INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY 7th JOINT - IOA

Common barriers and constraints
As mentioned earlier on, many a times the main barrier that many
NOAs face in their academy’s management is the financial aspect.
Funds allocated to an NOA are crucial as they are what I consider to
be the decisive factor as to the number of individuals that can be
reached over a period of time. In Malta, for example, the NOA has to
plan its activities around an annual budget of 2500 Euros. In this
regard, it is important for NOAs to insist on receiving an annual
allocation from their NOCs, through Olympic Solidarity, supported by
the demands of the International Olympic Academy (IOA)
Commission within the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Funding
Government funding may also prove to be important however, I
was particularly struck by the way the Icelandic NOA raises its
money. Apart from receiving a direct subsidy from its NOC, it also
acquires a substantial amount of money through the national lottery,
undoubtedly a fact that other NOAs should try and emulate. Another
possible option, as suggested by the Aruba NOA, was to try and lure
sponsorships, both of a public and also of a private nature.
Accessibility
The easy accessibility of a NOA is also important as sometimes
logistical hitches may play a major role in disheartening members
from attending meetings due to the long distances involved in
travelling from one destination to another. Hence, having a centralised
location is very important. The majority of the NOAs house their
offices within the same building of their NOC as is the case with
Aruba, Dominica, Iceland, Maldives and Malta.
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