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IOC, IOC AC and WOA: Working together for Olympians and Society

18 | 2 | 2014

The WOA today outlined plans to work more closely with the IOC Athlete's Commission and Sports Department at the WOA Breakfast event in Sochi. The breakfast panel, which included IOC Athletes' Commission Chair, Claudia Bokel, new IOC Sports Director, Kit McConnell, and WOA President, Joël Bouzou, discussed how the IOC and WOA can work together for the benefit of Olympians worldwide and the communities they live in.

The panel also discussed the role of Olympians within the Olympic Movement and the role Olympians can play in transforming society.

Claudia Bokel, IOC Athletes' Commission Chair, said: "We have a number of very important initiatives for Olympians including the Athlete Career Programme and the recently launched IOC Athlete MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). By working with the WOA we will be able to extend our reach for these and other programmes and ensure that Olympians benefit from the programmes and projects run by the IOC."

Kit McConnell, IOC Sports Director, added: "The sports department works with both the IOC Athletes' Commission and the WOA. Our aim is to ensure that they work closely together for the benefit of Olympians at all stages of their lives. We will continue to support them in every way we can so that they can, both separately and together, provide the best services possible for Olympians and so that Olympians are able to give back to society and spread the spirit of Olympism."

Joël Bouzou, WOA President, said: "There are many Olympians around the world running projects which benefit their communities. But their inspiring stories aren't being heard enough. By working more closely with the IOC and the Athletes' Commission we can help make the Olympic values come alive. We are very excited about the opportunity we now have to mobilise the Olympian force for good in society along with the IOC Athletes' Commission aided by the IOC Sports Department.

"With these highly successful Games the IOC and the Organising Committee have set the base for Olympians to demonstrate all that is best about sport and the spirit of the Olympic Movement."

Following on from the highly successful WOA cocktail and lunch, which were both held at the full to capacity IOC Olympic Club in Sochi, the breakfast offered another opportunity for Olympians of all eras and nationalities to mix and mingle in a relaxed atmosphere, to make new friends and to re-connect with old acquaintances. In addition to Olympians, IOC members and senior staff, TOP Partners and Olympic Family members were present at each of the WOAs three events during the 2014 Winter Games.