IOC Back Online
Communications director Mark Adams tells Around the Rings the IOC’s email and phones are back in business – but headquarters has a ways to go.
About 150 staff are working elsewhere in Lausanne after the computer, power and phone networks were knocked out early Sunday when a water pipe burst near Vidy, sending thousands of gallons of water into the building’s basement.
"We now have all the email and computer systems up and working properly," Adams tells ATR via his newly restored email address.
"So despite a few changes of desks, the administration is now working as usual. That said, I don't think we will be back at our normal desks before Christmas."
Despite initial reports that 20 to 30 percent of archives housed in the IOC basement suffered water damage, it’s since been confirmed nothing valuable – nor even necessary – is lost.
In fact, Adams says he doesn’t expect there to be any long-term damage – even in the J.A. Samaranch Room, a basement space that was hit hardest by Sunday’s flood.
"All the rooms damaged are being refurbished," he says.
No word yet on whether the IOC will still host the Executive Board at Vidy or move the Dec. 4-5 meeting elsewhere in Lausanne.
ANOC on the Prowl
Around the Rings is told a search is underway for new Association of National Olympic Committees office space in Lausanne.
The topic was discussed at last week's meeting of the ANOC Executive Council in Macau.
ANOC is looking to upgrade its modest space across from the Lausanne Palace Hotel, ATR is told, and is considering a budget of $20 million, perhaps for a building of its own.
Sports Cities Index Unveiling Ahead
Around the Rings and TSE Consulting unveil their inaugural Sports Cities Index later this week in Lausanne.
Results of the first survey will be released Friday at the ongoing City Events Conference. ATR subscribers will get results delivered via email at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The comprehensive biannual ranking is built around a group of 50 cities selected through criteria such as staging recent and upcoming Olympics or other major multi-sport Games, hosting professional sports teams as well as organizing major championships or world-class events such as tennis Grand Slams and Formula 1 races.
An online survey conducted from Oct. 23 to Nov. 11 asked respondents four brief questions on those themes and then gave them the opportunity to suggest other cities for inclusion in future editions.
A group of 100 "TSE Survey Experts" drawn from international federations, National Olympic Committees, sports media and other influencers also responded to the survey.
Answers from these experts were combined with those from the general public to produce the final Sports Cities Index.
Stay tuned to ATR for the results!
Reported by Matthew Grayson
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
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