19 March 2025 - IOC Members meeting at the 144th Session in Greece, today celebrated the achievements of Olympic Agenda. In a series of presentations, the highlights of the Olympic Agenda reforms and their impacts on the IOC and the wider Olympic Movement were outlined. They included a 30-minute film showcasing the achievements of the reforms with powerful testimonials from individuals, personalities and organisations, all of whom have been positively impacted.
The wide-ranging reforms of Olympic Agenda (Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5) have changed the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement profoundly. Launched under the motto “Change or be changed” and based on the widest-ever consultation process, the reform programme initiated by IOC President Thomas Bach was unanimously approved by the 127th IOC Session in Monaco in December 2014.
These reforms followed a year of discussion and consultation with all stakeholders of the Olympic Movement, together with external experts and the general public. More than 40,000 submissions were received from the public during the process, generating some 1,200 ideas.
Fourteen Working Groups synthesised the discussions and debates throughout the whole Olympic Movement and wider society before they were finalised by the Executive Board ahead of the 127th Session.
Work on implementation began immediately after the reforms were adopted. Among other things, work began on the Olympic Channel. The new Invitation Phase was launched for the Olympic Games in 2024, allowing cities to present an Olympic project that best matched their long-term sports, economic, social and environmental plans. Some of the reforms were also included in the 2022 process, in close cooperation with the Games candidates.
Olympic Agenda 2020+5 succeeded Olympic Agenda 2020 and set the direction of travel for the IOC and the Olympic Movement to 2025. It consists of a set of 15 recommendations that were motivated by five influential contemporary trends, all of which were identified as areas where sport and the values of Olympism had a key role to play.
Introducing the reforms of Olympic Agenda to the Session, IOC President, Thomas Bach, explained: “In Paris, we have seen our Olympic Agenda come to life. In many ways, the Olympic Games Paris 2024 represent the culmination of our long journey together. This journey began over a decade ago, when we unanimously adopted the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms.” He continued, “We set in motion the most far-reaching reform programme of our Olympic Movement at least in recent history. What is more, we embarked on a journey of change. It was a journey of collaboration, modernisation and determination. Olympic Agenda was a reform programme not only for the IOC but for the entire Olympic Movement. This is why Olympic Agenda always was and will continue to be a journey of unity in diversity – a journey of change and togetherness.” He concluded, “Let us look now at the results of Olympic Agenda through this lens of change and togetherness. Let us take pride in the shared success of our Olympic Agenda. We did it for the athletes. We did it for our beloved Olympic Movement. And, my dear friends and colleagues, we did it together.”
The highlights of the Olympic Agenda reforms summarised in 10 topics, including details, facts and figures can also be viewed by clicking on the links below.
1. The Olympic Games – Games of a New Era
Olympic Agenda has revolutionised how the Olympic Games are awarded, organised and presented to a global audience that is bigger than ever.
The IOC has empowered athletes within the decision-making processes of the IOC and put them at the heart of the Olympic Movement.
3. Solidarity
Solidarity has been greatly reinforced by the Olympic Agenda.
4. Refugee Olympic Team and Olympic Refuge Foundation
In 2015, the IOC created the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) to give athletes who had been forced to leave their homes the chance to compete on the world’s largest sporting stage alongside their peers from the 206 National Olympic Committees. This was followed in 2017 by the launch of the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF), to ensure that young people affected by displacement thrive through safe sport on a daily basis.
The IOC has made huge strides in gender equality both on and off the field of play – from the training ground to the boardroom and beyond.
The IOC has embraced the role of sport as an important enabler for the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
7. Relevance
The Olympic Games and the IOC are more relevant than ever in today’s divided world. They unite the entire world in peaceful competition.
The IOC has been a pioneer of digitalisation in sport.
9. Credibility and good governance
Through the Olympic Agenda, the IOC has completely overhauled its governance processes and has strengthened the protection of clean athletes.
10. Economic and Financial Resilience
The IOC is a non-governmental, not-for-profit association. It is entirely privately funded and distributes 90 per cent of its revenue to sport worldwide.
A document summarising the key achievements of Olympic Agenda can also be found here.
