What Is the Primary Responsibility of the IOC?

The International Olympic Committee is the supreme authority of the Olympic movement, and its responsibilities are set forth in the Olympic Charter.

  1. History

    • The IOC was founded on June 23, 1894. Its mission was to revive the ancient Olympic Games and foster an international movement.

    Charter

    • In the Olympic Charter are the goals of encouraging ethics in sports, eliminating discrimination, preventing doping, opposing the abuse of athletes for commercial or political purposes and supporting women in sports.

    Primary Responsibilities

    • The primary responsibilities of the IOC are to guarantee that the Olympic Games take place on a regular basis and to promote Olympic values such as a spirit of fair play.

    Function

    • To ensure that the Olympic Games are held, the IOC coordinates between affiliated groups such as the national Olympic committees, international sports federations, media outlets and the organizing committees for the Olympic Games---the hosts of the Games---among others.

    Administration

    • The IOC is responsible for choosing the host city for the Games. The IOC works with candidate cities before bids are presented. Once chosen, the IOC forms a commission to coordinate the preparations for the Games and another to evaluate the Games upon completion.