Greece proposes IOC presidents are always elected at Ancient Olympia

The 144th Session of the International Olympic Committee was launched open on Tuesday at Ancient Olympia, leading to the election of the body’s new president on Thursday, with Greece proposing that the birthplace of the Ancient Olympics become the permanent venue for the election of all IOC presidents in the future.

The International Olympic Academy hosted the event that formally launched the crucial session of the governing body of the Olympic Games, with outgoing President Thomas Bach issuing a call for global peace and for respect to the Olympic ideal.

“The Greeks and the Greek civilization have given humanity two things that we are grateful of: Democracy and the Olympic Games,” said Bach, the IOC chief for the last 12 years.

Less than a week after his inauguration as the new president of the Hellenic Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas formally opened the IOC session, welcoming all Olympic family members and saying that “the decision to host the opening ceremony of the IOC session in the facilities of the International Olympic Academy in Ancient Olympia has a deep historic, cultural and symbolic appeal. It reflects the commitment of the IOC in its founding values, while underscoring the significance of continuation in the Olympic Movement and the recognition of the role that Olympic Education plays even in our days.”

The Greek president then went on to say: “Let me express a thought as a wish – a proposal I would say to the honorable members of the International Olympic Committee: Why not establish, in honor of the location that gave birth to the Olympic Games, that each time the election of the new president of the IOC take place here, in Ancient Olympia. Since the symbolism Ancient Olympia emits, as the sacred birthplace and eternal soul of the Olympic Movement, absolutely matches the multifaceted, cultural, social, sports and humanitarian work the head of the IOC undertakes each time, you would contribute this way in the perfect rekindling of the Olympic heritage.”

The proper proceedings of the IOC session begin on Wednesday at Costa Navarino, near Pylos in Messinia, lasting until Friday.

Source: pagenews.gr