25 May 2024 – IOC President Thomas Bach welcomed the President of the Swiss Federal Council, Viola Amherd, to the Olympic Museum on Friday, at a meeting of more than ninety ambassadors to Switzerland. She was accompanied by Switzerland’s Foreign Minister and fellow Federal Council Member, Ignazio Cassis.

Welcoming the ambassadors, President Bach highlighted the central role of political neutrality and solidarity for the mission of the Olympic Games.

“The fundamental idea behind the Olympic Games is to unite the entire world in peaceful competition,” he told them.

“At the Olympic Games, the athletes of the territories of all 206 National Olympic Committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team embody this peace mission. Based on our political neutrality, we welcome all National Olympic Committees of the world who respect our constitution, the Olympic Charter, without any discrimination for any reason,”

Thomas Bach – IOC President

For this reason he also explained why the IOC is so at home in Switzerland: “ When our founder, Pierre de Coubertin, moved the IOC headquarters from Paris to neutral Lausanne in 1915, he found ideal conditions: a country with a stable political and legal system; a similar commitment to political neutrality; the hospitality of its people and a beautiful setting ideally suited for sports of all kinds,” said the President.

“We continue to appreciate all these wonderful conditions today, as do the over 50 International Sports Organisations that call Switzerland their home. This is a mutually beneficial relationship with our hosts, as studies show that the presence of the IOC and so many International Sports Organisations contributes around 1.7 billion Swiss francs to the local economy,” he added.

Afterwards, President Bach had a private meeting with President Amherd, where she informed him about the status of the preparations for a Swiss project for the Olympic Winter Games 2038 and the support it enjoys throughout the country. They discussed the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Later, President Bach joined a meeting of the Congress of the ‘Association Internationale des Maires Francophones’ (AIMF), also at the Olympic Museum. They were invited to Lausanne by the Syndic of Lausanne, Gregoire Junod who was joined by the Christelle Luisier Brodard, President of the Canton of Vaud.

Meeting under the theme “International Cooperation’, there were more than 500 Mayors and representatives from 50 countries. The current President of the Association, is the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, where the Olympic Games will open in just than two months. She told the mayors that Paris was ready to host marvellous Games and that the Olympic Spirit would unite the world.