07 June 2024 – IOC President Thomas Bach was in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, on Wednesday. Welcomed by the President of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), IOC Member Spyros Capralos, he addressed the 53^rd General Assembly of the EOC, and looked ahead to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, now just 49 days away.

“Whoever you speak to, everybody is fed up,” he said. “Everybody is fed up with all this hate, all this aggression, all this killing, war and confrontation. In all our hearts we are looking for something that finally brings us together, that finally gives us hope and finally gives us light in this dark world. This is the expectation billions of people have for these Olympic Games.” he added.

“These Games are the only event which promises to bring the entire world together in a peaceful competition.”

Thomas Bach – IOC President

He continued that these Olympic Games would be the first Games planned from the very first moment according to the principles of Olympic Agenda 2020. He told those present that they would be “more urban Olympic Games, with sport in the city centre where the people are. They will be younger Olympic Games, with newer sports reflecting the already high interest we have among the young generation. These will also be more inclusive Olympic Games in many respects, starting with the Refugee Olympic Team, our biggest ever team.”

President Bach also reminded the Assembly that these will be the first ever gender-equal Games, with an equal number of quota places for male and female athletes having been allocated by the IOC. In his speech, Thomas Bach also touched on the digital future of the sports movement, with the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) and the IOC’s Olympic AI Agenda, as well as of esports.

Before the meeting, the President met the Prime Minister of Romania, Marcel Ciolacu. The two leaders discussed the global situation and how it affects world sport and the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024 as well as AI. President Bach was also a guest of the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, at the Cotroceni Palace. They discussed the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the current geopolitical situation and the important role of sport for education and health.

During the General Assembly, the IOC President also met the Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu. He was accompanied by IOC Member Uğur Erdener. Istanbul was chosen at the General Assembly as the host of the European Games in 2027. During the meeting and during his presentation, the Mayor reaffirmed that Istanbul wished to host the Olympic Games in 2036.

President Bach also held meetings with a large number of people during the General Assembly, including IOC Member and President of the Israeli NOC, Yael Arad; IOC Member and President of the Italian NOC (CONI), Giovanni Malagò; the President of the NOC of Ukraine, Vadym Guttsait; and the President of the Romanian NOC, Mihai Claudiu Covaliu.