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 funda-
mental principles of modern Olympism, including—
•HCON 167 IH
(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 con-
tribute to building a peaceful and better world by edu-
cating youth through sport practised without discrimina-
tion of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires
mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, soli-
darity 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 recog-
nizes 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 in-
jury’’ 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 guide-
lines 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, secu-
rity, 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 environ-
mental impact statement, consult with environmental or-
ganizations, and implement an environmental action plan
for the Olympic Games;
Whereas a primary goal of the IOC is world peace and under-
standing, and, in pursuit of the goal, the IOC strives to
maintain a separation of sports from international poli-
tics;
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 mem-
bership that avers in part ‘‘to comply with the Code of
•HCON 167 IH
Ethics, to keep myself free from any political or commer-
cial 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 Commis-
sioner 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
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring),
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Olympic Move-
ment and Athlete Recognition Resolution’’.
SEC. 2. RECOGNITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC
COMMITTEE.
The Congress—
(1) recognizes the International Olympic Com-
mittee for the Committee’s—
(A) work to bring about understanding of
individuals and different cultures;
•HCON 167 IH
(B) focus on protecting the civil rights of
its participants;
(C) rules of intolerance against discrimina-
tory acts; and
(D) goal of promoting world peace through
sports;
(2) encourages members of the International
Olympic Committee from the United States to abide
by all rules of the Committee when considering and
voting for host cities for future Olympic Games;
(3) recognizes that any government action des-
ignating a preference or displeasure with any Olym-
pic Games candidate host city is inconsistent with
the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic
Charter, Code of Ethics, and rules; and
(4) endorses the concept of the Olympic Games
being a competition between athletes in individual or
team events and not between countries.
Æ