The approval of the event programme for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will make the Games more youthful and more urban, and they will include more women. The new event programme will see the highest-ever representation of female athletes in Olympic history, while also introducing sports events with youth and urban appeal. These changes reflect the continued evolution of the Olympic programme and build on the reforms outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020, which aim to create more flexibility through an event-based Olympic programme.
In another decision regarding the Olympic programme, the Executive Board approved the overall composition of the sports programme for the Olympic Games 2024 to include all 28 sports on the programme of the Olympic Games Rio 2016. With regard to the inclusion of weightlifting, the Executive Board decided that this will be contingent on the International Weightlifting Federation demonstrating to the Executive Board by its meeting in December 2017 that it has addressed, or has put in place plans to address, the serious incidence of doping in the sport and ensure the integrity in this and every regard within its own and the administration of each of its member National Federations.
The Executive Board also decided to put forward a proposal to the IOC Session to award the Olympic Games 2024 and 2028 at the same time. For this purpose the Executive Board called for an Extraordinary Session to take place on 11 and 12 in Lausanne. In its decision, the Executive Board highlighted that having two great candidatures from the Candidate Cities of Los Angeles and Paris is a unique opportunity.
The Executive Board also agreed on the principles that should guide the further evolution of the candidature process. Speaking at a press conference, IOC President Thomas Bach emphasised that, whereas the decision about awarding the Olympic Games 2024 is about a seizing a unique opportunity, the evolution of the candidature process for the Olympic Games 2026 is about addressing the specific challenge that the candidature process has become too expensive and too onerous, and produces too many losers. For the 2026 candidature process, the IOC will take a more proactive role in assisting and supporting cities considering a candidature. The IOC will customize its approach to the needs of the cities in order for them to develop the best value proposition. These measures will lead to a simplified process for the cities, with reduced costs. The new approach will be discussed at the IOC Session in July. (Olympic.org 09 JUN 2017)