IOC Members Have Already Adopted Olympic Agenda 2020 - Bach

KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Bernama) -- Member countries of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have already adopted the Olympic Agenda 2020 although it was only agreed last December. "Our process of change need to continue with the same energy as on that great day of Dec 8, 2014, when we passed our strategic role. We can see today, these reform is shaping. "Tomorrow (Friday) you (IOC members) will elect the host city for the Winter Olympic Games in 2022. These will be the last vote on a candidature procedure we started before the approval of the Agenda 2020," said IOC president Thomas Bach in his keynote speech, Thursday night. Bach in his speech at the opening of the 128th IOC Session at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre by Prime Minister Najib Razak, noted that the elements of the Olympic Agenda 2020 had already been taken into account by the candidate cities. In the IOC 128th Session which starts tomorrow, delegates would cast their votes to choose between Beijing, China and Almaty, Kazakhstan to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The session will also decide the host for the Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2020 with Lausanne, Switzerland and Brasov, Romania bidding for the host job. "In the coming days we will see many elements of the Olympic Agenda 2020 in action. These are very positive signs that we are moving in the right direction. "The Olympic Agenda 2020 gives us a clear vision of where we are heading, how we can protect the uniqueness of the Olympics and strengthen Olympics values in society. It is not the time to look back, our focus has to be on the road ahead," Bach added. He applauded both candidate cities, Almaty and Beijing, for having taken major recommendations into account. "As we saw the presentation in Lausanne just a couple of weeks ago, both candidates reflected a strong emphasis on sustainability, legacy and feasibility," he said. He called on the IOC Members to continue the process of change with the same energy as on the day the strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement was passed. "We have a big year ahead of us and a big agenda to tackle. These are exciting times. There are a lot of 'firsts' on our plan – the first Olympic Games in South America; the launch of the first Olympic Channel; the first full participation of the IOC with the United Nations to shape the future of the global community. "Let us use these many 'firsts' as an inspiration to celebrate our unity in diversity. The Olympic Agenda 2020 has set us on the right path forward. If we are united in our vision and our values, then our future will be one of progress," Bach added. --BERNAMA