Reporting from the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco – On Monday the International Committee (IOC) at its 127th Session approved Agenda 2020 – a set of 40 sweeping reforms designed to move the Olympic movement into the future, to change the IOC before it is forced to change.
All 40 recommendations were unanimously approved with no abstentions.
96 of the 104 members were present and voting; there were 3,840 ‘yes’ votes and not a single ‘no’ vote.
It sounds outrageous. Almost eight hours of presentations, questions and comments – 83 interventions in total – and not a single person expressed any doubt at the final opportunity.
On Tuesday IOC President Thomas Bach commended his membership for being responsible despite any difficulties caused based on varying interests and agendas.
“In my wildest dreams I would have not expected this,” Bach told reporters Monday night.
“It showed the great determination of the members for these reforms and to make this progress and to make this happen.”
Clearly, it was about unity. It was about recognizing what was necessary and inevitable and then moving forward as one.
American IOC Member Angela Ruggiero explained “everyone had the opportunity to express the things that they disagreed with, or they had concerns for and that was duly noted and I think that will be part of the conversation moving forward.”
“This started a year ago, so we’ve had a whole year, the IOC members, to question, debate, to argue – so we’ve seen these before and we’ve had the opportunity to engage in them and change them and modify them accordingly.
“Today you’re seeing that culmination of work.”
This unity aligns with the picture that Bach said emerged when the Agenda 2020 puzzle was finally assembled.
“The picture is progress in promoting the Olympic values – the picture is progress in strengthening spirt in society”
Maybe 3,840 hands can move the world.
