IOC President Thomas Bach Says Reform More Needed Than Ever

IOC President Thomas Bach said that corruption and doping scandals that "have cast a shadow over the world of sport this year make the need for change more urgent than ever," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. In a New Year's message published on the IOC website, Bach "looked forward to the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro but warned of big challenges ahead." He said, "When Olympic Agenda 2020 was adopted one year ago, my message to everyone in the Olympic Movement was: change or be changed. One just needs to look at the events over the last 12 months to realize that this message is even more urgent today to safeguard the credibility of sports organizations and to protect clean athletes." Bach added, "As the role and relevance of sport in society continues to grow, so do the expectations of the public vis-a-vis the integrity of athletes and sports organizations. It is our shared responsibility in the Olympic Movement to provide new answers to new questions" (REUTERS, 12/30).