The International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Solidarity division set the scene for the Paris Olympic Games on the second morning of the OS/OCA Regional Forum at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, June 2.
Olivier Niamkey, Associate Director of Olympic Solidarity, updated delegates from East Asia and South East Asia National Olympic Committees on topics such as the Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai and on boxing, which is being organised by the IOC for the second successive Olympics due to the suspension of the IBA governing body.
Mr. Niamkey described the Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai from May 16-19 as a “great success”.
“The first Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai was very successful with a lot of media, and we are really looking forward to the second Olympic Qualifier Series in Budapest this month,” he said.
He also urged the NOC representatives to make sure their national boxing federations were aligned with the right International Federation, as the IOC has stated it will not organise Olympic boxing for a third consecutive Olympic Games. Boxing is currently not on the sports programme for Los Angeles 2028.
The deadline for final entry of athletes for Paris is July 8, and Olympic Solidarity said all the Universality places for smaller NOCs had not yet been allocated. Of the 93 NOCs eligible to receive a Universality place, 17 are from Asia. There is a total of 104 quotas available in 21 individual sports.
He also provided details of the main Olympic Village in Paris and satellite villages for certain sports such as shooting, sailing, handball and basketball.
Edward Kensington, Olympic Solidarity Continental Manager for Asia, explained the subsidies available for the NOCs before, during and after the Olympics.
This included USD15,000 for pre-Games training camps in France, USD20,000 per NOC for logistics and operations and USD2,500 per athlete for the NOC after the Games. Subsidies also included 10 flight tickets, including six for athletes, and two hotel rooms for the President and Secretary General of each NOC during the Games.
by Asia Hockey
