LAUSANNE: The International Olympic Committee has officially opened Olympic House , described as “one of the most sustainable buildings in the world.”
The inauguration was the highlight of celebrations to mark the 125th anniversary of the IOC, which was founded on June 23, 1894, by Pierre de Coubertin.
The ceremony was attended by 700 guests, including the President of the Swiss Confederation, Ueli Maurer; the IOC members; the presidents of the 206 National Olympic Committees and the international sports federations; and more than 30 Olympic medallists who, together with the Olympic medallists amongst the IOC members, have won more than 125 medals at the Olympic Games.

An IOC statement said:

For the traditional ribbon-cutting at the foot of the iconic unity staircase of Olympic House, IOC President Bach was joined by President Ueli Maurer, the IOC Executive Board members, the President of the Vaud Council of State, Nuria Gorrite; Council of State members Pascal Broulis and Philippe Leuba; the Mayor of Lausanne, Grégoire Junod; and a number of Olympic medallists.

Designed to reflect the IOC’s overarching mission to make the world a better place through sport and the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020, Olympic House brings together the IOC staff – 500 employees previously spread across Lausanne in four locations – under one roof. It is an investment by the IOC in sustainability, one of the three pillars of Olympic Agenda 2020.

“When we set out on this project to construct a new home, we wanted it to be more than just another office building. Of course, we wanted to bring together everyone, the Olympic family and all IOC staff, under one roof. In this sense, Olympic House is an expression of our unity,” President Bach said in his speech. “At the same time, we wanted Olympic House to incorporate the elements of sustainability, credibility and youth – the same three pillars of Olympic Agenda 2020. The building reflects these three elements that are so central to our mission,” he added.

Addressing the audience, President Ueli Maurer said: “When Pierre de Coubertin campaigned for the revival of the Olympic Games, he wanted to contribute to peace and international understanding. I thank you for looking after this important legacy! Sport has an integrating effect within our society. It connects young and old, women and men, different social classes, religions and political beliefs. And in some cases sport is also a chance for political understanding and cooperation across borders or differences”, President Maurer concluded.  

Today’s inauguration is the culmination of a journey that started back in 2012 when the IOC decided to move ahead with the consolidation of its head office. Developed by Danish architecture firm 3XN, Olympic House has been designed around the five key elements of symbolism, integration, flexibility, collaboration and sustainability. Selected by the IOC in April 2014, 3XN partnered with Swiss architects IttenBrechbühl to oversee the construction of the building. The result is a building that authentically reflects Olympism, the Olympic Movement and the role of the IOC as a catalyst for collaboration in an iconic form.

With its shape inspired by the movement of an athlete, Olympic House combines the highest standards in architectural design with a holistic approach to sustainability. It incorporates rigorous criteria in energy and water efficiency, while optimising the health and wellbeing of its users. Pushing sustainability boundaries, Olympic House has recently received the most rigorous international and local sustainability certifications, a demonstration of the IOC’s commitment to walk the talk and lead by example.

“Olympic House takes sustainability to the next level. The building has been constructed according to the highest sustainability standards in every way,” commented President Bach. “We are happy and proud of the recognition that we have received, confirming that Olympic House is one of the most sustainable buildings in the world.”

Mahesh Ramanujam, US Green Building Council President commented:“LEED buildings are about leadership, but when you try to attempt platinum you are going for extraordinary leadership, you are trying to define what’s possible. So to me LEED Version Platinum by Olympic House is about thinking about our children, thinking about our future generations and importantly, leaving the world in a better place than we all inherited it from’.”

With this new building, the IOC also confirms its attachment to Lausanne, the Olympic Capital. Developed in close consultation with the local authorities, Olympic House offers the region an emblematic architectural landmark and becomes an important element of the local Louis Bourget public park, which welcomes a diverse group of visitors every year.

