Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games Coverage
May 3
Weston Bakeries Marks 125th Anniversary by Announcing that it is an Official Supplier to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
May 3, 2007
The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and Weston Foods (Canada) Inc. announced today that Weston Bakeries Limited has been named the Official Supplier of Bread and Baked Goods for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Details of the new partnership were shared at the Weston Family Innovation Centre in the Ontario Science Centre as part of Weston Bakeries Limited 125th anniversary celebrations.
"2007 marks an important milestone in the history of Weston’s and as we celebrate 125 years, we are excited to also celebrate the very best of Canadian athletes,” said Ralph Robinson, President, Weston Foods (Canada) Inc. to an audience including Olympic Gold Medallists Beckie Scott (cross-country skiing) and Brad Gushue (curling) and Olympic women’s snowboard cross Bronze Medallist, Dominique Maltais.
“Weston’s commitment to excellence in Canadian sport is echoed in our support of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and we are delighted to work hand-in-hand with VANOC to inspire all Canadians to celebrate the possible,” he added.
Building on Weston’s proud Olympic history as a sponsor of the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games and 1988 Calgary Olympic Games, this partnership provides Weston Bakeries Limited with Official Supplier sponsorship rights in the Bread and Baked goods category. In addition to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Weston Bakeries Limited will also serve as the Official Supplier for the Canadian Olympic teams competing in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.
“We are pleased to have Weston Bakeries Limited join the team helping to feed the spirit of Olympic and Paralympic dreams,” said John Furlong, VANOC CEO. “Building on their proud legacy which started at the Olympic Games in Montreal and Calgary, Weston is once again demonstrating a strong commitment to excellence and a desire to inspire Canadians of all ages to engage in sport and play.”
W. Galen Weston, Chairman and President, George Weston Limited who helped mark the celebration added: “these are exciting times for Weston Bakeries. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the 125th anniversary of my grandfather’s greatest achievement - the founding of this great bakery - than to be lending our support to Canadian athletes and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.”
With a passion to providing sport and fitness opportunities for Canada’s children and youth, George Weston Limited., parent company of Weston Bakeries Limited, also announced a donation of $300,000.00 to YMCA organizations across Canada. An exciting new initiative, the Wonder Play, Dream, Grow Community Spirit program will fund community-based programs that help kids stay fit through play. The program will also include funding the building of several playgrounds and training facilities in communities across Canada.
About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
VANOC's marketing program is focused on securing mutually rewarding partnerships with shared values to generate sufficient revenue to host successful Winter Games in 2010 and to leave a financial legacy for sport. VANOC’s Worldwide TOP partners include Coca-Cola, Atos Origin, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Samsung and Visa. VANOC's National Partners are Bell Canada, Hbc, RBC Financial Group, GM Canada, Petro-Canada, and RONA.
VANOC’s Official Supporters include Air Canada, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, Canadian Pacific, the Royal Canadian Mint, Ricoh Canada Inc., ICBC and Teck Cominco Limited. VANOC’s Official Suppliers are Dow Canada, EPCOR, Haworth Canada, Nortel, Vincor Canada, Workopolis, and Weston Bakeries.
About Weston Foods (Canada) Inc.
Weston Foods (Canada) Inc. is a subsidiary of George Weston Limited, a Canadian public company and is one of North America's leading food processing and distribution companies. Weston Bakeries Limited is one of Canada's leading bakeries with a number of well-known bakery brands including Wonder®, Country Harvest®, D'Italiano®, Thomas'® and Weston®.
® Weston Bakeries Limited, Licensee of the trademarks.
Nortel Named Official Converged Network Equipment Supplier for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games: Nortel Infrastructure to Enable Converged Voice, Data, Video over IP Network
May 1, 2007
Nortel* [NYSE/TSX: NT] and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) announced today that Nortel will be the Official Converged Network Equipment Supplier for the 2010 Winter Games. As part of the sponsorship agreement, Nortel will supply the network communications equipment required for what will be the first all-IP converged Games network.
Nortel will be providing the converged local area network (LAN) equipment to VANOC at 15 Games venues in both Vancouver and Whistler, as well as at the Vancouver 2010 headquarters and numerous supporting venues.
In addition, Bell Canada earlier selected Nortel to supply the wide area network (WAN) equipment it will use to build a core network to enable secure and reliable communications among all event locations. Bell Canada, the exclusive Telecommunications Services Provider and Premier National Partner for the 2010 Winter Games, will use Nortel VoIP, Metro Ethernet and IP solutions to create and deploy a dedicated carrier-class IP network for VANOC that securely converges all voice, video, and data communications.
With Nortel’s selection by VANOC for the Games’ LAN network and by Bell Canada to supply equipment for the Games’ WAN network, Nortel equipment will be used end-to-end for the 2010 Winter Games.
