommendations resulting from these discussions will be presented to the IOC Executive Board in December.
For more information about the IOC Athletes’ Forum, click here.
