Atos Origin completed successfully the first Operational readiness test for Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games

With IT systems in place, testing focuses on people and procedure readiness

Paris/Vancouver, Atos Origin, the Worldwide Information Technology (IT) Partner for the Olympic Games, has put its people and procedures to the test with the first of two scheduled technical rehearsals. 300 different scenarios were tested during the week-long technical rehearsal, covering the IT, communications, sports and technology security systems. These rehearsals form part of Atos Origin’s comprehensive testing program and are designed to ensure that staff, technology and procedures are fully ready to respond to any situation.

The first Technical Rehearsal, a medium-scale simulation scenario with varying degrees of severity, was designed to assess how technical failures are detected, analyzed and rectified by the people in charge of bringing spectators and viewers the competition results.

From the Technology Operations Center (Virtual Tour) located in Vancouver, the technical rehearsal emulated the busiest three days of the Olympic Winter Games (February 20, 23 and 26). More than 200 IT professionals led by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and Atos Origin operated in real Games time conditions.

Commenting on the rehearsal, Jean-Benoît Gauthier, Director of Technology for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said: “It is not only the IT infrastructure and the systems that must perform perfectly from the first moment. The people, their training and the courses of action they perform must also be executed flawlessly. We are confident Atos Origin’s massive testing program will deliver a flawless Game-time performance.”

“Our team and IT systems must deliver error-free information and results to a global audience of 3 billion in real time,” said Patrick Adiba, Executive Vice President, Olympic Games and Major Events, at Atos Origin. “The secret to success is teamwork just as it is for those athletes competing for gold. Atos Origin trains and manages a cohesive IT team of about 2,000 IT professionals, that are working efficiently and effectively in a high intensity operations, making this a unique project”, he added.

Atos Origin applies its ‘one team’ approach to ensure that the complex network of IT partners and suppliers, employees and volunteers deliver the best possible services and support. During the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Atos Origin will manage a trained team of 2,000 IT team members, including 1200 volunteers, stationed at 35 competition and non-competition venues from the Technology Operation Centre—the mission control of the Games-time IT systems.

The second Technical Rehearsal will be a large-scale scenario that encompasses the majority of the Olympic venues and is scheduled to take place towards the end of the year.

Atos Origin holds the largest sports-related IT contract in the world. The contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) began with Salt Lake City in 2002, Athens in 2004, Torino in 2006, Beijing in 2008, Vancouver in 2010 and London in 2012. The contract was renewed in 2009 for Sochi in 2014 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Atos Origin designs, integrates, manages and secures the multiple IT systems needed to manage the Olympic Games and the IT systems that communicate results to the world.

About Atos Origin
Atos Origin is a leading international information technology (IT) services company, providing hi-tech transactional services, consulting, systems integration and managed operations to deliver business outcomes globally. The company’s annual revenues are EUR 5.5 billion and it employs 50,000 people. Atos Origin is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic Games and has a client base of international companies across all sectors. Atos Origin is quoted on the Paris Eurolist Market and trades as Atos Origin, Atos Worldline and Atos Consulting.