“VANOC and Bell Canada chose Nortel to supply the network infrastructure for one of the most important, most visible, and most watched sporting events in the world,” said Mike Zafirovski, president and CEO, Nortel. "It takes world-class networking expertise to support an event of this magnitude. With the eyes of the world upon them, VANOC can depend on the strength of Nortel to ensure the success of the Games."
“At Vancouver 2010, we are pleased to build on Canada’s proud history of advancing the way people communicate,” said John Furlong, VANOC CEO. “With Nortel joining our team, we will provide a positive human experience through reliable, secure and mobile communications. We are delighted to welcome Nortel’s employees to our team and invite them to help us celebrate the true spirit and potential of our country.”
Nortel’s six-year Official Supplier partnership with VANOC provides sponsorship rights for the 2010 Winter Games and the Canadian Olympic Teams participating at the Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games.
Designed and delivered by Bell Canada and using Nortel equipment, the 2010 Winter Games will be the first ever to converge all of its voice, video and data traffic over a single IP-based network backbone. This will also be the first Olympic and Paralympic Games to use voice over IP (VoIP) for all event locations, allowing athletes and support staff to have true user portability through a phone number that roams with them wherever they go.
“With all our athletes and event staff relying on this network, absolute network reliability and security are of paramount importance,” said Ward Chapin, chief information officer, VANOC. “Nortel’s rich history of designing and deploying some of the world’s most reliable and robust communications infrastructure is why we asked Nortel to design and build our converged LAN. In addition, Nortel’s support to Bell Canada in building the Games WAN will also increase the seamless power of the network while lowering costs to build and operate the network.”
"Given our experience with and trust in Nortel in supporting the delivery of our commercial networks, it was only natural that Bell Canada select Nortel to help us build the wide area network for the 2010 Games,” said Justin Webb, vice president, Olympic Services, Bell Canada. “We are working together closely to create a network for VANOC that delivers uncompromised performance, security, and simplicity, from the core infrastructure down to the individual user.”
Bell Canada will use the Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 and Optical Multiservice Edge 6500 to create a resilient, high-bandwidth transport network that connects all venues and supporting sites, with the Ethernet Routing Switch 5000 Series converging communications at all location sites. Bell Canada will also be providing network-based VoIP within all VANOC sites and competition venues utilizing Nortel’s market leading Communication Server 2000-Compact and IP Phone 1100 Series sets.
Nortel will directly supply LAN, WiFi, management and network security solutions to VANOC for all venues and supporting sites. Nortel Global Services will also be provided to support the design and deployment of the network.
About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
VANOC's marketing program is focused on securing mutually rewarding partnerships with shared values to generate sufficient revenue to host successful Winter Games in 2010 and to leave a financial legacy for sport. VANOC’s Worldwide TOP Partners include Coca-Cola, Atos Origin, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Samsung and Visa. VANOC's National Partners are Bell Canada, Hbc, RBC Financial Group, GM Canada, Petro-Canada, and RONA.
VANOC’s Official Supporters include Air Canada, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, Canadian Pacific, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, Jet Set Sports, Ricoh Canada Inc., the Royal Canadian Mint, and Teck Cominco Limited. VANOC’s Official Suppliers are Birks, Dow Canada, EPCOR, Haworth Canada, Vincor Canada and Workopolis.
About Nortel
Nortel is a recognized leader in delivering communications capabilities that make the promise of Business Made Simple a reality for our customers. Our next-generation technologies, for both service provider and enterprise networks, support multimedia and business-critical applications. Nortel’s technologies are designed to help eliminate today's barriers to efficiency, speed and performance by simplifying networks and connecting people to the information they need, when they need it. Nortel does business in more than 150 countries around the world. For more information, visit Nortel on the Web at www.nortel.com. For the latest Nortel news, visit www.nortel.com/news.
Contact
VANOC Communication
mediarelations@vancouver2010.com
Certain statements in this press release may contain words such as “could”, “expects”, “may”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, ”targets”, “envisions”, “seeks” and other similar language and are considered forward-looking statements or information under applicable securities legislation. These statements are based on Nortel’s current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the operating environment, economies and markets in which Nortel operates. These statements are subject to important assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict and the actual outcome may be materially different from those contemplated in forward-looking statements. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see Nortel’s Annual Report on Form10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other securities filings with the SEC. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Nortel disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
*Nortel, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel Networks.
Propelling Canadian athletes toward unparalleled podium success
April 26, 2007
With a medal in her sights, Canada’s Emily Brydon competes in the women’s World Cup Downhill in Tarvisio, Italy. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)While Canada has previously hosted two successful Olympic Games, it has the distinction of being the only country in the history of the Games not to have won a gold medal in the two Games it has hosted. It happened in Montreal in 1976 and again in Calgary in 1988. But we’re expecting things will be very different in 2010, with Canadian athletes winning big and delivering tangible results through an initiative called Own the Podium 2010, also known as OTP.