Addressing the Olympians attending the ceremony, President Bach, himself an Olympic champion in fencing, said: “By bringing the entire world together in peaceful competition, the Olympic Games are a symbol of hope and peace for all humankind. The ones who embody this message are the Olympic athletes. This is why we have among us today Olympic athletes who represent over 125 Olympic medals. They gave the Olympic Games the magic moments that have defined us for 125 years. Therefore, I say to all my fellow Olympians: welcome home.”

In attendance were Olympic legends such as Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, the Norwegian biathlete who has claimed 13 Olympic medals, and Olympic champions Tina Maze (Slovenia), Santiago Lange (Argentina), Osea Kolinisau (Fiji) and Yuna Kim (Republic of Korea), to name but a few. They were joined by Yusra Mardini and Yonas Kinde, who both were part of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team Rio 2016.

The IOC President continued: “To my dear friends and colleagues, the IOC Members; to the 206 National Olympic Committees; and to the International Sport Federations; to all of you, the Olympic family gathered here today I say: welcome home.”

The ceremony, which combined artistic performances with personal stories and testimonials, was also a moment to look back at the 125 years of the IOC’s history and pay tribute to Pierre de Coubertin, but also to look to the future of the Olympic Movement.

“On this very day, 125 years ago on 23 June 1894, Pierre de Coubertin founded the IOC and revived the Olympic Games. He saw this as a way to promote peace among nations and people. He was a visionary when he said: ‘Should the institution of the Olympic Games prosper, it can become a potent factor in securing universal peace,’” President Bach explained. “Today, 125 years later, his dream lives on. At this important milestone, we can be proud to carry his legacy into the future,” Bach concluded.

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Olympic Golden Rings award winners unveiled in front of 1,000 guests in Lausanne

This evening, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the winners of the prestigious award for the best broadcast coverage of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 and Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018.

A total of nine rights-holding broadcasters were awarded gold, silver or bronze trophies following a vote by an international jury headed by IOC Member Anant Singh, a leading professional in the film and media industries and Chair of the IOC’s Communication Commission.

Lausanne’s Salle Métropole played host to a ceremony on the eve of the 125th anniversary of the IOC and the inauguration of its Olympic House. The ceremony attracted close to 1,000 guests to the red carpet, including IOC Members, members of the Council of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), International Sports Federations and representatives from the rights-holding broadcasters. More than 70 Olympic champions and medallists who, all together, have won more than 125 medals at the Olympic Games, were amongst them. Kristina Vogel, Darya Domracheva, Abhinav Bindra, Fernando González, Katarina Witt, James Tomkins, Felix Gottwald, Shelley Rudman, Vladislav Tretiak, Kirsty Coventry, Nadia Comaneci and Yuna Kim handed over the trophies for the gold trophy winners.

The Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 awards spanned 10 categories in total: Best Olympic Feature, Best Athlete Profile, Best On-Air Promotion, Best Olympic Digital Service, Best Olympic Programme, Best Documentary Film, Best Production Design, Best Innovation, Best Social Media Content/Production and Most Sustainable Operation. There was also the first-ever Olympic Golden Rings award for a Youth Olympic Games.

NBC won gold in four categories, namely the Best Olympic Feature, Best Olympic Digital Service, Best Olympic Programme and Best Documentary Film, while Discovery and Eurosport also received a quartet of gold trophies (for Best On-Air Promotion, Best Production Design, Best Innovation and Best Social Media Content/Production).

BBC Sport took home the Most Sustainable Operation and Best Feature at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 awards; and NHK won the Best Athlete Profile category. There was a very strong contribution from rights-holding broadcasters, with over 75 pieces of content submitted across the 11 categories.

IOC President Thomas Bach, who presented the awards for the Best Olympic Programme and the Best Innovation, said: “Broadcasters of the Olympic Games continue to produce innovative and compelling coverage that allows the athletes’ achievements to live on forever. As we gather in Lausanne this week to celebrate the inauguration of Olympic House, the 125th anniversary of the IOC and the 134th IOC Session, it is fitting that we honour the broadcasters’ valued contribution in front of the biggest-ever Golden Rings Awards audience.”

