International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Li Lingwei makes a report on the activities of the Summer Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 at the 134th IOC session in Lausanne, Switzerland, June 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Cao Can)
BEIJING, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) members Li Lingwei and Zhang Hong from China have been appointed to the Future Host Commissions as the IOC Executive Board discussed and approved how this new approach will be implemented on Thursday.
The new approach includes the creation of two Future Host Commissions (Summer and Winter), that will offer recommendations to the IOC Executive Board, which in turn will offer recommendations to the IOC Session.
The IOC Session this June decided on a more targeted, streamlined and flexible approach, in which flexibility also applies to the timing of the elections. To achieve this, permanent dialogues will be held with interested hosts, or with potential hosts where the IOC may want to create interest.
IOC members Kristin Kloster Aasen from Norway and Octavian Morariu from Romania were named chairs of the Commissions for Summer and Winter, respectively.
Li and Zhang were also included in these Commissions.
Li Lingwei (1st R, front) attends the 132nd IOC Session prior to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, Feb. 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Gang)
"The establishment of these Commissions is a major initiative of the Olympic Movement reform. Both Commissions include members from China, showing that China is playing an important role in the Olympic Movement," said Li, who joins the Future Host Summer Commission.
"This is also because China has hosted the Summer Olympics and is going to host the Winter Olympics. It is China's Olympic legacy," she added.
After becoming the IOC member last year, Zhang, the gold medalist of speed skating at Sochi 2014, said she was very excited to be appointed by the IOC President Thomas Bach as the member of the Future Host Winter Commission.
Zhang Hong attends the 1000-day countdown ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games in Beijing on May 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Xu Zijian)
"As a representative of all winter sports athletes, I feel so honored to join this Commission. I have participated in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games Evaluation Commission and have some understanding of the related work. I will do my best," said Zhang.
The Commissions are made up of IOC members who are not on the Executive Board. Additionally, there are representatives of the athletes, International Federations, National Olympic Committees and the International Paralympic Committee.
"There will be a two-speed progression for the work of the Commissions. The Winter Commissions will start immediately, as the priority at this moment is the discussions about the Winter Youth Olympic Games 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games 2030," said Bach. "The Summer Commission has slightly more time to enter into a dialogue with the number of various interested cities, regions and countries we have already," he added.
The Future Host Commissions will permanently explore, monitor and encourage interest in future Olympic Games, Olympic Winter Games and Youth Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, these Commissions will work with potential hosts to ensure the approach will both create a magical Games experience and provide a legacy for their communities and their youth, and monitor the extent of public support. ■