Taking things to a new level
Almost immediately upon being awarded the right to host the 2010 Winter Games, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games (VANOC), through its major corporate sponsors and the Province of British Columbia, collaborated with the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and the Government of Canada to develop a comprehensive and ambitious plan. This plan would not only help propel our Winter Games athletes to unprecedented performance levels, but also give them every edge at winning gold. Today, Own the Podium 2010 is working. With typical Canadian reserve – and overwhelming public approval – it’s changing the face, and psyche, of Canadian sport.
Visually-impaired skier Kathleen Forestell follows her guide down the Super G course en route to a gold medal at the Disabled Skiing Cup in Winter Park, Colorado A year after OTP 2010 was implemented, Canadian winter athletes posted their best Winter Games finish ever, placing third overall in Torino in 2006 – and earning an amazing 13 fourth-place finishes. In the recently concluded 2006-07 World Cup and World Championship season, Canadian high performance winter athletes took it to another level, finishing second, after Germany, with 132 medals.
Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) CEO Chris Rudge called the results “an unequivocal success for Canadian winter sport.” Rudge continued, “Together with VANOC, Own the Podium 2010, Sport Canada, our National Sport Federations and sport partners, the Canadian Olympic Committee will continue to help provide Canada’s athletes with as much support as possible in order to achieve our ambitious goal of finishing first overall at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.”
Canada’s Francois-Louis Tremblay skates during the men’s 500 metre World Short Track Speed Skating Championships. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)Earlier this year, VANOC CEO John Furlong, one of OTP’s strongest and earliest proponents, proudly and justifiably proclaimed: “There has been no better time in the last 50 years to be a Canadian winter athlete. Sponsors are hiring athletes in jobs tailored to them, and corporations are sponsoring them. Many can finally do what top athletes around the world have been allowed to do – train full-time without having to worry about losing a job.”
Own the Podium legacies
The reins of the five-year, $110 million program (half-funded by the Government of Canada and half-funded by VANOC through its major corporate sponsors and the Province of British Columbia, with Bell Canada as OTP’s founding corporate sponsor) are in the experienced hands of Dr. Roger Jackson. Jackson won the only gold medal for Canada at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Summer Games in rowing with George Hungerford. Together they were awarded the Lou March Trophy as Canada’s top male athletes that year. Jackson is a former director of Sport Canada, a three-time president of the COC, a former dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary (from 1978-88) and founder and director of the University of Calgary Sport Medicine Centre. In 1984, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He is also an inductee into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.
Tangible benefits for Canadian sport
Jackson can easily recite a checklist of legacies that OTP will help forge in Canadian sport.
“There will be multiple improvements from the Own the Podium 2010 initiative. One, the winter sports should win more medals than ever, a feature that very much enhances the presentation of the Games held in Canada. Two, the national sports organizations will be considerably strengthened by the funding and the experience of trying to significantly improve their programs over the five years. Three, there are many programs that are currently building the base of developing athletes who will excel in 2014. Four, there are good experiences with winter sport for the VANOC corporate sponsors, and it is our intention to encourage them to continue their involvement beyond 2010. Five, the OTP initiative is adding new programs or strengthening programs to support [Canada’s] sport system. Six, OTP itself has been created as a single focus to lead Canada’s high-performance initiative, which allows a new coordinated approach to funding, program implementation and policy development.
“All of these have already been achieved or are being achieved,” concluded Jackson.
Creating winning conditions
High-performance initiatives have been launched before but never one that has been athlete- and excellence-driven.
Jennifer Heil celebrates her silver medal finish in the ladies’ moguls finals at the Freestyle World Champsionships. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)Jackson explained that the podium results begin on the ground. “The coaches have better defined and more appropriate working and employment conditions; the number of athletes they are training is more limited to allow the coaches to focus more attention on fewer athletes; there are more coaches and high-performance directors helping winter sports than a year ago; and there is now an emphasis on the professional development of these coaches to bring them to international standards where necessary.
“The top athletes have access to a much better and more comprehensive sport science and medicine servicing, from better-prepared professionals who, themselves, are learning how to work with world-class athletes.” “We have a rare opportunity, “ Jackson continued, “to utilize the Olympic and Paralympic facilities as they are built. Our athletes will therefore be very familiar with the Canadian environment and these specific facilities.
“Both the COC and CPC are stepping up their efforts to create ‘winning conditions’ for their teams for the 2010 Games, which means making sure every attention is paid to the smallest details so the athletes are prepared for the 2010 environment when they compete at home.”
