Olympic Solidarity

Olympic Solidarity is a program in which the International Olympic Committee (IOC) helps the sporting development of underprivileged nations. Certain IOC fundraising is distributed via Olympic Solidarity to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that the IOC recognizes to be in the greatest need. This has taken the form of coaching assistance, technical assistance, and funds to help athletes travel to the Olympic Games and other international sporting events.

The goal of Olympic Solidarity is quoted in the Olympic Charter (Rule 5) to be “The aim of Olympic Solidarity is to provide assistance to NOCs for athlete development programmes, in particular those which have the greatest need of it. This assistance takes the form of programmes elaborated jointly by the IOC and the NOCs, with the technical assistance of the IFs, if necessary.”

Olympic Solidarity began in 1961 as the International Olympic Aid Committee at the suggestion of Jean, Count de Beaumont (FRA). In 1968, this Committee became a Commission of the IOC while retaining the same name. In 1971, Herman van Karnebeek (NED) took the initiative for further developments by setting up an Olympic Solidarity Commission through the Permanent General Assembly of National Olympic Committees (Association des Comités Nationaux Olympiques). In 1972, the two groups merged to become what is now known as Olympic Solidarity. It was originally headquartered in Roma, but in 1979, at the 81st IOC session, Olympic Solidarity was moved to its present headquarters in Lausanne.

In 1982, Anselmo López became its first full-time director, a position he held through 1995. He was then made honorary director, with Pere Miró as the director from 1995 to 2019. Miró’s position as director was taken by James Macleod. As of 2022 the chair of the Olympic Solidarity Commission is Robin Mitchell.

Some of the above was taken from the IOC official website. Please refer to the following link for further details, especially of current members of this commission.