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International Olympic Committee
Comité international olympique (French)

IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland
Abbreviation	IOC (English), CIO (French)
Formation	23 June 1894; 131 years ago (1894-06-23)
Founders	Pierre de Coubertin Demetrios Vikelas
Type	Sports federation (association organised under the laws of the Swiss Confederation)
Headquarters	Olympic House, Lausanne, Switzerland
Membership	110 active members, 39 honorary members, 206 individual National Olympic Committees
Official language	French (reference language), English, and the host country's language when necessary
President	Thomas Bach Kirsty Coventry (elected)
Vice Presidents	Juan Antonio Samaranch Salisachs Nawal El Moutawakel Gerardo Werthein Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant
Director General	Christophe De Kepper
Anthem: Olympic Anthem Motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter (Latin: Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together)

The International Olympic Committee (IOC; French: Comité international olympique, CIO) is a worldwide sports group that organizes the modern Olympic Games. It was started in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas. Its main office is in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The IOC is in charge of planning the Summer, Winter, and Youth Olympics. It also leads the Olympic Movement, which includes all the groups and people involved in the Games. As of 2020, 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are officially recognized by the IOC. The current IOC president is Thomas Bach, who has held the role since 2013. Kirsty Coventry has been elected to take over in June 2025.

What the IOC Does

The main goal of the IOC is to spread the spirit of Olympism around the world. They also lead the Olympic Movement. Here are some of their key tasks:

To encourage fair play and good leadership in sports.
To help young people learn through sports.
To make sure sports are fair and safe, avoiding violence.
To support the organization of sports events and competitions.
To make sure the Olympic Games happen regularly.
To work with other groups to use sports for the good of humanity and to promote peace.
To keep the Olympic Movement strong, independent, and neutral.
To support athletes' voices through the IOC Athletes' Commission.
To encourage more women to take part in sports and achieve equality.
To protect athletes from cheating, like doping, and to stop unfair practices in competitions.
To support medical care and health for athletes.
To prevent anyone from using sports or athletes for political or business gain.
To help athletes plan for their future after their sports careers.
To encourage sports for everyone, no matter their skill level.
To make sure the Olympic Games are good for the environment and promote lasting development.
To help host cities, regions, and countries benefit from the Olympic Games for a long time.
To support activities that mix sports with culture and education.
To support the International Olympic Academy and other groups that teach about the Olympics.
To make sure sports are safe and protect athletes from any harm or abuse.

The IOC defines Sport as a competitive physical activity or game. It aims to improve physical fitness and skills. It also brings excitement, teamwork, and fun to both players and fans.

IOC Member Promise

All members of the IOC must make a special promise. They say:

"Honoured to be chosen as a member of the International Olympic Committee, I fully accept all the responsibilities that this office brings: I promise to serve the Olympic Movement to the best of my ability. I will respect the Olympic Charter and accept the decisions of the IOC. I will always act independently of commercial and political interests as well as of any racial or religious consideration. I will fully comply with the IOC Code of Ethics. I promise to fight against all forms of discrimination and dedicate myself in all circumstances to promote the interests of the International Olympic Committee and Olympic Movement."

History of the IOC

The current IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The main entrance of the former headquarters of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne

The IOC was started by Pierre de Coubertin on June 23, 1894. Demetrios Vikelas was its first president. As of February 2022, the IOC has 105 active members and 45 honorary members. The IOC is the top group for the modern Olympic Movement worldwide.

The IOC organizes the modern Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games (YOG). Both are held every four years, in summer and winter. The first Summer Olympics took place in Athens, Greece, in 1896. The first Winter Olympics were in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The first Summer YOG was in Singapore in 2010. The first Winter YOG was in Innsbruck, Austria, in 2012.

Before 1992, the Summer and Winter Olympics were held in the same year. After that, the IOC changed the Winter Olympics to the even years between Summer Games. This helped spread out the planning and improved the IOC's finances.

