INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY 7th JOINT - IOA

Introduction
OLYMPIC EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS IN WINTER
SPORTS EVENTS
Ms Cris de Souza COSTA (BRA)
“The International Olympic Committee, in its capacity as leader
of the Olympic Movement, has resolved to fully integrate the
protection of the environment in its philosophy and programmes.
Considering its importance for the development and survival of
our society, the environment was introduced into the Olympic
Charter in 1994 and is today recognised as the third pillar of
Olympism, after sport and culture. The objective is to extend the
IOC environmental police not only to the organisation of the
Olympic Games – its first duty – but also to ensure that the
protection of the environment forms an integral part of the
educational values which are taught to the youth of the world
through sport.” (International Olympic Committee, 1997, p.69)
The aim of this paper is to discuss the possibilities to promote
Olympic education for Environmental concerns focusing on winter
sports practices, especially when these activities are related to
international sports events. The theme of environmental awareness
within sports practice is here reviewed, approaching educational tools
through sport whereas Olympic traditions and experiences may
prevail.
Environmental awareness has become an important concern to
sport practice in the past decades. It came out in the early 70s 1
expressed through scientific verification and requirement criticism.
(Da Costa, 1997)
Later in the 90s this tendency reached its highest point with the
official commitment of sport’s institutions on the environmentalist
movement. For example: the International Ski Federation (FIS) was
the first sportive institution to sign up the Agenda 21 2 (in 1992); the
Olympic Winter Games of Lillehammer were the first “green” games
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