During its final meeting of 2008, the IOC Executive Board (EB) heard updates on the progress of the Games projects from the CEOs of the Organising Committees (OCOGs) of Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014. These reports supplemented the briefings given to the EB by the Coordination Commission Chairmen of the Beijing, Vancouver, London and Sochi Games.
 
Approval
The OCOG reports covered a wide range of topics related to the Games, including venue construction and project management updates. The Vancouver report, made by John Furlong, also saw VANOC ask and receive approval for, among other items, its Cultural Olympiad programme in 2010. Sochi 2014 President Dmitry Chernychenko was joined by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak as they underlined the development of the Sochi Games over the past few months and the strong support that the Games have within Russia.

 
Good progress across the board
The reports from the Coordination Commission Chairmen also pointed out the good progress that is being made across the board in all of the different Games projects. Beijing 2008 Coordination Commission Chairman Hein Verbruggen reported back to the EB on the success of the Beijing Games, as well as the successful IOC Official Debriefing of the Beijing 2008 Games, which was held in London two weeks ago.
 
Organising Committee
The organisation of the Olympic Games is entrusted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the country of the host city as well as to the host city itself. The NOC forms, for that purpose, an Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) The OCOG must comply with the Olympic Charter, the contract entered into between the IOC, the National Olympic Committee and the host city (Host City Contract) and the instructions of the IOC Executive Board. Nowadays, the Organising Committees have turned into enormous administrative entities employing hundreds of people. The Organising Committee starts its work with a period of planning, followed by a period of organisation which culminates in the staging of the Games.

The IOC completed yesterday its week-long review of the Beijing 2008 Games to ensure that London and other Games Organising Committees benefit from the lessons learned in Beijing. The IOC Official Debriefing of the Beijing 2008 Games examined all planning and operational aspects of the Beijing Games to highlight best practices, as well as the challenges that were encountered.
 
Distinct Personality
“We’re delighted that the Olympic Games are returning to Great Britain, the birthplace of modern sport,” IOC President Jacques Rogge said. “Every Olympic Games has a distinct personality. The successful Games in Beijing were unique in many ways. London has its own unique assets that will ensure the success of the 2012 Games as well.” Rogge has made knowledge transfer a top priority during his tenure as IOC President. “The 2008 Games set new standards for organisation, venues and athletic performances, but we can always improve,” Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli said. “I’m confident that the London organisers will host a first-class event with a uniquely British atmosphere.”
 
Beijing Debriefing
Bringing together around 900 participants, the IOC Official Debriefing of the Beijing 2008 Games took place from 24 to 27 November 2008 in London. This event, which was attended by members of the Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014 Organising Committees (OCOGs), as well as representatives of the 2016 Candidate Cities and other Games stakeholders, gave these future Games organisers the chance to learn from the experience and knowledge gained by their Beijing counterparts during their seven years of preparation. Comprising two plenary sessions, eight stakeholder sessions and 18 functional area workshops, the event looked at the planning, operational and technical elements of organising an Olympic Games, such as sport, accommodation, transport, culture, education and logistics. The debriefing also addressed the various stakeholders’ experience of groups at the Games like athletes, spectators, workforce and the media. A full technology debrief of the Games was also held in London from 20 to 22 November 2008.
 
The OGKM Programme
The Beijing Debriefing is a key component of the IOC’s Olympic Games Knowledge Management (OGKM) programme, which consists of three main sources: services, personal experience and information. The services include workshops, seminars and a network of experts with Games experience on a range of Olympic topics that the OCOGs are able to call upon throughout their lifecycle. The OCOGs are also able to gain personal experience on Games preparations and operations through the Games-time observers’ programme, the official Games Debriefing and a secondment programme, which allows staff members from future OCOGs to work on the current edition of the Olympic Games. The final element of OGKM is information, which includes elements like the Official Games Report, technical manuals, knowledge reports, a range of useful documents and publications and the IOC’s visual transfer of knowledge of photos and films. All this information is available to the OCOGs through an extranet that is managed by the IOC.

IOC President Jacques Rogge has spoken in London on the role of the Olympic Movement in getting young people to lead physically active, healthy lifestyles, and the impact of the global credit crunch on the Olympic Games.

Giving the second annual de Coubertin Lecture to an audience of leading figures from the worlds of sport, arts and culture, the President said that it was “vital” that the Olympic Movement focuses on getting young people around the world into sport: “I believe that catching the sports bug simply helps you cope with life better. It encourages you to value yourself, and your body. It equips you for learning, and improves your ability to think and create.”

