On the 19th, along the Huangpu River, IOC President Bach became one of the busiest spectators. In the newly created Olympic event - the Paris Olympic Games qualification series Shanghai leg, the nearly 71 year old Olympic sports "helmsman" spent an afternoon on the scene to watch the rock climbing, skateboarding, break dancing finals and post match parties. In the festival atmosphere integrating sports, music, culture and art, you can immerse yourself in a younger, more urban and more open Olympic event.

On May 19, IOC President Bach (middle) watched the break dance final. Photographed by Wang Xiang, a reporter from Xinhua News Agency

In the evening of the same day, Bach said at the press conference that this new Olympic event held in Shanghai was a step closer to the modern Olympic Games in the ideal of the International Olympic Committee. What is the ideal modern Olympic president like? During this competition, Xinhua News Agency reporters interviewed Pierre Fratter Buddy, the deputy director of the IOC Olympic Games in charge of strategy and development, and Kit McConnell, the director of the IOC Sports Department. In their descriptions, the answers were gradually clear.

Follow the trend of the times and create a lifestyle

In this competition, skateboarding, rock climbing, break dancing, and free wheelbarrow, four new Olympic events were staged in the city park, with the venues lined up in turn and the competition held at the same time. Top athletes from all over the world gathered to compete for the qualification of the Paris Olympic Games. In the enthusiastic atmosphere of the Olympic Games, the distance between people is so close.

In order to maintain the Olympic heat and attract more young people's attention more than ten days after the Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee decided to establish the Olympic qualification series and expand the exposure of the "road to the Olympic Games". Vlat Buddy is one of the founders of the concept of Olympic qualification series.

Under his promotion, of the 15 reform proposals in the Olympic 2020+5 Agenda issued in March 2021, the sixth one specifically mentioned that efforts should be made to build and promote Olympic qualification events to further enhance the influence of the Olympic Games.

"The society is changing, sports are changing, and the tastes of young people are changing, so we need to adapt to this change in the Olympic Games." He said, "President Bach has always said that we should bring sports to people and places where people live. We hold competitions in temporary facilities in the city center, and welcome everyone with open arms, which is what we do in Shanghai."

On May 18, Logan Martin of Australia was in the competition. Photographed by Tao Xiyi, a reporter from Xinhua News Agency

In his view, the uniqueness of the first Olympic qualification series is that there is not only competition, but also a way of life. "In addition to the competition, it also includes many festival elements, including music and fashion. Audiences can have many different experiences in one day. For example, after watching the world's best athletes in the freestyle wheelbarrow, we can try these projects in the experience area in a few minutes."

Festive atmosphere, more open Olympics

The IOC Sports Department is responsible for the Olympic competitive competition. As the head of the department, McConnell said that the Olympic qualification series actually originated from two strategic projects of the IOC. The first is the development of Olympic events. From the Tokyo Olympic Games to the Paris Olympic Games, the Olympic events are younger, more urban and more open. At the same time, the IOC attaches great importance to the promotion of the Olympic qualifying events. In the qualifying events on the road to Paris, they fully reported the qualifying events through the digital platform.

"In Shanghai, the Olympic qualification series combines the two together, and four new Olympic events are launched at the same time in the same place, which not only shows the emerging sports full of youth, but also focuses on the efforts of athletes to compete for Olympic tickets." McConnell said.

The first qualifying series of the Olympic Games was held in the city park along the Huangpu River in Shanghai. If you walk fast enough, you can even visit all four venues in one minute, which makes you feel dizzy.

Coincidentally with Shanghai, Paris also chose to integrate the Olympic Games into the city. For example, beach volleyball matches will be held under the Eiffel Tower, wrestling and judo matches will be held at Zhanshen Square opposite the tower... When sports enter the urban landscape and historical and cultural relics, the integration of humanities, sports and tourism will bring people a new Olympic experience.

On May 19, the audience watched the game on the spot. On the same day, the women's biathlon final of the qualifying series of the Paris Olympic Games in Shanghai was held. Photographed by He Changshan, a reporter of Xinhua News Agency

Ferlat Badi said that sports are still the foundation and foundation of the Olympic Games, and other experiences around sports are becoming increasingly important. In an atmosphere similar to the city sports festival, the Paris Olympic Games will be held in many scenic spots. "We believe that this concept will not only be presented in the Olympic qualification series, but also be applied to the Olympic Games in the future."

