IOC Session
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| IOC Session | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | IOC Session |
| Formation | 1894 |
| Type | International assembly |
| Headquarters | Lausanne |
| Location | Switzerland |
| Leader title | President of the International Olympic Committee |
| Leader name | Thomas Bach |
| Parent organization | International Olympic Committee |
IOC Session The IOC Session is the supreme decision-making assembly of the International Olympic Committee, bringing together members, national delegates, and international representatives to determine Olympic policy and election outcomes. It convenes to decide host cities, amend the Olympic Charter, elect the President of the International Olympic Committee, and approve the composition of IOC commissions and orders affecting the Olympic Movement. Sessions interlink with major events such as the Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, and interactions with organizations like the International Paralympic Committee, United Nations, World Anti-Doping Agency, Association of National Olympic Committees, and Global Association of International Sports Federations.
History
The assembly traces roots to the founding meetings of the modern Olympic revival by Pierre de Coubertin, which led to the creation of the International Olympic Committee in 1894 and the first modern Olympic Games of 1896 in Athens. Early sessions in Paris, Brussels, and London debated the program that produced events at the 1900 Summer Olympics and 1904 Summer Olympics. Through the interwar era, sessions addressed crises surrounding the 1916 Summer Olympics cancellation, the politicization evident at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, and postwar reconstruction tied to the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. Cold War tensions involving the Soviet Union, United States, East Germany, and boycotts of the 1980 Summer Olympics and 1984 Summer Olympics shaped session deliberations on neutrality and amateurism. Reforms propelled by scandals around the Salt Lake City Olympics bid led sessions to adopt new ethics codes and governance changes influenced by entities including the International Court of Arbitration for Sport and Transparency International. More recent sessions have navigated the selection of hosts like Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, and Paris, and engagements with environmental initiatives such as the UNFCCC and cultural partnerships with UNESCO.
Functions and Powers
Sessions ratify host city elections for the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics, confirm additions like the Youth Olympic Games, and approve changes to the Olympic Charter. They elect the President of the International Olympic Committee, IOC members, and judges to bodies such as the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Sessions set policy on eligibility linked to federations like FIFA, International Association of Athletics Federations (now World Athletics), and International Swimming Federation (now World Aquatics), and coordinate with the World Anti-Doping Agency for anti-doping rules and with the Council of Europe on compliance. They authorize budgets, sign agreements with cities, national committees such as the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and multi-sport event organizers like the Commonwealth Games Federation and European Olympic Committees. Sessions can suspend or reinstate National Olympic Committees, impose sanctions related to breaches involving actors like ASOIF and AIOWF, and adopt legacy and sustainability frameworks in line with bodies such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Membership and Attendance
Attendance comprises elected IOC members, honorary members, IOC Athletes' Commission representatives, and delegates from National Olympic Committees and International Federations. Prominent attendees historically include figures associated with Baron de Coubertin lineage, presidents such as Juan Antonio Samaranch, Jacques Rogge, and Thomas Bach, and sports leaders linked to organizations like Fédération Internationale de Football Association, International Basketball Federation, and International Ski Federation. Sessions invite observers from international institutions including the International Labour Organization, World Health Organization, International Monetary Fund, European Commission, and representatives of host cities such as delegations from Los Angeles, London, Seoul, Sydney, and Athens. Eligibility and voting rights are regulated by the Olympic Charter and internal statutes adopted at sessions.
Notable Sessions and Decisions
Key decisions were made at sessions awarding the 1896 Summer Olympics to Athens and selecting hosts like Munich for the 1972 Summer Olympics, Seoul for the 1988 Summer Olympics, Sydney for the 2000 Summer Olympics, Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2022 Winter Olympics, Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Summer Olympics, and Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Sessions addressed crises including the cancellation of the 1916 Summer Olympics, the postwar readmission of delegations from the Soviet Union, the controversies around the 1976 Summer Olympics and African boycotts, and the fallout from the Salt Lake City bidding scandal which led to reforms and sanctions. The adoption of new sports and events, such as the inclusion of sports governed by World Baseball Softball Confederation, International Boxing Association, World Rugby, and International Olympic Committee-recognized disciplines, were ratified at sessions. Landmark governance choices involved cooperation with the World Anti-Doping Agency, integrity measures with Transparency International, and the establishment of the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms endorsed during recent meetings.
Procedures and Voting
Sessions follow procedures defined by the Olympic Charter and practice deliberative rules similar to assemblies like the United Nations General Assembly and decision bodies such as the International Court of Justice for procedural precedent. Voting may be by secret ballot or show of hands, with majority or absolute majority thresholds required for elections of the President of the International Olympic Committee and host city selections; tie-breaking and runoff rules resemble those used by organizations like the European Olympic Committees and Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa. Committees such as the Evaluation Commission and Coordination Commission prepare reports for session consideration, and legal interpretations may involve consultation with the Court of Arbitration for Sport and external counsel. Ethics investigations and sanctions follow processes comparable to those of FIFA and World Anti-Doping Agency adjudication frameworks.
Venue and Scheduling
Sessions are typically held in Lausanne at the Olympic Museum campus and in major capitals or host cities including Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, London, Madrid, Buenos Aires, Seoul, and Paris when linked to candidacies or anniversary events. Extraordinary sessions may be convened to respond to crises, as occurred during wartime relocations and in reaction to global events prompting urgent decisions similar to emergency meetings of the United Nations Security Council or special congresses of the International Olympic Committee. Session scheduling aligns with the Olympic cycle and key milestones in the host city selection process, with coordination involving national governments, municipal authorities, national committees, and international federations.