Figure skater and Olympic champion Yuna Kim, who presented the Best Olympic Programmeaward to NBC Sports Group, said:” “I’m personally thrilled to see so many athletes here tonight to relive the magic of their achievements at PyeongChang and Buenos Aires, and commend the excellence in broadcasting of the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games.”

Created in 1976, the Olympic Golden Rings is a prestigious international contest through which the IOC seeks to promote and recognise excellence in television broadcasting of the Olympic Games.  The contest is organised every two years on the occasion of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Winter Games.

The full list of awards, is as follows:

CATEGORY  – The Best Olympic Feature – Presented by Nadia Comaneci and Gerardo Werthein

GOLD – NBC Sports Group – “Always Start with the Dreams”
Producers: Jim Bell, Mark Levy, Joe Gesue, Rebecca Chatman, Aaron Cohen, Matt Allen, Phil Parrish
SILVER – Globo TV – Brazil uses technology to improve bobsledding team for PyeongChang 2018
Producer: Guilherme Roseguini
BRONZE – BBC Sport – PyeongChang 2018 Opening Sequence
Producer: David Bouchard. VT Editor: Nick Perry

CATEGORY  – The Best Athlete Profile – Presented by Ole Einar Björndalen and Kirsty Coventry 

GOLD – NHK – “Road for Gold” Challenge with absolute unity – Women’s Team Pursuit
Producer: Yohei Ogura. Director: Naoki Nakagawa
SILVER – CBC – The Olympic Journey: Virtue & Moir – Roxanne (Video Sampler)
Producers: Trevor Pilling, Chris Irwin, Giorgio Saturnino, Nathalie Tedesco, Louis Saturnino. Director: Carlos Esteves
BRONZE – NBC Sports Group – Lindsey Vonn & Grandpa Don
Producers: Jim Bell, Mark Levy, Joe Gesue, Rebecca Chatman, Jack Felling, Brian Longenecker

CATEGORY  – The Best On-Air Promotion – Presented by Darya Domracheva and Hong Zhang

GOLD – Discovery / Eurosport – Eurosport PyeongChang Promotion Campaign
Producer: Philippe Oizillon. Director: Guillaume Mouillé
SILVER – NBC Sports Group – Best of U.S.
Producers: Jennifer Storms, Joseph Lee, Don Simon, Andrew Cleghorn, Josh Goldman, Jennie Thompson, Robin Sherman. Director: Paul Hunter
BRONZE – Globo TV – The Winter is Ours! Olympic Winter Games 2018 is on SporTV
Producers: PAV (Produção áudiovisual da Globosat). Director: Gustavo Tissot

CATEGORY  – The Best Olympic Digital Service – Presented by Abhinav Bindra and Gianni Merlo 

GOLD – NBC Sports Group – The XXIII Olympic Winter Games on NBC
Producers: Jim Bell, Eric Black, Rebecca Chatman, Richard Cordella, Peter Diamond, David Gabel, Joe Gesue, Mark Levy, Mike Sheehan, Gary Zenkel. Directors: Eric Hamilton, Netta-Lee Lax
SILVER – Discovery / Eurosport – Eurosport PyeongChang Digital Offer
Producer: Elise Lampaert. Director: Angelique Aubry-Marais
BRONZE – CBC Radio-Canada – CBC Radio-Canada Digital Offering
Producers: Trevor Pilling, Catherine Dupont, Steve Macht, Pierre Michaud, Mihira Lakshman, Mathieu D’Amours

CATEGORY  – The Best Olympic Programme – Presented by Yuna Kim and Thomas Bach 

GOLD – NBC Sports Group – XXIII Olympic Winter Games on NBC
Producers: Jim Bell, Joe Gesue, Rebecca Chatman, Mark Levy, Brittany Hardy, Josh Glaser, Matt Allen, Lee Ann Gschwind. Director: Mike Sheehan.
SILVER – CBC Radio-Canada – CBC Olympic Games Programme
Producers: Trevor Pilling, Catherine Dupont, Luc Lebel, Chris Irwin, Don Peppin, Roxanne Savard, François Messier, Greg Stremlaw
BRONZE – SBS – PyeongChang Tonight – Day 3
Producer & Director: Sung Hoon Lee