Since 1995, the IOC has worked on environmental issues related to hosting the Games. In 1995, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch said the environment would be a key part of organizing the Games, along with sport and culture. In 1996, the IOC added "environment" as a third main focus for the Olympic Games.

For the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, the "Green Olympics" effort was created. Beijing carried out over 160 projects to improve air quality and water quality, use sustainable energy, manage waste better, and teach about the environment. These projects included moving or closing factories and controlling traffic.

In 2009, the UN General Assembly gave the IOC Permanent Observer status. This means the IOC can be directly involved in UN discussions and attend UN General Assembly meetings. In 1993, the General Assembly also brought back the Olympic Truce to encourage peace during the Games.

In November 2015, the IOC got approval to build a new headquarters in Vidy, Lausanne. This new building, called "Olympic House," opened on June 23, 2019. This date was also the IOC's 125th anniversary. The Olympic Museum is still in Ouchy, Lausanne.

Since 2002, the IOC has faced some challenges. These include concerns about fairness in decision-making and issues related to fair play in sports. For example, there have been discussions about doping scandals involving Russian athletes. The IOC also works to ensure environmental sustainability for all Games, like the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

In September 2024, the IOC announced candidates for its next president. These included Sebastian Coe, David Lappartient, Kirsty Coventry, and Juan Antonio Samaranch Salisachs.

In February 2025, the IOC announced the first Olympic Esports Games. They will happen in 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The IOC will work with the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) to create this "historic" event.

How the IOC is Organized

The IOC is an association under Swiss law.

IOC Session

The IOC Session is the main meeting of all IOC members. It happens once a year, and each member gets one vote. It is the IOC's highest decision-making body. Its decisions are final.

Special Sessions can be called by the President or if at least one-third of the members ask for it.

The Session has several important jobs:

To approve or change the Olympic Charter (the rules of the Olympic Movement).
To elect new IOC members, the Honorary President, and honorary members.
To elect the President, Vice-Presidents, and other members of the IOC Executive Board.
To choose the host city for the Olympic Games.

IOC Groups

The IOC has several groups that help it run. These include:

Olympic Foundation (Lausanne, Switzerland)
Olympic Refuge Foundation (Lausanne, Switzerland)
IOC Television and Marketing Services S.A. (Lausanne, Switzerland)
The Olympic Partner Programme (Lausanne, Switzerland)
Olympic Broadcasting Services S.L. (Madrid, Spain)
Olympic Channel Services S.L. (Madrid, Spain)
Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage (Lausanne, Switzerland)
Olympic Museum (Lausanne, Switzerland)
Olympic Solidarity (Lausanne, Switzerland)

IOC Members

The first IOC members at the 1896 Athens Games

The IOC can have up to 115 members. When chosen, they represent the Olympic Movement in their countries, not their countries to the IOC.

IOC members can be from different groups:

Athletes who represent other athletes from the IOC Athletes' Commission.
Representatives from international sports federations (IFs) or other groups recognized by the IOC.
Representatives from National Olympic Committees (NOCs) or their associations.
Individual members who are not linked to any specific role in these groups.

When Membership Ends

A person stops being an IOC member if:

They resign by writing to the President.
They are not re-elected.
They reach a certain age (70 or 80, depending on when they joined).
They don't attend meetings or take part in IOC work for two years in a row.
They move their main home or interests to a different country.
Athlete representatives stop being members if they leave the IOC Athletes' Commission.
Leaders of NOCs or federations stop being members if they leave their leadership role.
They are expelled by the Session for not following their promise or harming the IOC's interests.

Sports Groups Recognized by IOC

The IOC recognizes 82 international sports federations (IFs). These include:

33 members of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF).
7 members of the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF).
42 members of the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF).

Olympic Awards

The IOC gives gold, silver, and bronze medals to the top three athletes in each event at the Games.

