IOC Delegation Prepares PyeongChang for Life as a Games Organiser

A delegation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today wrapped up a successful orientation seminar (29-31 August) with representatives of PyeongChang 2018, less than two months after the South Korean city was elected host of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Led by the Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for the PyeongChang 2018 Games, Gunilla Lindberg, and Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli, the IOC group spoke to the local delegation about the management of the Olympic Games and the key milestones that occur during the lifecycle of an Organising Committee. They also laid out the framework of partnership that will guide preparations for the next seven years and outlined some best practices from previous Games.

Speaking after the seminar, Lindberg said: “We are excited to be here so soon after PyeongChang was awarded the right to host the 2018 Games. Our Games Management process helps cities to get up and running quickly and effectively, which is highly beneficial because, as PyeongChang will discover, the seven years between now and the Games will go by rapidly.

“The city has already benefited from the transfer of knowledge from past Games and from their previous bids and we can see how well-prepared and eager they are already,” she continued. “We were pleased with the presence of all levels of government during our visit, as we met Minister Choung from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Governor Choi; and the mayors of the host communities. This underlines the strong ties between the Games stakeholders and the commitment of the country to these Games.”

The PyeongChang 2018 delegation at the orientation seminar was headed by Bid Committee Chairman Yang Ho Cho and included Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) President Y.S. Park, IOC member from Korea Dae Sung Moon and Ki Hong Kim, Director General of the Sports Bureau, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Yang Ho Cho, Chairman and CEO of PyeongChang2018, said: “We are very happy to have welcomed Ms Lindberg and the IOC representatives to PyeongChang again. As we wrap up the IOC Orientation Seminar, I feel that we are off to a very good start. We are learning a great deal from the IOC’s expertise and experience, and the information we have received during this Seminar will serve as the foundation for our preparations. For the next seven years, we will work closely with the IOC, and all of their guidance, counsel, and friendship will ensure that we host a successful Winter Games in 2018.”

As part of its transfer of knowledge programmes, the IOC runs an orientation seminar shortly after the election of each host city. The aim of the seminar is to help the newly elected city make the transition from bidding for the Games to being a Games organiser. It explains in detail the preparation phases and the operations that will need to be finalised over the next seven years, while building upon the transfer of knowledge that the cities receive from the IOC during the bid stages. The seminar also helps the organisers to decide where they should focus their efforts during the start-up phase and is an opportunity for the IOC to share its Games management philosophy with them. This enables everyone to understand what is expected of them and ensures that the collaboration is as efficient as possible right from the outset.