If Canada does in fact top the medal standings in 2010, Canadians can be sure it will be a team effort. Who those medal-winning athletes are remains to be seen, but Jackson is quick to heap praise on the support staff that is already behind them every step of the way.
Canada’s Alexandre Bilodeau is airborne en route to a first place finish at a freestyle ski moguls World Cup competition. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)“The attitude and support of the VANOC sports managers, their leaders – Tim Gayda [VANOC’s vice president, sport] and Cathy Priestner Allinger [VANOC’s executive vice president, sport, Paralympic Games and venue management], John Furlong and the senior marketing and communications teams – is outstanding and very, very valuable to OTP,” said Jackson. “We are helped so often by them. I have never seen such support for the athletes and National Sport Organizations (NSOs) of the host country in all my years with many Organizing Committees. OTP is extremely fortunate to have this support.”
From outside our borders, and excluding hockey, Canadian sport has only on the rarest of occasions been viewed as a threat to top the podium. When the Games begin in 2010, Canadian athletes will be viewed as nothing but. Let the Games begin
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia joins drive towards 2010 -- 2010 Winter Games Licence Plates Unveiled
April 11, 2007
Premier Gordon Campbell, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) announced today a new Official Supporter partnership that will offer BC residents the opportunity to directly support the Games with one-of-a-kind 2010 Winter Games Licence Plates available for BC motorists to purchase starting next week.
”British Columbians are excited and proud to be hosting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and these licence plates are one more way for all of us to show that pride,” Campbell said. “I want to thank ICBC and VANOC for providing this innovative opportunity for British Columbians to get involved in supporting the 2010 Winter Games as we countdown the 1,038 days until the Opening Ceremony.”
The six-year partnership designates ICBC as an Official Supporter in the “motor vehicle insurance” category of the 2010 Winter Games, including sponsorship rights for the Canadian teams participating at the Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games. In addition to the introduction of the 2010 Winter Games licence plates, ICBC will also be the official supplier of motor vehicle insurance for VANOC’s fleet of approximately 4,500 General Motors passenger vehicles.
“ICBC is extremely pleased to support the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and help make these the most successful Winter Games ever,” said ICBC President and CEO, Paul Taylor. “ICBC’s sponsorship provides British Columbians with a number of opportunities to directly support the 2010 Winter Games and promote BC.”
The licence plates allow motorists to showcase both the 2010 Winter Games and their province as they travel inside and outside British Columbia. They will be available for an initial fee of $35 starting the week of Monday, April 16 through Autoplan Insurance brokers across the province with the net proceeds going towards the successful staging of the 2010 Winter Games and as a result, the future success of Canadian athletes.
“With the addition of ICBC to our family, we’re driving the Games onto every highway and into every driveway with a top BC company synonymous with safety and community building,” said John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer. “Our goal is for all BC residents and Canadians to feel ownership of the Games and ICBC’s reach to all British Columbians will offer everyone the chance to demonstrate their pride and excitement. Following the leadership of ICBC, we’ll now look to develop additional licence plate programs in provinces and territories across Canada.”
ICBC’s contribution to VANOC will include net proceeds from the sale of 2010 Winter Games licence plates and the provision of auto insurance services. Costs for the insurance services will be funded by ICBC’s Optional Insurance business, which competes with other auto insurers in the BC marketplace. ICBC is the largest provider of Optional auto insurance in BC with $ 1.4 billion in net premiums written and 2.2 million customers.
The 2010 Winter Games joins five recent Winter Games that have introduced licence plate programs, including Montreal 1976 and Calgary 1988. The BC licence plates will feature the 2010 Winter Games emblem, and the province’s slogan, “The Best Place on Earth.” The mountain-scene on the 2010 Winter Games plate is that of Mount Garibaldi in Garibaldi Park, located 13 km north of Squamish, 97 km north of Vancouver along Hwy 99 on the road to Whistler. The chosen plate design captures the spirit of the Games while showcasing one of the most scenic and breathtaking areas between Vancouver and Whistler. The image was also used in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Bid proposal.
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
VANOC's marketing program is focused on securing mutually rewarding partnerships with shared values to generate sufficient revenue to host successful Winter Games in 2010 and to leave a financial legacy for sport. VANOC’s Worldwide TOP Partners include Coca-Cola, Atos Origin, GE, McDonald’s, Omega and Visa. VANOC's National Partners are Bell Canada, Hbc, RBC Financial Group, GM Canada, Petro-Canada, and RONA.
VANOC’s Official Supporters include Air Canada, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, Canadian Pacific, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, Jet Set Sports, the Royal Canadian Mint, Ricoh Canada Inc. and Teck Cominco Limited. VANOC’s Official Suppliers are Birks, Dow Canada, EPCOR, Haworth Canada, Vincor Canada and Workopolis.
