IV

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 167

Recognizing the International Olympic Committee for its work to bring about

understanding of individuals and different cultures, for its focus on

protecting the civil rights of its participants, for its rules of intolerance

against discriminatory acts, and for its goal of promoting world peace

through sports.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 20, 2001

Mr. KOLBE (for himself, Mr. DAVIS of Florida, and Mr. MORAN of Virginia)

submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Recognizing the International Olympic Committee for its

work to bring about understanding of individuals and

different cultures, for its focus on protecting the civil

rights of its participants, for its rules of intolerance

against discriminatory acts, and for its goal of promoting

world peace through sports.

Whereas the United States has been actively engaged as a

member of the International Olympic Committee (in this

resolution referred to as the ‘‘IOC’’), which was formed

in 1894 to implement the goals of modern Olympism;

Whereas the Olympic Charter for the IOC contains fundamental principles of modern Olympism, including—
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(1) ‘‘Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and

combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will

and mind. Blending sport with culture and education,

Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy

found in effort, the educational value of good example

and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles’’;

(2) ‘‘The goal of Olympism is to place everywhere

sport at the service of the harmonious development of

man, with a view to encouraging the establishment of a

peaceful society concerned with the preservation of

human dignity’’;

(3) ‘‘The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires

mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play’’; and

(4) ‘‘The activity of the Olympic movement . . .

reaches its peak with the bringing together of athletes of

the world at the great sports festival, the Olympic

Games’’;

Whereas the IOC has adopted a Code of Ethics that recognizes the dignity of the individual as one of its primary

guarantees;

Whereas to safeguard the dignity of participants, the IOC’s

rules require nondiscrimination on ‘‘the basis of race, sex,

ethnic origin, religion, philosophical or political opinion,

marital status or other grounds’’;

Whereas the IOC’s Code of Ethics specifically prohibits any

‘‘practice constituting any form of physical or mental injury’’ and ‘‘all forms of harassment against participants,

be it physical, mental, professional or sexual’’;
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Whereas an integral part of the IOC’s Olympic Charter, Code

of Ethics, and rules requires the following of strict guidelines in selecting a host city for an Olympic Games;

Whereas included in the IOC’s rules are comprehensive and

precise selection criteria and methods by which to assess

a candidate’s application;

Whereas the IOC’s Evaluations Commission evaluates and

compares, among the candidates, 11 different areas of

site analysis, including government support and public

opinion, critical infrastructure availability, finance, security, and experience;

Whereas the IOC has made environmental conservation the

third pillar of Olympism, with the other pillars being

sport and culture;

Whereas the IOC requires host cities to conduct an environmental impact statement, consult with environmental organizations, and implement an environmental action plan

for the Olympic Games;

Whereas a primary goal of the IOC is world peace and understanding, and, in pursuit of the goal, the IOC strives to

maintain a separation of sports from international politics;

Whereas the IOC’s Olympic Charter, Code of Ethics, and

rules consistently address the IOC’s quest to separate

politics and sports;

Whereas Rule 9 of the IOC’s Olympic Charter states that

‘‘the Olympic Games are competitions between athletes in

individual or team events and not between countries’’;

Whereas new members of the IOC take an oath upon membership that avers in part ‘‘to comply with the Code of
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Ethics, to keep myself free from any political or commercial influence’’;

Whereas the IOC’s Code of Ethics states that ‘‘the Olympic

parties shall neither give nor accept instructions to vote

or intervene in a given manner with the organs of the

IOC’’;

Whereas the IOC is involved in humanitarian affairs through

its involvement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Development

Programme, International Labour Organization, and the

International Committee of the Red Cross; and

Whereas following the issuance of the Report of the Special

Bid Oversight Commission, the ‘‘Mitchell Commission’’,

both the United States Olympic Committee and the IOC

ratified a number of reforms regarding the selection of

Olympic Games host cities: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring),

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Olympic Move5 ment and Athlete Recognition Resolution’’.

6 SEC. 2. RECOGNITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC

7 COMMITTEE.

8 The Congress—

9 (1) recognizes the International Olympic Com10 mittee for the Committee’s—

11 (A) work to bring about understanding of

12 individuals and different cultures;
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1 (B) focus on protecting the civil rights of

2 its participants;

3 (C) rules of intolerance against discrimina4 tory acts; and

5 (D) goal of promoting world peace through

6 sports;

7 (2) encourages members of the International

8 Olympic Committee from the United States to abide

9 by all rules of the Committee when considering and

10 voting for host cities for future Olympic Games;

11 (3) recognizes that any government action des12 ignating a preference or displeasure with any Olym13 pic Games candidate host city is inconsistent with

14 the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic

15 Charter, Code of Ethics, and rules; and

16 (4) endorses the concept of the Olympic Games

17 being a competition between athletes in individual or

18 team events and not between countries.

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