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The constant progression of the Olympic Movement in general, which deploys
the efforts of the IOC to encourage the development of sport, has strengthened the
role of the National Olympic Committees. Their responsibility is not only to train
and select athletes to participate in the Olympic Games. The NOC's must also
spread the fundamental principles of Olympism, encourage Sport for All as well as
the highest levels of sport, help with the education of their sports administrators
by organising courses and supervise the creation of institutions that are dedicated
to Olympic Education.
To help the NOC's with their mission, Olympic Solidarity offers them the
assistance they require in different fields.
Introduction
Olympic Solidarity is the body responsible for managing and administering
the share of the television rights of the Olympic Games that is allocated to the
National Olympic Committees (NOCs). It exercises this responsibility in
accordance with the specific programmes of technical and financial assistance
approved by the Olympic Solidarity commission, which is chaired by the President
of the IOC.
Olympic Solidarity assists the NOCs and the Continental Associations with their
efforts for the development of sports through programmes carefully diversified to
match their specific needs and priorities.
Olympic Solidarity, whose origins date back to 1961, reflects the Olympic
ethic of which the basic notions are generosity, understanding and international
co-operation, cultural exchanges, the development of sports and its educational
aspects and the promotion of a society concerned with human dignity and peace.
Olympic Solidarity has specific objectives as written in The Olympic Charter,
which includes the following definition:
The aim of Olympic Solidarity is to organise aid to NOCs recognised by the IOC,
in particular those which have the greatest need of it. This aid takes the form
of programmes elaborated jointly by the IOC and the NOCs, with the technical
assistance of the IFs, if necessary.
Brief History of Olympic Solidarity
In 1961 at the 58 th Session of the IOC, a prominent IOC member from
France, The Comte Jean de Beaumont proposed the creation of a Committee
meant to aid countries in Africa and Asia, which had just gained independence
from colonisation. The proposal was accepted and the Committee for International
Olympic Aid (CIOA) was created. In 1968 the Committee became an IOC
Commission, and kept the same name.
In 1971 the CIOA was merged with a similar project initiated by the Permanent
General Assembly of the NOCs and transformed into the Commission for Olympic
Solidarity.
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