Contact
VANOC Communications
mediarelations@vancouver2010.com
April 30
Legacies of Lake Placid Games still delivering after 27 years
April 30, 2007
Volume One of Legacies of North American Winter Games report released today
The first volume of a report commissioned by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) shows the legacies of the 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Winter Games are still a powerful contributor to the community 27 years after the Closing Ceremony.
The Lake Placid report, which was released today at vancouver2010.com, is the first of three volumes of the Legacies of North American Olympic Winter Games report commissioned by VANOC. The remaining two volumes of the report will be released over the next month continuing with the Calgary report on May 7, and the Salt Lake report on May 14.
, which was released today at vancouver2010.com, is the first of three volumes of the Legacies of North American Olympic Winter Games report commissioned by VANOC. The remaining two volumes of the report will be released over the next month continuing with the Calgary report on May 7, and the Salt Lake report on May 14.The Lake Placid report is based on research obtained from many documents including newspaper and magazine articles, official reports, studies, books, and original interviews to outline the legacies to the host community of the 1980 Games. Key among the findings are a number of impressive economic and sport legacies including the following:
is based on research obtained from many documents including newspaper and magazine articles, official reports, studies, books, and original interviews to outline the legacies to the host community of the 1980 Games. Key among the findings are a number of impressive economic and sport legacies including the following:In the 2004–05 fiscal year, 25 years after the Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Winter Games, the overall economic impact of the Olympic Regional Development Authority’s (ORDA) operations to the village and surrounding counties was $323.7 million USD.
In 2004, an estimated 333,535 non-resident visitors used ORDA facilities. The direct impact of visitor spending on the local economy that year was more than $310 million USD, resulting in 1,056.6 jobs.
Almost 90 per cent of the U.S. Olympic Team members at the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games had gone through training in Lake Placid at some time during their sports careers.
Lake Placid hosts an average of five World Cups every year, in addition to numerous other competitions.
33 of the 34 medals awarded to the U.S. Olympic Team at the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games were won by athletes who trained in Lake Placid.
“As a community that has twice hosted the Olympic Winter Games, Lake Placid continues to enjoy human and economic benefits and lasting legacies,” said VANOC CEO John Furlong. “We are encouraged by the findings of this report and excited about the opportunities the Games present for future generations. Clearly, the Games have the potential of producing so much more than two months of stellar sport performance,” he concluded.
“The State of New York was honoured to host the world at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games, and we continue to welcome visitors from around the world to the Lake Placid region today,” said Sandy Caligiore, Communications Director for the State’s Olympic Regional Development Authority. “The positive economic and social impact of the Games is very real and very alive to this day,” he added.
VANOC commissioned the Legacies of North American Winter Games report believing the most appropriate model for understanding the potential legacies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is the experiences of other Winter Games held within the North American context since 1980. The independently-written reports offer detailed look back on the experiences of previous North American Olympic Winter Games hosts.
The Legacies reports, separately and combined, show how the host communities of Olympic Winter Games in North America continue to:
increase tourism in their regions
remind the world of their attractions at subsequent international competition
build sports participation
be national hubs for recreational and competitive sport
help the country’s top athletes achieve their full potential
attract major sports companies to locate there
encourage local children to excel in sport and other areas of life
“The report shows that, on a continent where enthusiasm for and participation in winter sports is widespread, hosting a successful Winter Games can have numerous, multi-faceted benefits, many of which last for generations to come,” said Furlong.
“VANOC is determined to continue this trend, delivering an outstanding Games experience in 2010 and legacies that will continue to benefit the community for many generations to come,” he concluded.
About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
About the Lasting Legacies Report and Author
VANOC commissioned the research and writing of The Legacies of North American Olympic Winter Games report in July 2006. The researcher and author, Kate Zimmerman, has been a journalist in Canada for 27 years, writing for numerous newspapers and magazines. She lives in North Vancouver, BC.
Contact
VANOC Communications
April 27
Vancouver 2010 delivers solid report on Games progress to IOC Executive Board (Beijing)
April 26, 2007
With 1,023 days to go before the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Games, John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), today presented a comprehensive Games update to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board.
The update was presented during the 2007 Sport Accord International Sports Convention. The presentation included a summary of the 4th Coordination Commission, hosted in Vancouver from March 6-8, 2007 and highlighted the significant progress on the venue construction program which moves into its most intensive stage this year. The IOC also expressed its desire for an Executive Board meeting to be held in Vancouver in late 2009 and VANOC warmly welcomed the idea.
Furlong delivered a review of the Organizing Committee's key accomplishments to date, in addition to highlighting VANOC’s 2007 priorities.