Other special awards include:

Pierre de Coubertin Medal: For athletes who show great sportsmanship.
Olympic Cup: For groups or associations that have done great work for the Olympic Movement.
Olympic Order: For individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Olympic Movement.
Olympic Laurel: For people who promote education, culture, development, and peace through sport.
Olympic town status: For towns that have been very important to the Olympic Movement.
Coaches’ Lifetime Achievement Awards.

How the Olympics are Funded

For a long time, the IOC had a small budget. An early IOC president, Avery Brundage, didn't want the Olympics to be too involved with businesses. He thought it might affect the IOC's decisions. This meant that groups organizing the Games had to find their own sponsors.

When Brundage retired, the IOC had about US$2 million. Eight years later, it had grown to US$45 million. This happened because the IOC started to work more with corporate sponsors and sell TV rights. When Juan Antonio Samaranch became IOC president in 1980, he wanted the IOC to be financially independent. He asked Richard Pound to lead this effort.

The IOC worked with marketing companies to create a global marketing plan for the Olympics. This helped bring in a lot of money through sponsorships and TV deals. This money helped the IOC become financially strong.

Where the Money Comes From

The Olympic Movement gets money from five main areas:

Money from TV companies that broadcast the Games.
Money from big companies that sponsor the Olympics worldwide (the TOP programme).
Money from sponsors within the host country, managed by the Organizing Committees.
Money from ticket sales.
Money from selling licensed Olympic products in host countries.

The groups that organize the Olympic Games (OCOGs) handle local sponsorships, tickets, and licensing. The Olympic Movement made over US$4 billion from 2001 to 2004.

How the Money is Shared

The IOC shares most of its money with other groups in the Olympic Movement. This helps to put on the Olympic Games and support sports development around the world. The IOC keeps about 10% for its own running costs. From 2013 to 2016, the IOC made about US$5.0 billion. Most of this came from TV rights (73%) and Olympic Partners (18%). The organizing committees for the Rio 2016 and Sochi 2014 Games received large amounts. National Olympic Committees and international sports federations also received significant funds.

Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games

The IOC helps the OCOGs (Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games) with money from the TOP programme and broadcast revenue. This helps them put on the Games.

TOP programme money: The two OCOGs for each four-year Olympic period usually share about 50% of the TOP programme money. The Summer Games committee gets about 30%, and the Winter Games committee gets about 20%.
Broadcast money: The IOC gives 49% of the Olympic broadcast money for each Games to the OCOG. For example, the Salt Lake 2002 committee received US$443 million, and the Athens 2004 committee received US$732 million.
Local programme money: The OCOGs also make a lot of money from local sponsorships, ticket sales, and licensing within the host country.

National Olympic Committees

National Olympic Committees (NOCs) get money to train and develop their Olympic teams and athletes. The IOC shares TOP programme money with each NOC. The IOC also gives broadcast money to Olympic Solidarity. This is an IOC group that helps NOCs that need the most support. This support has grown over time. The IOC gave about US$318.5 million to NOCs from 2001 to 2004.

International Olympic Sports Federations

The IOC is the biggest source of money for most International Olympic Sports Federations (IOSFs). This money helps them develop their sports. The IOC supports the 28 IOSFs for Summer Olympic sports and the seven IOSFs for Winter Olympic sports. As TV deals become more valuable, the IOC can give more money to these federations. The seven winter sports federations shared US$85.8 million from the Salt Lake 2002 broadcast money.

Other Groups

The IOC also gives money from its marketing efforts to other recognized international sports groups. These include the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Environmental Efforts

The IOC asks cities that want to host the Olympics to have a detailed plan to protect the environment. This plan covers before, during, and after the Games.

How the IOC Helps the Environment

The IOC has four main ways to deal with environmental concerns:

The IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission works on how the IOC can improve its environmental plans for the Olympic Games.
Every city bidding to host must provide information on environmental issues, like air quality.
Host cities can make "pledges" to address specific environmental concerns.
Host cities must work with the United Nations to meet environmental goals.