CATEGORY  – The Best Documentary Film – Presented by Shelley Rudman and Anant Singh 

GOLD – NBC Sports Group – 1968
Producers: Jim Bell, Mark Levy, Joe Gesue, Rebecca Chatman, Jack Felling, Brian Longenecker, Emilie Mateu, John Howe, Elinore Wright, Slaine Kelly
SILVER – KBS – Making of Olympic Ceremonies
Producer: Bongjin, Kim. Directors: Jisun Youm, Taewoong Lee
BRONZE – BBC Sport – Welcome to PyeongChang
Producer: Producer David Bouchard. Director Ricky Wild

CATEGORY – The Best Production Design – Presented by Felix Gottwald and Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski 

GOLD – Discovery / Eurosport – Eurosport PyeongChang 2018 Look and Feel
Producer: Philippe Oizillon. Director: Guillaume Mouillé
SILVER – BBC Sport – “The Fearless Are Here” – Production design
Producer: BBC Marketing. Director: Pete Andrews
BRONZE – CBC Radio-Canada – CBC / Radio-Canada Production Design Package
Producers: Frydun Mehrzad, Trevor Pilling, Catherine Dupont, Chris Irwin, Luc Lebel. Directors: Theresa Warburton, Lucy Snyder

CATEGORY – The Best Innovation – Presented by Katarina Witt and Thomas Bach

GOLD – Discovery / Eurosport – The Eurosport Cube
Producer: Arnold Montgault. Director: Sophie Bergé
SILVER – NHK – 8K Super Hi-Vision Live Broadcasting
Producer: Satoshi Matsuzaki. Directors: Satsuki Miyahara, Tomoharu Hayakawa, Hisashi Sato, Yoshiki Fukushima
BRONZE – NBC Sports Group – XXIII Olympic Winter Games – Enhanced View
Producers: Jim Bell, Eric Black, Rebecca Chatman, Richard Cordella, Peter Diamond, David Gabel, Joe Gesue, Jack Jackson, Mark Levy, Mike Sheehan, Gary Zenkel. Directors: Eric Hamilton, Zach Graber 

CATEGORY – The Best Social Media Content / Production – Presented by Fernando González and Kate Caithness 

GOLD – Discovery / Eurosport – Eurosport PyeongChang Digital and Social Media Production
Producer: Elise Lampaert. Director: Angelique Aubry-Marais
SILVER – NBC Sports Group – XXIII Olympic Winter Games Social Media Experience on NBC
Producers: Jim Bell, Rebecca Chatman, Peter Diamond, Joe Gesue, Mark Levy, Mike Sheehan, Lyndsay Signor, Jennifer Storms, Gary Zenkel. Directors: Jenna Smoot, Corey Weisz
BRONZE – CBC Radio-Canada – Radio-Canada PyeongChang 2018 Social Media Campaign
Producers: Radio-Canada Communications Department: Véronique Pelletier, Nadine Mathurin 

CATEGORY – The Most Sustainable Operation – Presented by James Tomkins and Marisol Casado 

GOLD – BBC Sport – BBC Sport at PyeongChang 2018
Production Manager: Sheona Griffiths. Production Executive: Rachel Wright
SILVER – Sky Network Television Limited – Sky NZ Winter Olympics IBC Operation
Producer: Matt Quin
BRONZE – SBS – SBS participation in two International Signal Events with a single crew
Producer & Director: Young Kwang Kim 

CATEGORY – Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 – The Best Feature – Presented by Kristina Vogel and Sarah Walker 

GOLD – BBC Sport – Youth Olympic Games – The New Sports – Director & Producer: Tom Kelly
SILVER – BBC Sport – Youth Olympic Games – Caroline Dubois profile
Director & Producer: Tom Kelly
BRONZE – Sky Network Television Limited – Youth Olympic Games Highlights Show
Director & Producer: Matt Quin

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