Among the topics Furlong addressed:
venue construction program progress
the release of the VANOC Business Plan and Games operating budget, which has been approved by the VANOC Board of Directors, with a public release date scheduled for May 8
a sponsorship and licensing update confirming that 80 per cent of the overall 2007 domestic sponsorship revenue target has been met
accommodation targets and the media accommodation program
development of the 2010 Winter Games ticketing program
modifications to the 2010 sport program, including the addition of ski cross and format changes for speed skating team pursuit and skeleton
finalization of the test event program
"Every single day we are focused on moving the project forward in all key areas," said Furlong as part of his address to the IOC. "A solid partnership is the key to successful Games in 2010 and throughout the past several months our partnership with the IOC and particularly the Coordination Commission members has grown immensely. Your guidance and advice is making our planning better and we thank you for your ongoing support."
Furlong’s update included the presentation of a new Vancouver 2010 video, an eight-minute production featuring progress on the 2010 venues and the people involved in the construction program. Following the video presentation, Furlong spoke to the venue construction program and recognized the tireless efforts of those involved in all aspects of Games preparation.
“We are proud to be introducing this inspiring video to an international audience today,” said Furlong immediately following the presentation. “As we literally start to see our venues coming out of the ground, we are able to share with the world the story of our project while showcasing the many dedicated people behind the scenes who are bringing our project to life.”
In addition to his presentation to the IOC, Furlong addressed a group of International Sport Accord delegates during a panel discussion titled “Working with Your Host City.” Hosted by Susie Simcock of the World Squash Federation, the session focused on models of successful cooperation for host cities of international sporting events.
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
Contact
New report details lasting legacies of Olympic Winter Games in North America
April 26, 2007
Olympic Winter Games in North America are generally highly successful and leave a multitude of lasting legacies in their host communities, according to a new report commissioned by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). The report, which includes a chapter on each of the three previous North American Olympic Winter Games, will be released over the next month as part of a host of activities to mark the 1,000 day countdown on May 19 to the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
The Legacies of North American Olympic Winter Games report, prepared by an independent researcher, documents and illustrates the possible social and economic trends that result from hosting Olympic Winter Games in North America and the lasting impacts of hosting the Olympic Winter Games on a specific community and region.
The report examines the legacies of the three Olympic Winter Games held in North America since 1980: in Lake Placid, Calgary and Salt Lake City. Research sources include previous official Games reports, Games senior leaders, studies, books, newspaper and magazine analyses, and original interviews with individuals who have witnessed firsthand the effects of hosting the Games in their communities. “Social and economic trends are often left unidentified until the facts are pulled together and analyzed in one place, through a common lens,” said VANOC’s Chief Executive Officer John Furlong. “This report, summarizing the legacies of previous North American Olympic Winter Games, outlines trends that should be encouraging to all British Columbians, all Canadians and other North American cities considering bidding for the Olympic Winter Games,” he said.
All three of the previous North American Olympic Winter Games examined in the report were deemed a success in their time. The report shows how these host communities continue to:
increase tourism in their regions
remind the world of their attractions at subsequent international competition hosted there
build sports participation
be national hubs for recreational and competitive sport
help the country’s top high performance athletes achieve their full potential
attract major sports companies to locate there
encourage local children to excel in sport and other areas of life
“The best model for understanding the potential legacies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games is analysis of other Winter Games held within the North American continent,” said Furlong. “This report offers a frank look back on the experiences of previous North American Olympic Winter Games hosts. While each Games was unique with its own story, the findings clearly indicate a pattern of positive opportunity.”
Due to the significant volume of each report, they will be released at vancouver2010.com on a staggered timeline: Lake Placid on April 30, Calgary on May 7 and Salt Lake on May 14.
The legacy of Winter Games can perhaps be easiest seen through high performance sport. Lake Placid has hosted the Olympic Winter Games twice (1932 and 1980), and has produced 125 local medal-winners since the Olympic Winter Games’ inception in 1924. After Salt Lake staged the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, 69 of the 211 athletes on the U.S. team in Torino in 2006 had trained at the Olympic Games facilities in Salt Lake. At the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, more than 25 per cent of the 196-member Canadian team was from the Calgary area and trained on legacy facilities from the 1988 Olympic Winter Games.
Calgary, the only Canadian city that has hosted an Olympic Winter Games, has a strong post-Games legacy. The Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA) is responsible for a financial legacy that makes it the largest private funder of Olympic winter sport in Canada. Canada Olympic Park (COP) is a multi-venue sports complex that is the second-largest tourist draw in Alberta, attracting one million visitors a year – nearly 20 years after Calgary hosted the Olympic Winter Games. Plans are well underway to further develop COP.
The report shows a similar success story regarding New York State’s Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA). In the 2004-2005 fiscal year, a quarter century after the 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Winter Games, the overall economic impact of ORDA’s operations to the village and the counties surrounding it was an estimated $323.7 million USD.
The Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC) decided after the 2002 Games to use its $100 million USD profit to turn Salt Lake City and Utah into “an elite sports capital of the world.” Since 2002, the Utah Sports Commission (USC) has hosted almost 200 major sports events. In 2006 alone, the economic impact of the events the USC helped organize was between $500-600 million USD. The state has also enticed more than 10 major sports equipment companies to call it home.
“The Legacies report shows that on a continent where enthusiasm for recreational and high performance winter sport is widespread, hosting a successful Winter Games can have numerous, multi-faceted benefits, many of which last for generations,” said Furlong.
“VANOC is determined to continue this impressive trend, delivering an outstanding Games experience in 2010 and legacies that continue to benefit the community for many years into the future,” he concluded.
About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
About the Lasting Legacies Report and Author
VANOC commissioned the research and writing of The Legacies of North American Olympic Winter Games report in July 2006. The researcher and author, Kate Zimmerman, has been a journalist in Canada for 27 years, writing for numerous newspapers and magazines. She lives in North Vancouver, BC.
Contact
April 23
News Release on behalf of Samsung - Samsung Concludes Contract with the International Olympic Committee to Sponsor Olympic Games Through 2016
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2006 parent company sales of US$63.4 billion and net income of US$8.5 billion. Employing approximately 138,000 people in over 124 offices in 56 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business, Telecommunication Network Business and Digital Appliance Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com
April 12
Anti-doping movement aims for clean Games in 2010 and beyond
When viewed through the lens of time, this scandal may ultimately be recognized as one of sport’s biggest wake-up calls. With the International Olympic Committee (IOC) leading the charge, the fallout from the controversy resulted in the creation, in 1999, of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The battle against doping was no longer to be fought sport-by-sport, but globally.
Fast-forward to February 1, 2007, when UNESCO (the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization, a specialized UN agency) ratified the International Convention against Doping in Sport. The Convention set a record as the fastest to travel from draft form to ratification in UNESCO’s 62-year history. More significantly, the fight against doping was inscribed for the first time into international law, synchronizing the efforts of sport and civil authority. In paying tribute to the swift passage of the Convention, WADA Chairman Dick Pound attached hyperbole, “it is actually a miracle”, to fact, “an extraordinary commitment by governments.”
Canada has suffered the lows of a doping scandal (Ben Johnson, Seoul 1988 Summer Games) and the highs of dope-free success and championing (Beckie Scott, Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Games) and has emerged as one of the leaders in the international fight against doping. The Dubin Enquiry (commissioned by the Canadian government in 1989 after Johnson tested positive for steroid use following his gold-medal win in the 100-metre final at the Seoul 1988 Summer Games) opened eyes around the world to the scope of the issue and leading to the establishment of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES). WADA elected Pound as its first chairman in 1999 and, in 2001, selected Montreal for its headquarters.
The Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) tapped into that wealth of leadership when, in November 2006, it entered into a partnership to implement the anti-doping program (for both the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees) for the 2010 Games. Under this partnership, then-CCES General Manager Jeremy Luke was named as VANOC’s director, anti-doping. The Ontario native arrived in Vancouver to take up his position in early March 2007.
There’s no denying the significance of the task Luke and his team face. Earlier this year, IOC President Jacques Rogge called for even greater unity against doping in sport because “science has created more powerful performance-enhancing drugs that are more dangerous to the health of athletes than ever before.”
In that regard, Luke points to the World Anti-Doping Code, the UNESCO Convention, better testing and preventive programs in more countries and the growing number of criminal investigations to search out the miscreants – not only the athletes but, more particularly, the manufacturers, procurers and distributors of illicit drugs – as tools used to fight the anti-doping battle.
Anti-doping mission
VANOC’s approach to anti-doping offers hope that the will to cheat will be absent for any athletes who will compete in the 2010 Games – both because of the fear of being caught and due to increased awareness.
“[VANOC’s] mission in anti-doping is two-fold. One is to make sure we’ve got a cutting-edge doping control program consistent with the IOC and IPC anti-doping rules which incorporates all the latest analytical techniques to maximize the deterrent [with the companion lab facility] so we can send a very strong message to athletes that if you choose to deliberately dope and you come to Vancouver we’ve got a system in place to catch you.”
“But of equal importance," emphasized Luke, is that "[VANOC] wants to do everything it can to inform athletes of the IOC and IPC anti-doping rules, and provide them with the resources in order to be able to make the right decision when it comes to doping.”
In this regard, VANOC has drawn up a five-point information and awareness program which will leverage already-existing anti-doping programs, ”so we won’t be recreating the wheel,” said Luke. He noted that VANOC’s initial plans entailed implementing part of the program with relevant sport partners during the run-up to the 2010 Winter Games, in which a large majority of Olympic- and Paralympic-level athletes are expected to compete.
