Muscat, Oman, December 16, 2020: The President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, thanked the Olympic Council of Asia for being “reliable partners” of the Olympic movement during his video message at the 39th OCA General Assembly in Muscat, Oman on Wednesday, December 16.
President Bach said that Asia was “taking centre stage in the sporting world” by hosting the next two editions of the Olympic Games – Tokyo 2020 next summer and the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics – and the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September 2022.
“I can tell you that the preparations in Beijing for 2022 are going extremely well,” he said.
“I would like to thank our Chinese partners and friends for all the efforts they are undertaking to make these Games successful and safe at the same time.
“I would also like to thank OCA and all the National Olympic Committees for being such reliable partners on our side as we look forward to these two extraordinary Olympic years ahead.
“Today we enjoy a very strong partnership in many areas. We are cooperating on promoting the Olympic values, to ensure safe sport and to put sport at the service of society.”
President Bach said the Olympic movement could build on these solid foundations and make a great contribution to the recovery of the world following the global coronavirus crisis.
“We are happy to have reliable partners like OCA at our side as we face not only the many challenges of this crisis but also and even even more so the opportunities it presents,” he said.
“So let us seize these opportunities like we are used to in sport, giving it our best and embracing change.”
President Bach spoke highly of the preparations for Tokyo 2020, saying he could “almost feel the Olympic spirit already now” in the new Olympic Stadium and in the Olympic Village on his most recent visit to Japan. He described the facilites as “fantastic” and said the Tokyo Olympics would be “a celebration of solidarity and resilience of humankind”.
To assist the National Olympic Committees and the athletes in their preparations for Tokyo 2020 and beyond, President Bach said the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity funding arm had responded quickly and positively.
He said the Olympic Solidarity budget for the 2021-2024 cycle had increased by 16 per cent, and that the direct support for athletes and support for NOCs had both increased by 25 per cent compared to the previous cycle. The total Olympic Solidarity budget for 2021-24 is USD 590 million.
The IOC President also spoke of the increased cooperation between the IOC and the World Health Organisation and United Nations during this difficult year and praised the NOCs and athletes for continuing to spread the Olympic spirit and values through a series of online activities and initiatives. These initiatives had included an IOC digital workout that had attracted half a billion participants, said the IOC President.
“In this Olympic spirit I wish you fruitful discussions and a very successful General Assembly. See you in Tokyo, Japan, Asia,” he concluded.