The IOC Exec Board approved a review project regarding gender equality in the Olympic Movement. The IOC Gender Equality Review Project is a joint initiative of the IOC’s Women in Sport and Athletes’ Commissions, and aims to raise continued awareness of the importance of gender equality within the Olympic Movement, share best practices and present initiatives to advance gender equality both on and off the field of play (IOC).
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee is "expected to win approval" from the IOC to add the renovated Azuma Stadium in Fukushima Prefecture for the baseball-softball competition, according to sources. The ballpark lies in an area "hard hit" by the March '11 earthquake and tsunami. Because the IOC indicated an understanding of the "desire of organizers to assist in rebuilding disaster areas," the proposal will "likely" be accepted (KYODO, 3/16).
The IOC said that it will "require athletes to take a certain number of doping tests before taking part in the Olympic Games." The measure was "part of the IOC's 12 principles" reached at its exec board meeting held in PyeongChang. They were drafted to ensure "a more robust and independent global anti-doping system to protect clean athletes." The IOC added that the Int'l Test Distribution Plan will "contain a minimum number of tests for all athletes wanting to participate in the Olympics or the world championships" (YONHAP, 3/16).
With less than one year until the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Korea will "host its first international bobsleigh and skeleton event at the resort town of PyeongChang." The Int'l Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation World Cup will be held at Alpensia Sliding Center, a venue for sledding sports during the 2018 Games (KOREA TIMES, 3/16).
Olympic partner GE and the IOC are teaming up to develop the official electronic medical record for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, 2020 Tokyo Games and 2022 Beijing Games. The customized, cloud-based system will advance the mission of the IOC's Medical & Scientific Commission to protect the health of athletes (IOC).