Hooking young people on sport
Presented by London 2012 in conjunction with the Royal Society of Arts and the British Olympic Foundation, the de Coubertin lecture is a landmark opportunity to promote the role of Olympism in society. The President used the event, on the eve of the Beijing Debrief, to link the UK’s proud Olympic history with the chance the 2012 Games provides to address inequalities in society.

Increased physical activity was vital if younger generations were to avoid the health consequences of a “sitting down” lifestyle said the President. “British children spend 5 hours and 20 minutes a day glued to a screen. Young people are playing sport less, they are spending more time in cars, and the consequence is more obesity and greater problems.”

Technology’s challenge and opportunity
It was vital to use the digital revolution to inspire more young people to take up sport and become active. “New technologies present a challenge, but they also give us new opportunities to engage and interact. On the internet today, people don’t simply sit passively watching content – they create it and share it.”

London’s imaginative logo and adventurous cultural and sporting initiatives showed that they understood this, said the President. “London’s vision places sport and athletes at the heart of the Games,” said the President, but puts a strong focus on “engaging young people, culture and education.”

Credit crunch
The President added that the world was going through “difficult times” economically, but that the Olympic Games “had survived difficult times before. They have survived and thrived because of what they mean to people all over the world.” The success of Beijing put the Olympic Movement on a sound footing to deal with the challenges of the coming years, and future organisers were well prepared, he added.

 Discover President Rogge's speech (PDF)

Canada.comChina blocks Internet access to NY TimesReuters - 1 hour agoThe Foreign Ministry said this week that China, which eased its rein on the Internet before and during the Beijing Olympics in August, was within its rights ...China Blocks Access to The Times’s Web Site New York Timesall 101 news articles

Los Angeles TimesBeijing Olympics play again on NBCHollywood Reporter, United States - 12 hours agoNEW YORK -- NBC will relive some of its finest hours of 2008 with a primetime special about the Beijing Olympics on Dec. 27. The two-hour "Beijing Olympic ...NBC to Re-Broadcast 'Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony' AceShowbizHere's to 2008, when much went undone USA TodayMichael Phelps Los Angeles TimesBleacher Report - Metromixall 8 news articles

Los Angeles TimesKobe Bryant to face Beijing Games teammatesLos Angeles Times, CA - 16 hours agoBryant, Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard and Chris Paul were members of the USA Olympics men's basketball team that brought home the gold medal. ...Taking it personal Sun-Sentinel.comKobe Bryant and the Lakers play Dwyane Wade and the Heat Friday ... Los Angeles Timesall 342 news articles

Swimming South Africa Releases Bulky Inquiry ReportSwimmingWorldMagazine.com, AZ - 22 hours ago... Beijing Olympics are in material respects not justified either in the article itself, or in subsequent interviews conducted with the key role-players. ...Swimming SA unscathed, harsh words for Sascoc in Arendse report Business Dayall 3 news articles

Soccer AmericaDelran's Carli Lloyd wins top soccer awardPhiladelphia Inquirer, PA - Dec 19, 2008A two-time Inquirer South Jersey player of the year at Delran, Lloyd started all six games for the US team in the Beijing Olympics and played every minute ...Howard, Lloyd selected as US players of year The Associated PressHoward, Lloyd, Kljestan and Mewis Voted 2008 US Soccer Athletes of ... US Soccer.comHoward Wins US Male Athlete of the Year Award Goal.comEarthtimes (press release) - Potomac Soccer Wireall 99 news articles

NBC to Air Primetime Special, 'The Beijing Olympic Opening ...MarketWatch - Dec 18, 2008USA Today on the Opening Ceremony In time for the holiday season, NBC will air a primetime special "The Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony: TV Event of the ...NBC Slates Special Recapping Beijing Opening Ceremony Television Weekall 10 news articles

Voice of AmericaAfter Games, China blocks Web sites againPhiladelphia Inquirer, PA - Dec 18, 2008By Tini Tran Associated Press BEIJING - With the Olympic spotlight off it, China has resumed blocking access to the Internet sites of some foreign media, ...China's Charter Washington PostChina 'bans BBC Chinese website' BBC NewsChina Blocks More Web Sites Radio Free AsiaThe Associated Press - Washington Postall 1,139 news articles