Building Venues and the Environment

Effects on Air

Host cities often worry about traffic and air pollution. These can make air quality worse during and after building venues. Measures are taken to improve air quality. For example, traffic control, like banning heavy vehicles, helps reduce pollution.

Beijing Olympics Air Quality

For the Beijing Olympic Games, improving air quality was a top goal. They focused on reducing tiny particles in the air. These particles can cause health problems and harm city environments. Beijing took many steps, such as:

Banning vehicles that didn't meet certain emission standards.
Using an odd-even rule for cars on certain days.
Changing from coal to natural gas for energy.
Stopping construction and controlling dust at building sites.
Closing or moving polluting factories.
Building new subway lines.
Using cleaner fuel in power plants.

These actions helped reduce pollution levels, and air quality was good on most days during the Games.

Effects on Soil

Building new venues can sometimes affect the soil. For the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, a polluted area called Homebush Bay was cleaned up. Contaminated soil was moved to special areas, making the rest of the site safe for recreation. In the 2006 Games in Torino, Italy, there were some soil impacts. Studies showed an increase in metals in the topsoil after the Games. This showed that while soil could handle some heavy metals, others like mercury, lead, and arsenic might enter the food chain.

Effects on Water

The Olympic Games can also affect water quality. Rain can wash pollutants from the air into water sources. These pollutants can come from natural things, like plant matter, or from human activities, like vehicle exhaust. These can increase toxins in street dust, which then washes into water.

In 2013, researchers in Beijing found that tiny air particles were transferred to water sources by rainfall. This helped clear the air, improving air quality at the venues.

IOC Executive Board

The Executive Board was created in 1921. It manages the IOC's daily work. Its members include the President, four Vice Presidents, and ten other members. All members are elected for a four-year term by secret ballot. Meetings happen when the president calls them or when most members ask for one.

Their jobs include:

Managing the IOC's overall operations.
Making sure the Olympic Charter is followed.
Approving the IOC's internal rules and organization.
Managing the IOC's money and preparing yearly reports.
Suggesting changes to the Olympic Charter to the Session.
Recommending people to be elected as IOC members.
Handling the process for choosing host cities for the Olympic Games.
Setting the agenda for IOC Sessions.
Appointing the Director General (with the President's suggestion).
Creating rules to make sure the Olympic Charter and Games are run properly.
Holding regular meetings with sports federations and NOCs.
Creating and giving out IOC awards.
Doing other tasks given by the Session.

Role	Name	Country
President	Thomas Bach Kirsty Coventry	Germany Zimbabwe
Vice Presidents	Juan Antonio Samaranch	Spain
	Nawal El Moutawakel	Morocco
	Gerardo Werthein	Argentina
	Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant	Belgium
Executive Members	Nenad Lalović	Serbia
	Ivo Ferriani	Italy
	Prince Feisal Al Hussein	Jordan
	Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski	Philippines
	Kristin Kloster Aasen	Norway
	Emma Terho	Finland
	Li Lingwei	China
	Spyros Capralos	Greece
	Octavian Morariu	Romania
Director General	Christophe De Kepper	Belgium

IOC Commissions

These special groups, called commissions, have their own tasks within the Olympic Movement. The President, the IOC Executive Board, or the Olympic Charter can create them. The President is automatically a member of all commissions. He also chooses their members and decides when they are no longer needed. No commission can meet without the President's permission, unless stated otherwise.

