The conference held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government gathered officials from Olympic and Paralympic sport federations together with Governor of Tokyo and TOKYO 2016 President, Shintaro Ishihara, JOC Sports Committee Chairman, Tomiaki Fukuda, and TOKYO 2016 Chairman and CEO, Dr Ichiro Kono. They were able to discuss in detail the bid process schedule, TOKYO 2016’s plan and the role each federation will play.

Dr Ichiro Kono, Chairman and CEO of TOKYO 2016 said: “Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016 is the longtime dream of all national sport federations and we work as one team. This process of learning and listening to ideas from the federations who have extensive experience of hosting major international sporting events and who are also closest to our top athletes, is extremely important in preparing the best Games plan possible. We are sure TOKYO 2016 would benefit all sports and the Olympic movement. The step we took today together with the national sport federations, as well as the upcoming ANOC conference, will definitely be key milestones in the bidding process.”

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For further information, please contact:

Tetsuo Nakayama (Mr), Chief Director, International Communications, TOKYO 2016 Olympic Games Bid Committee

Masa Takaya (Mr), Manager, International Communications, TOKYO 2016 Olympic Games Bid Committee

+81-3-5320-2480, masanori.takaya@tokyo2016.or.jp

Source

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Press Release | National Sport Federations Assemble for TOKYO 2016, Now Ready to Move into a New Phase of Bidding Process

It was Chinese President Hu Jintao who announced the official start of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay. The President lit the cauldron at the Tianamen Square in Beijing. This took place two (2) hours after the Olympic Torch landed in China.

You can view the welcome ceremony here (video).

Source

Post from: EveryJoe

Olympic Torch in Beijing; Beijing Olympic Torch Relay Officially Commences

The ceremony will take place at the Panathenaikon Stadium. The Olympic Torch will be ceremoniously handed over to representatives of BOCOG (The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad).

The Panathenaikon Stadium is the site of the first modern-day Olympic Games.

Source

Post from: EveryJoe

Olympic Torch Hand-over Ceremony Happening Today

I’ve managed to find an awesome footage of the lighting ceremony signaling the start of the Olympic Torch Relay. This took place in Olympia, Greece last 24 March 2008.

The footage includes portions on the High Priestess played by actress Maria Nafpliotou lighting the torch flame; releasing the dove; and handing the torch to the first Olympic Torchbearer of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad Alexandros Nikolaidis.

Originally aired over at CCTV 9.

Post from: EveryJoe

Lighting of the Olympic Torch, Footage

The main responsibility of the IOC is to deliver the best possible Olympic Games to the athletes, who deserve it.

We do this in a close and intense collaboration with the Beijing Organising Committee.

Awarding the Olympic Games to the most populous country in the world will open up one fifth of mankind to Olympism.

We believe that China will change by opening the country to the scrutiny of the world through the 25’000 media who will attend the Games. The Olympic Games are a force for good. They are a catalyst for change, not a panacea for all ills.

NGOs and Human Rights’ activists want to leverage the Games and ask the IOC to act along by their side.

The IOC is undoubtedly respectful of Human Rights.

The IOC respects NGOs and activist groups and their causes, and speaks regularly with them – but we are neither a political nor an activist organisation.

As I stated last weekend, the events in Tibet are a matter of great concern to the IOC. The IOC has already expressed the hope that this conflict should be resolved peacefully as soon as possible. Violence for whatever reason is contrary to the Olympic values and spirit.

The IOC will continue to respect Human Rights. The IOC will work tirelessly with China for the welfare of the athletes and the success of the Olympic Games.

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For further information, please contact the IOC Communications Department on +41 21 621 60 00, or Emmanuelle Moreau, IOC Media Relations Manager on +41 79 637 3017, or e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org

Source

Post from: EveryJoe

Press Release | Statement by Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee

“We are living in a fool’s paradise if we continue to act as if achieving sporting excellence will come without higher standards of fitness and strength.These building blocks must be in place ,there are no shortcuts” said TTOC president Larry Romany.

Romany was explaining the rationale behind the TTOC Sport performance strength and conditioning course which will start on Tuesday 25 March at the Athletes Lounge at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

“It is called sport performance because it is just that,there are certain principles and sport science based protocols that are imperative in high performance sports”

The national Olympic chief pointed out that a number of local coaches involved in Olympic Sports have admitted that there is a need to improve their knowledge of periodized strength and conditioning.

The TTOC will be bringing in two Canadian strength and conditioning experts for the one week course.

Source

Post from: EveryJoe

Press Release | Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee, President Larry Romany: ‘There are no shortcuts.’

To enter and become eligible for the ACUVUE® The Difference is Real™ Trip to Beijing Sweepstakes, you and any of your readers 18 years and older can visit www.myspace.com/heathervision, where they will also get a personal look at the athlete through fun facts and photos.

With the help of U.S. Soccer Women’s National Team star forward Heather O’Reilly the program also aims to educate Americans about how proper vision correction can help improve performance in other areas such as driving, work or academics.

Get your once-in-a-lifetime chance to be part of the Olympic Games. Best of luck to you guys who’ll participate! Let me know if you win!

Post from: EveryJoe

Win a trip to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games!

SKY Italia, Italy’s leading digital satellite television network, acquired the rights across all broadcast platforms, including free-to-air television, subscription television, internet and mobile phone.

SKY Italia will be responsible for ensuring the broadest possible audience is able to access the Olympic Games across all of these platforms, including a guaranteed continuation of free-to-air television coverage. To achieve this commitment, SKY Italia will shortly begin seeking a partnership with a free-to-air network in Italy.

Commenting on the agreement, IOC President Jacques Rogge said: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement with SKY Italia who made a commitment to us that will allow not only increased coverage of the Olympic Games, but also an exciting promotion of Olympic sports and Olympic values in Italy.”

IOC Vice-President Thomas Bach, who led the negotiations, said: “This is a fantastic deal for the IOC and the Olympic Movement as a whole. SKY Italia demonstrated an unrivalled commitment to the Olympic Games and the Olympic values that will allow sports fans in Italy the chance to see more Olympic sport than ever before, not only on SKY Italia’s exciting subscription channel platforms, but also on a full range of digital media outlets and on free-to-air television.”

Tom Mockridge, CEO of SKY Italia said: “We are very proud of this deal that shows our constant commitment to offer more quality and choice to our subscribers, and we are grateful to the IOC for having chosen Sky Italia as a partner. As we did for the last football World Cup in Germany, SKY Italia will grant unprecedented coverage of the Olympic Games in Vancouver and London, offering our subscribers the possibility to view all the events in a unique and exciting way. We will do our utmost to interpret the spirit of the Olympic Games that makes this event so extraordinary, leading up to the Games, during the event itself and outside Games time. We share with the IOC the will and commitment to make the Olympic Games available on all platforms, granting Italians the possibility to view on free-to-air television comparable amounts of coverage to previous Olympic Games. We will immediately start discussions to identify the best free-to-air network partner to proceed with this project.”

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For further information, please contact the IOC Communications Department, Tel: +41 21 621 60 00, email: pressoffice@olympic.org

To contact SKY Italia: Sky Italia Press Office: +39-02-70027325 ufficio.stampa@skytv.it

Source

Post from: EveryJoe

Press Release | IOC Awards 2010 and 2012 Broadcast Rights in Italy

Light the Torch will now sport an countdown app that’s quite common among sites that talks about the Games.

You can periodically check it or every time you visit this blog. It’s found on the sidebar (on the right of your screen), just below the About widget. You might need to scroll down a bit.

What do you think? Isn’t it cool? :mrgreen:

Post from: EveryJoe

Counting Down the Days to the Olympics!