A member of the OCA Athletes’ Committee has been highlighted in the IOC’s 2023 Olympic Solidarity and NOC Services Annual Report.
The support provided through athlete scholarships is showcased in the report through the story of the Jordanian taekwondo athlete Julyana Al-Sadeq, which the OCA website featured recently.
“I have always dreamed of competing on the Olympic stage,” says Julyana, who was elected as a member of the OCA Athletes’ Committee during the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.
“When I discovered the Olympic Solidarity programme, I knew it was a perfect opportunity to turn that dream into a reality.
“This programme is a game-changer for me, providing financial support. It has allowed me to focus on my training without the added stress of financial burdens.
“It has greatly enhanced my skills and performance to be stronger and more confident, to be more determined and more disciplined in the sport,” the report states.
With the theme “Getting Ready for the Olympic Games Paris 2024”, the report outlines the direct support given to athletes in 2023 through a total of 1,260 individual scholarships from 154 NOCs. This number has since risen to 1,331 athletes from 159 NOCs, covering 26 sports.
In addition to individual scholarships, 206 Olympic summer sports teams – 112 women’s and 94 men’s teams – from 135 NOCs benefitted from the OS Team Support Grant programme in 2023. This number has since risen to 215 Olympic summer sports teams – 116 women’s and 99 men’s teams – from 140 NOCs.
The report states that 20.4 million USD has funded OS athlete scholarships and team support grants, with 15.5 million USD for Paris 2024 and 0.7 million USD for Milano Cortina 2026 in terms of athlete scholarships, and 4.2 million USD in team support grants for Paris and Milano Cortina.
The report also recognizes the support of the OCA, with a 250,000 USD contribution to a 1 million USD emergency fund to help the Olympic community, refugees and displaced people in areas affected by the devastating earthquake that hit Türkiye and Syria in February 2023.
by Asia Hockey
