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IOC TO INAUGURATE NEW HEADQUARTERS ON OLYMPIC DAY

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BY DAN PALMER

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have announced that they will inaugurate their new headquarters in Lausanne on this year’s Olympic Day.

Known as Olympic House, the inauguration on June 23 will coincide with the 125th anniversary of the creation of the IOC.

Located in the Vidy area of the Swiss city, close to the Lake Geneva shoreline, the new headquarters is expected to cost a “maximum” of CHF200 million (£159 million/$207 million/€181 million).

The IOC first decided to move ahead with the project in 2014, with their previous headquarters on the same site now demolished.

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Five hundred staff who work for the organisation are currently spread across four locations in the Olympic capital, but the new building will bring them together under one roof.

Designed by Danish architecture firm 3XN, the building will feature an all-glass façade with 80 per cent of the construction completed by local companies.

It is being built with sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices very much in mind.

This includes the use of lake water, solar power and natural lighting. 

There will be a hospitality floor on the lowest level alongside a welcome area, a restaurant, a sports cafe and five large meeting rooms.

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Three floors of offices will lie above it.

A winding staircase structure is aiming to “symbolically echo the unifying aspirations of the Olympic rings” as well as encourage movement and communication.

An underground car park lies in front of the building, although it will be fully hidden by a grass lawn. 

More than 100 trees will be planted at the site.

The first stone of the building was symbolically laid in December 2015 in a ceremony attended by IOC President Thomas Bach.

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He presented a time capsule featuring five cylinders draped in the colours of the Olympic Rings, each of which includes a particular piece of history linked to the Olympic Movement.

Most IOC departments, including the Executive Office, are currently housed at temporary headquarters in Pully.

The Château de Vidy building at the old headquarters will not be demolished as it is listed as a historical monument.

“From 23 June onwards, the IOC will benefit from two Olympic centres in Lausanne: Olympic House in Vidy to cater for its administration and offer a welcoming meeting place for all its stakeholders; and The Olympic Museum in Ouchy to host the general public,” an IOC statement said.

“Olympic House is a privately funded investment in sustainability.

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“It has the strong ambition to meet the most demanding sustainability standards both locally and internationally. 

“It has been designed as a sustainable building in terms of both construction and operations, with special efforts put into energy and water efficiency, waste reduction and landscape integration.

“It aims to regroup all IOC staff in one location, resulting in cost savings and increased collaboration.

“It also represents an investment by the IOC in the local economy and development.

“With this new building, the IOC confirms its attachment to Lausanne, the Olympic Capital. 

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“Developed in close consultation with the local authorities, Olympic House will offer the region an emblematic architectural landmark and become an important element of the local Louis Bourget public park, which welcomes a diverse group of visitors every year.”  

Held every year, Olympic Day is celebrated around the world and is dedicated to the founding of the international Olympic Movement by Pierre de Coubertin.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Olympics

Olympic rings removed from Eiffel Tower

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The Eiffel Tower and the Olympic Rings

The Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower since June to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games were removed from the Parisian monument early on Friday morning, as confirmed by an AFP photographer. But the Paris City Hall intends to replace them with a more permanent structure until 2028.

The five-coloured rings, measuring 29 metres in length and 15 metres in height, were placed between the first and second levels of the iconic iron structure on 7 June. 

According to Inside the Games publication, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo  wants the Olympic symbol to continue decorating the monument until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

But the descendants of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel are opposing the move. They are insisting that the Olympic rings are aesthetically in conflict with the concept and design of the Tower.

The 30-tonne rings initially installed on the Eiffel Tower were also not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.

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Despite Egypt winning 3 medals at Paris Olympics, President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul

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Ahmed El-Gendy won Egypt's only gold at the Paris Olympics

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered  a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that  participatedat the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.

The mandate includes a thorough expenditure check and a performance review to better highlight areas of improvement and fund allocation in future Games.

Additionally, the president plans to take necessary measures against federations —such as limiting funds— that had negative results in the Paris Games.

Egypt’s participation in sports where it lacks a competitive advantage will also be limited, as the president aims to direct resources to promising athletes to ensure optimal results. The president also aims to reduce administrative and technical staff within Olympic delegations and task relevant ministries with preparing future Olympic athletes.

Al-Sisi’s Olympic overhaul is to be presented to the cabinet for approval and urged the government to prioritise amending the sports law for the House of Representatives for review. 

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Egypt took home a total of three medals in the Summer Games. Ahmed El-Gendy triumphed in modern pentathlon, Sara Samir claimed the silver in weightlifting, and 21-year-old fencer Mohamed El-Sayed earned the bronze.

-Insidethegames

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Paris 2024 Games break record ticket sales

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Beach Volleyball - Men's Gold Medal Match - Sweden vs Germany (Ahman/Hellvig vs Ehlers/Wickler) - Eiffel Tower Stadium, Paris, France - August 10, 2024. REUTERS/Esa Alexander/File Photo

Paris 2024 sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012, organisers said on Sunday.

Some 9.5 million tickets were sold for the Olympics and 2.5 million for the Paralympics, which end on Sunday.

In 2012, London organisers set the record for the Paralympics with 2.7 million tickets sold but only 8.2 million were sold for the Olympics.

-Reuters

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