Changes Abound for Lima IOC Session

(ATR) The latest schedule of the IOC Session shows the shortest ever election of Olympic host cities.

This is not surprising as the Session is all but a confirmation hearing for Paris and Los Angeles for the 2024 and 2028 Summer Games. The two cities signed a tripartite agreement with the IOC in Lausanne at the Extraordinary Session this July, deflating the intrigue that typically accompanies the Session.

The election is still scheduled for Sept. 13 in Lima, Peru, but the time devoted to the confirmation has been cut from nine hours to two. The confirmation will follow a report from 2028 Evaluation Commission chairman Patrick Baumann and 25 minute presentations from each city.

The shortened election allows for more business to be conducted on the first day of the Session, including a report from Tokyo 2020 organizers preceding the confirmation. The IOC, Paris and Los Angeles will hold a joint press conference and then each host city will hold a separate media briefing after the host city contract is signed.

Reports from the OCOGs of the PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics followed by Buenos Aires 2018 and Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games will conclude the first day of business.

Peru President Pedro Kuczynski will deliver the keynote address on the second day of the Session. His speech will be followed by an analysis of the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms and the status of their implementation.

Key decisions will be taken on day three of the Session, including the sports program for the 2024 Games in Paris the host of the 2019 IOC Session.

As is custom, the final day of the Session is reserved for the election of Executive Board members and new IOC members. There are five candidates competing for two spots on the EB and nine candidates for election as new members. Once they join, the IOC membership will rise above 100 for the first time in a few years.

The updated Session program has no mention regarding discussions on the change to the bidding procedure for the 2026 Winter Olympics. This issue will be tackled at the IOC EB meeting Sept. 11-12 and likely mentioned during the Olympic Agenda 2020 update on Sept. 14.

While the program lists the PyeongChang 2018 Session as the 132nd edition, the IOC has previously told Around the Rings that PyeongChang will mark the 131st IOC Session. Originally reserved for the Lima Session, the 130th edition was given to the Extraordinary Session held in Lausanne in July.

An IOC spokesperson says the Lima edition will not be numbered and will simply be known as the IOC Session. The IOC has not replied to request for comment regarding the nomenclature change.

Written by Kevin Nutley

Forgeneral comments or questions, click here.

25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about theOlympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribersonly.