In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are strengthening their efforts to promote healthy lifestyles, including physical activity, sport and active recreation, as a tool for health across the globe.
Through a new Cooperation Agreement, the IOC and WHO add that they are demonstrating their shared commitment both to promoting healthy society through sport, in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 3 (‘Good health and well-being’), and to contributing to the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
“Over the last few months in the current crisis, we have all seen how important sport and physical activity are for physical and mental health. Sport can save lives,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “We will benefit from WHO advice when addressing the challenges of the post-coronavirus society, where health will play a much more prominent role in public policies.
“We look forward to working even closer with WHO. The IOC calls on the governments of the world to include sport in their post-crisis support programmes because of the important role of sport in the prevention of NCDs, but also of communicable diseases.”
He continued “As we are preparing for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in a safe environment for all participants, we are happy and grateful that we can continue to rely on the valuable advice of WHO.”
WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said “I am pleased to formalise this longstanding partnership with the International Olympic Committee.
“WHO works not only to respond to diseases, but also to help people realise their healthiest lives, and this partnership will do exactly that. Physical activity is one of the keys to good health and well-being.”
The WHO was instrumental in sharing technical advice with the IOC during the discussions that led to the postponement of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and continues to give advice as it gathers additional knowledge and understanding of COVID-19.
The IOC and sports organisations recently benefited from WHO guidelines on mass gatherings, aiming specifically to provide additional support to sports event organisers and host countries in developing a risk-assessment process, identifying mitigation activities and making an informed evidence-based decision on hosting any sporting events.
As part of the new agreement, the IOC and WHO will continue to find synergies and act in concert to promote healthy lifestyles and grassroots sports activities worldwide, as well as fight physical inactivity.
The agreement will also allow the two organisations to work on new projects addressing emerging issues such as mental health.
In the context of the Olympic Games, the agreement will aim to strengthen the health component and legacy of the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games, in particular by addressing mental health, water quality and air pollution, in addition to emergencies and health security.
