The International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Although the Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games is responsible for planning, organising, financing and delivering the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, it can only do so with the support of the International Olympic Committee — the supreme authority of the Olympic movement — and in accordance with the Host City Contract. The origins of the IOC date back to the revival of the Olympic Games in 1894. The IOC was founded at the Sorbonne University in Paris on 23 June 1894 at the first ever Olympic Congress, organised by Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

Since then, the IOC and the Olympic movement have continued to grow. There are now 205 National Olympic Committees, which give an idea of the scope of the IOC’s efforts to promote people and education.

Entirely privately funded

The International Olympic Committee is an independent international non‑profit organisation. As such, it is entirely privately funded. Since the first Olympic Games of the modern era in Athens in 1896, the IOC has solely relied on commercial partners to stage the Games. It redistributes 90% of its revenue every year to support athletes and sports organisations of all levels around the world.

The supreme authority of the olympic movement

Originally based in Paris, the IOC moved to near Lake Geneva in 1915, establishing itself in Lausanne, Switzerland. The members of the IOC meet at least once a year at the IOC Session to determine the general direction and major decisions for the Olympic movement to take.

The IOC is the supreme authority of the Olympic movement. It is responsible for coordinating the relations and actions of all members of the Olympic movement, including the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), International Federations (IFs), athletes, Organising Committees for the Olympic Games such as Paris 2024, TOP partners, broadcasting partners and agencies of the United Nations. This broad group of parties works together to carry out a number of projects, including :

• Ensuring the regular celebration of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games and protecting their uniqueness ;
• Encouraging the promotion of Olympic values, particularly through the practice of sport; and
• Placing the athletes at the heart of the Olympic movement.

The structure of the IOC

The number of IOC members has been limited to 115 since 1999. These members represent the Olympic movement on a volunteer basis within their countries. The IOC holds at a Session at least once a year which serves as its General Assembly. At these Sessions, members elect new members and choose host cities.

The Executive Board, whose members are also elected by the Session by secret ballot, are responsible for recommending new IOC members, suggesting changes to the Olympic Charter and managing the day‑to‑day affairs of the IOC.

As part of their role, these members may then form a certain number of commissions for the purpose of advising the IOC on various issues — to the President, Executive Board and/or the Session as a whole. These commissions may be set up on a permanent or ad hoc basis. Of these commissions, the best known include the Future Host Commission, which is responsible for assessing candidatures for each edition of the Games, and the Coordination Commission, which monitors the progress of each Organising Committee from when it is chosen to hold the Games and throughout the event.