The New Agenda 2020+5 and the Future Challenges for the Olympic Movement

Abstract

In March 2021, the Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved a new strategic roadmap, Olympic Agenda 2020+5, consisting of 15 recommendations. The title, Olympic Agenda 2020+5, has been chosen to reflect the fact that this new roadmap is the successor to Olympic Agenda 2020 and will guide the work of the IOC until 2025. Olympic Agenda 2020+5 builds on the results of Olympic Agenda 2020, which, in the six years since it was adopted in December 2014, has had a profound impact. It has strengthened the IOC by introducing changes intended to make the Olympic Games fit for the future, safeguard the Olympic values, and strengthen the role of sports in society. The 15 recommendations that make up Olympic Agenda 2020+5 are based on key trends concerning areas where sport and the values of Olympism can play a role in turning challenges into opportunities. The recommendations call upon the IOC to: strengthen the uniqueness and the universality of the Olympic Games; foster sustainable Olympic Games; reinforce athletes’ rights and responsibilities; continue to attract the best athletes; further strengthen safe sports and the protection of clean athletes; enhance and promote the Road to the Olympic Games; coordinate the harmonisation of the sports calendar; grow digital engagement with people; encourage the development of virtual sports and further engage with video gaming communities; strengthen the role of sport as an important enabler for the UN Sustainable Development Goals; strengthen the support to refugees and populations affected by displacement; reach out beyond the Olympic community; continue to lead by example in corporate citizenship; strengthen the Olympic Movement through good governance; innovate revenue generation models. The paper aims at analysing how principles contained in the Agenda 2020+5 can redesign a more inclusive model of the Olympic Games, with respect to all the stakeholders. Keywords: Agenda 2020+5, Olympic movement, IOC; Olympic Games