2009 Olympic Congress: First-ever public consultation

The 13th Olympic Congress, to be held in Copenhagen in October 2009, will include a public consultation for the first time in the history of Olympic congresses. This public sounding on some of the themes of the Congress will be launched in early 2008 on www.olympic.org, the official website of the Olympic Movement, IOC President Jacques Rogge announced today at the 119th IOC Session in Guatemala City.

“This is the first Congress of the millennium, and the first one since the start of the digital revolution. Even if the Olympic Congress is primarily for the Olympic family, we need to take the pulse using the modern methods available to us, and in particular open up to the public”, President Rogge explained to the IOC members gathered in Guatemala. The Editorial Committee will then choose the most relevant contributions for inclusion in the Congress proceedings.

Interview of the IOC President Jacques Rogge (.wmv windows media)

The role of the Olympic Movement in society
The role of the Olympic Movement in society and in all regions of the world is the guiding concept of the 13th Congress. Under this overall umbrella, the five themes:

- The Athletes
- The Olympic Games
- The Structure of the Olympic Movement
- Olympism and Youth
- The Digital Revolution

chosen by the 2009 Congress Commission will include discussions and debates on the success of the Olympic Games, the Olympic values, the social and professional life of athletes during and after high-level sports participation, good governance, ethics of the world of sport, youth and communication in the digital age.

From 3 to 5 October 2009 in Copenhagen
The 13th Olympic Congress will be held from 3 to 5 October 2009 in the Danish capital, Copenhagen. It will bring together around 1,000 participants representing: IOC members; IOC honorary and honour members; representatives of the International Federations, National Olympic Committees, the athletes and Organising Committees for the Olympic Games; athletes and athlete support staff (coaches, doctors and medical staff); referees, judges and technical officials; the IOC’s Olympic partners; and the media. The various stages of the Olympic Congress run from 1 July 2007 until the end of 2009. The meetings in Copenhagen will mark the culmination of this process. But even then, the work will not be finished, as the next task will be to implement the main Congress recommendations that the Session has accepted.

Strengthen Denmark’s ties with the world of sport
The Chairman of the Congress Organising Committee and President of the National Olympic Committee of Denmark, IOC member Kai Holm, is convinced that the Olympic Congress will strengthen Denmark’s ties with the sports world, especially the various International Federations and the National Olympic Committees around the world. “Such an opening allows us to exchange points of view, learn from each other and establish contacts which will be valuable for years to come”, he believes.