Commission	Chairperson	Country	Mission/Responsibilities
IOC Athletes' Commission	Emma Terho	Finland	To speak for athletes in the Olympic Movement and help them succeed in their sports and future careers.
IOC Athletes' Entourage Commission	Sergey Bubka	Ukraine	To improve support and services for athletes by working with all involved groups.
IOC Audit Committee	Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant	Belgium	To help the Director General manage risks, finances, and ensure good practices.
IOC Esports Commission	David Lappartient	France	To oversee the IOC's Esports activities and plan future Olympic Esports Games.
IOC Future Host Commission For The Olympic Winter Games	Karl Stoss	Austria	To find and oversee interest in future Olympic Winter Games and Winter Youth Olympic Games.
IOC Future Host Summer Commission For The Games Of The Olympiad	Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic	Croatia	To find and oversee interest in future Summer Olympic Games and Summer Youth Olympic Games.
IOC Coordination Commission Brisbane 2032	Kirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	To oversee the planning of the Brisbane 2032 Summer Olympics.
IOC Coordination Commission French Alps 2030	Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant	Belgium	To oversee the planning of the French Alps 2030 Winter Olympics.
IOC Coordination Commission Los Angeles 2028	Nicole Hoevertsz	Aruba	To oversee the planning of the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.
IOC Coordination Commission Dakar 2026 (YOG)	Kirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	To oversee the planning of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
IOC Coordination Commission Milano Cortina 2026	Kristin Kloster Aasen	Norway	To oversee the planning of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
IOC Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission	Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul	Thailand	To promote Olympic ideals through art, history, and education, especially for young people.
IOC Digital and Technology Commission	Gerardo Werthein	Argentina	To oversee all marketing and digital programs.
IOC Ethics Commission	Ban Ki-moon	South Korea	To protect the Olympic Movement's ethical rules and suggest actions for rule-breaking.
IOC Finance Commission	Ng Ser Miang	Singapore	To advise on the IOC's money management for stability and transparency.
IOC Members Election Commission	Anne, Princess Royal	United Kingdom	To propose and carry out a new process for choosing IOC Members.
IOC Legal Affairs Commission	Denis Oswald	Switzerland	To oversee the IOC's legal matters and provide legal advice.
IOC Television And Marketing Services Board Of Directors	Jiri Kejval	Czech Republic	To oversee all Olympic Television and Marketing operations.
IOC Medical and Scientific Commission	Robin E. Mitchell	Fiji	To guide other sports groups on protecting athletes' health.
IOC Olympic Channel Board Of Directors	Richard Carrión	Puerto Rico	To keep interest in the Olympic movement year-round with documentaries and event coverage.
IOC Olympic Education Commission	Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski	Philippines	To promote Olympic values through education and guide programs for youth through sport.
IOC Olympic Programme Commission	Karl Stoss	Austria	To analyze and suggest changes for the Summer, Winter, and Youth Olympic Games programs.
IOC Olympic Solidarity Commission	Robin E. Mitchell	Fiji	To help National Olympic Committees, especially those most in need, with athlete development.
IOC Olympism 365 Commission	Auvita Rapilla	Papua New Guinea	To strengthen the role of sport and Olympism in society every day, helping achieve UN goals.
IOC Commission for Public Affairs and Social Development Through Sport	Luis Alberto Moreno	Colombia	To protect and promote the independence of sport and advise on its role in society and peace.
IOC Technology And Technical Innovation Commission	Gerardo Werthein	Argentina	To ensure the IOC uses technology safely and sustainably for its operations and the Games.
IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission	Albert II, Prince of Monaco	Monaco	To oversee sustainability and lasting benefits, aiming for positive social, economic, and environmental impacts.
Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commission	Lydia Nsekera	Burundi	To oversee the plan for gender equality and inclusion in sport, both on and off the field.
IOC Revenues And Commercial Partnerships Commission	Jiri Kejval	Czech Republic	To guide and provide ideas for Olympic marketing and partnerships to ensure long-term funding.

The Olympic Partner Programme

The Olympic Partner (TOP) programme includes the main companies that sponsor the Olympic Games worldwide. These sponsors help fund the Games and the Olympic Movement.

AB InBev
Airbnb
Allianz
Alibaba Group
Coca-Cola-Mengniu Dairy (joint partnership)
Deloitte
Intel
Omega SA
Procter & Gamble
Samsung Electronics
TCL Technology
Visa Inc.