European Olympic Committee president Patrick Hickey of Ireland was on a visit to Malta last week, during which he had several meetings with members of the Maltese Olympic Committee, other organisations and the press. In the picture he is seen with MOC president Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco during a meeting with the press. At that meeting, Hickey, who is known to be a big friend of the Maltese Olympic Committee, criticised the recent White Paper on Sport issued by the EU Commission. He described it as a disaster for sport on the continent, claiming that those who drafted it seemed to be more interested in the professional footballers who earn high salaries involving millions of euros than those who are really in need of furthering their sporting talents. Hickey discussed several important points with the press but also had the time to shower praise on local Olympic officials, especially the president and the secretary-general, Joe Cassar, for their hard work in the EOC.

IOC strengthens fight against doping with bold new initiatives

During a meeting held prior to the opening of the 11th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Osaka, the IOC executive board discussed a series of new measures aimed at further strengthening the fight against doping in sport.

The measures, proposed by IOC President Jacques Rogge, cover the areas of prevention and sanctions.

Leading the meeting, Rogge said: “Recent doping-related events remind us that anti-doping measures do have an impact but also that the fight against doping in sport is a daily battle that must be fought in concert by the sports authorities, sports teams, athletes and coaches and governments.

“The measures that we have reviewed today aim to reinforce the IOC’s zero-tolerance policy that we already uphold through an unprecedented increase in testing – a 90 per cent increase from Sydney in 2000 to Beijing next year, where 4,500 tests will be conducted, collaboration with the judicial authorities and the creation of disciplinary commissions when needed, to investigate incidents of doping that may have affected past Olympic Games”.

Snapshot of the

proposed measures

Athletes could be banned from taking part in the Olympic Games in the event of violations of anti-doping rules during the Olympiad having led to sanctions of more than six months.

Athletes will be automatically suspended after a positive A sample.

The IOC could reserve the right to reduce the penalties on athletes and their entourages who have been found guilty but wish to cooperate and provide

valuable information about suppliers, networks and anyone involved in the doping chain.

The IOC could impose heavy financial penalties.

The rules on Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) will be strengthened.

The IOC reiterates its call on governments to sign the UNESCO Convention as soon as possible.

International Olympic Committee bidding process for Youth Olympic Games

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has communicated the bidding process for hosting the first Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2010. A letter has been sent to all National Olympic Committees (NOCs), advising them of the information available for cities interested in bidding for the Games.

The letter to the NOCs is accompanied by the Youth Olympic Games brochure – an updated presentation brochure on the Youth Olympic Games – and the candidature procedure and questionnaire. On this basis, the NOCs can carry out a preliminary feasibility check before they develop a fully-fledged candidature file.

The milestones in the lead-up to the election for the host city of the first Summer Youth Olympic Games are as follows:

31 August 2007: NOCs to confirm names of interested cities.

26 October 2007: cities to submit their candidature file.

12 November 2007: selection of candidate cities by an expert panel.

3-18 December 2007: visits by an evaluation commission, set up by the IOC, to the short-listed candidate cities.

End of January 2008: the evaluation commission submits its report to the IOC Executive Board.

Mid-February 2008: postal vote by IOC members.

End of February 2008: announce-ment of the first host city of the Summer Youth Olympic Games.

The Youth Olympic Games, adopted on 5 July by the 119th IOC Session in Guatemala City, are the flagship of the IOC’s strategy regarding young people, which includes initiatives such as an educational project on Olympic values, a specific interactive website and a campaign highlighting the Olympic values to young people.

The Youth Olympic Games aim to:

• bring together talented athletes from around the world to participate in high-level competitions;

• educate young athletes at the Games on the importance of sport for their health and social integration, and inform them about the dangers linked to sport, such as doping, training to excess and/or inactivity; and

• communicate through modern communication channels the Olympic values, the spirit and the message of the Youth Olympic Games worldwide.

The Youth Olympic Games – for 14 to 18-year-olds – will bring together approximately 3,500 athletes and 875 officials for the Summer Games.

The sports programme will comprise all the sports on the programme of the 2012 Summer Games, with a limited number of disciplines and events.

Proposals from sports federations to integrate youth-driven disciplines that are not part of the Olympic Games may be accepted.