During the event athletes received a lot of useful information about anti-doping, athletes’ rights and responsibilities and prevention of competition manipulation.
Stanislav Pozdnyakov, ROC President and four-time Olympic fencing champion, addressed the participants of the AC’s extended meeting with a welcoming speech.
– In today’s world the Athletes’ Commission has become extremely important in all key domestic and international sporting processes. From the Athletes’ Commission of the International Olympic Committee, to the Athletes’ Commissions of international sports organizations, to the Athletes’ Commissions of certain All-Russian Sports Federations, of which many of you are representatives.
Your rights and interests are of paramount importance in the modern Olympic movement. And, therefore, your opinion on the entire current sports agenda should be directly taken into account in decision-making by all major international sports organizations, – added the head of the ROC.
Sofia Velikaya, ROC AC Chair and two-time Olympic fencing champion, reported on the activities of the AC for the period from 2016 to 2021. She spoke about the tasks, priorities and activities of the Commission, as well as educational programs that are intended to help athletes who are completing or have already finished their career to adapt to life after sport.
– The ROC Athletes’ Commission will continue to defend the rights of our athletes, while being in an open and friendly dialogue with colleagues from the IOC. During this cycle, the Commission has repeatedly participated in numerous conference calls, discussions and will definitely continue its activities in order to strengthen the position of Russian sport on the international arena.
Since 2018, the Commission has made significant progress in terms of interaction with international organizations, the IOC and WADA. Today, the Commission is actively involved in discussions of various issues on the international agenda, participates in discussions on Rules 40 and 50, participates in developing the IOC Athletes’ Commission strategy, takes part in creating the Athletes’ Declaration, which has become a unique document for the entire global community,” she added.
Skater Lada Zadonskaya, Deputy Chair of the ROC Athletes’ Commission, gave a brief overview of international activities. In particular, about participation in the annual WADA Symposium and the 10th European Athletes’ Forum.
– One of the topics of such meetings is the empowerment of athletes. We share experience and learn about the projects implemented by Athletes’ Commissions of National Olympic Committees. We take part regularly in IOC AC global calls with athlete to discuss a whole range of important questions: from reforming Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter to introducing amendments to the Playbook on the safe Games during a coronavirus pandemic.
Jonathan Guerreiro, vice-president of the Athletes’ Commission of the European Olympic Committees and figure skater, spoke in detail about the activities of the EOC.
– The European Games, the Youth Olympic Winter and Summer Festivals are held under the auspices of this organization. It also promotes Olympic values on the continent. In the coming days I will take part in the second in-person meeting of the EOC AC.
Ekaterina Gorokhova, the ROC AC Coordinator and Leading Specialist of the Olympic Solidarity Liaison Sector of the ROC International Relations Department, in her report focused on useful digital resources available to Olympians and all athletes from around the world. In particular, she talked about the Athlete365 platform and the World Olympians Association, thanks to which athletes can get psychological help or find useful information about dual-career and career transition.
– In 2020, together with the IOC, we organized online seminar Career+ Power Up in Russian language to facilitate personal development and to help athletes find options for furthering their careers.
She also added that the ROC AC is active in supporting the establishment of Athletes’ Commissions in the All-Russian Sports Federation, which will allow to promptly solve problems faced by athletes. To date, such structures have been established in no more than 12 out of the 54 All-Russian Sports Federations.
Round tables were organized for the participants of the extended meeting of the ROC Athletes’ Commission, where they were able to discuss in detail such topics as the activities and the establishment of Athletes’ Commissions at All-Russian Sports Federation, educational opportunities for athletes, the Olympic Agenda 2020+5, anti-doping testing, athletes’ rights, Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter illustrated by the Tokyo Games, as well as communication and interaction with mass media.
Alexandra Tereykovskaya, lawyer of Integrity Unit of the ROC Legal Department delivered a report “IOC Activities to Prevent Competition Manipulation”. Veronika Loginova, Adviser to the president of the Russian International Olympic University (RIOU) on development of anti-doping programs, told about anti-doping rights of athletes.