State-of-the-art testing program
Beyond that, VANOC intends to leave an outreach legacy of its own. “We think in Canada we’ve got a pretty effective way to educate our athletes before major Games. What we want to do is take that program and provide it to National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Paralympic Committees (NPCs). We will provide them with various anti-doping resources and do everything we can to get them to use these resources and engage their athletes in the process,” said Luke, adding that this initiative will begin in early 2008.
Luke was quick to point out that VANOC will tap into all the resources the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport has to offer in order to deliver a state-of-the-art testing program. “The CCES is a world leader and has doping control officers across Canada that can be relied on as experts in their field.” Additionally, VANOC “will be bringing other staff from [the CCES], adapting their protocols, their procedures and other aspects of their program and relying on their expertise.”
Values-based sports system
What about education as a longer term tool in the fight against doping in sport? “One of the more effective ways to deal with it,” noted Luke. “is target our youth and create a values-based sports system. This way, if youth are exposed to doping, it’s such an unacceptable thing to do that they would never engage in it to begin with.”
“And from a Canadian point of view, I’d say that at the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, [education] is a large area of focus. I think what it comes back to is recognizing that doping isn’t the only issue and we shouldn’t deal with doping in an isolated way. It’s about attitudes, values and beliefs. Individuals for some reason when they’re exposed to those things, sometimes make the wrong decisions. We’ve got to focus on how we can create a sports system that is really values-based and would make doping so unacceptable, in the same way that drinking and driving or smoking are now perceived. At that point in time we will really be able to deal with it.”
Just when that point in time may come remains to be seen, but all signs suggest the battle is now being actively fought on behalf of the overwhelming majority of clean athletes. For the few who still haven’t grasped the full impact, Pound, speaking recently on TSN’s Bell Spirit of the Game series, put it bluntly: “It’s just not worth it. It’s not worth what you do to yourself. It’s not worth what you do to your body. It’s not worth what you do to the public who hope and expect you will be following the rules.”
April 5
Fuelling Canada’s podium dreams – Vancouver 2010 Coin Sport Collector Cards available at a corner station near you
The Vancouver 2010 Coin Sport Collector Card program will launch 12 illustrated cards that will include collectable versions of the popular Olympic- or Paralympic-themed 25-cent circulation coins issued by the RCM. The coins are adorned with distinctive red painting to enhance the Maple Leaf in the background.
The cards make a great collectable from the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games and are an excellent way to help Canada excel on the field of play in 2010 and beyond. Part of the proceeds from each $7.95 Coin Sport Collector Card sold will help fund Olympic and Paralympic athletes and coaches through Petro-Canada’s Fuelling the Dream Fund. It’s a program that makes contributions to an innovative program called Fuelling Athletic and Coaching Excellence (FACE) and Own the Podium 2010 (OTP).
Supporting Canada’s aspiring athletes: FACE and OTP
FACE supports up-and-coming athletes and their coaches, who must often struggle with the financial aspect of maintaining their competitive edge. The FACE program aims to close this gap by helping fund summer and winter athletes who are one step removed from being “carded” (qualified to receive funding from the Sport Canada Athlete Assistance Program).
While funding programs have a long tradition of supporting individual athletes, a unique aspect of Petro-Canada’s program is that the coaches of those athletes selected to receive FACE funding automatically receive consideration for a matching FACE grant.
Laurie Wachs coached Jessica Shelby Guenther to a bronze medal in synchronized swimming at the Whitehorse 2007 Canada Winter Games. She said the FACE program has had an enormous impact on helping both her and Jessica reach their goals.
“We are somewhat isolated here in Saskatchewan and these funds will help Jess and I continue to prosper in our sport,” Wachs said. “Jessica just came with the first-ever medal in synchronized swimming at the Winter Games for our province. I know this money is going to help us both so much.”
Own the Podium 2010
Own the Podium 2010 is a sport technical initiative designed to help Canada become the number one nation in terms of medals won at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and to place in the top three countries overall at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.
The focus of the initiative is to provide additional resources and high-performance programming to Canadian athletes, coaches and support personnel to help the country’s athletes achieve podium success in 2010.
A long tradition of support
"Petro-Canada has been supporting Canadian athletes and coaches for 18 years," says Steven Keith, director, Olympic and community partnerships. "We are pleased to commit $13 million in future support through our Fuelling the Dream Fund, with contributions to Own the Podium 2010 and our new Fuelling Athlete and Coaching Excellence program."
Each card will launch at the same time as the corresponding RCM circulation coin. This includes the April 3, 2007 release of an ice hockey coin/card, followed by wheelchair curling (July), biathlon (September) and alpine skiing (October ).
