Athens shares Olympic lessons

by Courtesy ISAF on 4 Nov 2004 Three days of briefing meetings organised by the IOC were successfully concluded in Beijing today, where Athens organisers have been sharing the lessons of their successful summer.

Under the auspices of the IOC’s Transfer of Knowledge programme, the Organising Committee for the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (ATHOC), led by ATHOC President Gianna Angelopoulos–Daskalaki, shared insights and experience on areas including sports, finance, Games identity and vision, venue planning and operations, Games-time operations, test events and the Paralympic Games.

Past, present and future organisers of the Olympic Games were represented, with teams from Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010 and the Candidate Cities bidding for the summer Games of 2012 joining executives from all levels of the Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

‘The Olympic Games have now been held three times in this third millennium; and Sydney, Salt Lake City and now Athens have all been great successes,’ said IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert FELLI.

‘After each of those Games, we held debriefing meetings, with the transfer of knowledge becoming a key step in the IOC’s work to ensure the Games continue to go from strength to strength.

'The Transfer of Knowledge programme plays a key part in work being led by IOC President Jacques Rogge to manage the size and complexity of the Olympic Games, whilst maintaining their quality.’

The IOC’s Transfer of Knowledge programme consists of a knowledge base, accessible via an extranet, comprising key reports, plans and information from every area of Olympic Games management.

An observers’ programme organised during the Games provides a framework for future hosts to fully grasp the work done by each organising committee. A secondee programme ensures executives and staff gain first-hand experience by working in key Games organisation roles.

‘To be most effective, our Transfer of Knowledge programmes are constantly adjusted in a client-focused way,’ said Felli. ‘The best opportunity for us to add further value to the knowledge gained from past Games is to make sure it is presented in the most useful way possible.

'We tailor workshops, seminars and documents to the needs of different organisers in a way that best suits their cultural, socio-economic and professional environments.’

ATHOC COO Marton SIMITSEK said: ‘Over the past three days we have briefed our friends BOCOG on all aspects of Olympic Games preparations. This sharing of information is always key to the success of the Games. Just as Greece gave the Games to the world, we have been delighted to work with the IOC and BOCOG to help pass on key lessons of ATHENS 2004.’

IOC Website: www.olympic.org