The Olympic Games and emerging projects enrich each other

In recent years, the International Olympic Committee has continuously innovated the competition events. The Tokyo Olympic Games, the Paris Olympic Games, the 2026 Milan Cortinarian Pezo Winter Olympic Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games were all included in the emerging projects. The first Olympic qualification series also selected skateboarding, rock climbing, break dancing and freestyle scooter as the four emerging sports.

Ferlat Buddy said that in the Olympic Games, there are traditional sports that have been very successful for decades, such as track and field, gymnastics, swimming, basketball, football, etc. In recent years, the Olympic Games has also introduced new events. Traditional events and new sports have achieved a balance in the Olympic Games.

On May 19, Spain's Hines Lopez was in the difficult rock climbing competition. Photographed by Wang Kaiyan, reporter of Xinhua News Agency

On May 19, Chinese contestant Zeng Wenhui was in the competition. Photographed by Tao Xiyi, a reporter from Xinhua News Agency

"We believe that this is beneficial to both sides. First, emerging projects have enriched the elements of the Olympic Games. Second, emerging projects have achieved better development after entering the Olympic Games, and have more fans around the world. We believe that this is just the beginning." said Frat Badi.

McConnell said frankly that the emerging movement has very enthusiastic concern groups around the world, and most of them are young people. "We see this from the athletes, and from the people who follow these athletes and these sports. It is really important for us to reach these new young audiences."

The host has more say in Olympic sports

In 2014, the International Olympic Committee decided that the Olympic events would no longer be limited to 28 major events, and the host country could decide flexibly according to its own situation; In addition to the 28 original Olympic sports, there can be 3-5 new temporary projects. The new projects can be either those that have appeared in the Olympic Games or new ones.

McConnell said that the project setting of the Olympic Games should be more flexible, innovative, sustainable and pay more attention to gender equality. He said for example: "The vision of the Paris Olympic Organizing Committee is to attract young urban population to a large extent, which is why break dancing is added to the Paris Olympic Games They hope to interact with fans who like team sports in the United States. This is a very important part of American sports culture, which is why some team sports will be included in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. "

On May 19, Zeng Yingying (left), a Chinese player, was in the competition. On the same day, in the quarter finals of the women's break dancing in Shanghai leg of the qualifying series of the Paris Olympic Games, Zeng Yingying of China lost 1:2 to Tang Yamei of Japan, and failed to qualify for the semi-finals. Photographed by Xu Yanan, reporter of Xinhua News Agency

At present, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games has 33 major events, equal to the number of major events of the Tokyo Olympic Games, and one more major event than the Paris Olympic Games. How can we not increase the burden and pressure on the host country while adding projects? McConnell said, "In Paris, for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, we achieved the equal quota for men and women in the total quota of 10500 athletes. At the Los Angeles Olympic Games, with the addition of new sports events, we are working with international sports organizations and event organizing committees to maintain this gender balance. But in general, we are working hard to reduce the overall requirements for hosting the Olympic Games, while putting sports and athletes at the core. "

Embrace AI and E-sports

Last month, the International Olympic Committee released the Olympic AI Agenda, which, while looking forward to the possible impact of AI on sports, put forward the framework for the International Olympic Committee to lead the global sports field to carry out AI programs.

"I think AI plays a very important role in all fields of society, including sports. In sports, AI is widely used in athlete selection, referee scoring, technical and tactical analysis, game broadcasting, digital communication and other aspects." McConnell also pointed out that the IOC is very concerned about the following issues: Whether people in different sports fields can have the equal right to use AI.

On April 19, IOC President Bach made a speech at the press conference of the Olympic AI Agenda. Photographed by Wu Lu, reporter of Xinhua News Agency

At the beginning of this year, Bach revealed in an exclusive interview with a reporter from Xinhua News Agency at the Jiangyuandao Winter Olympic Games that he was considering holding the first Olympic E-sports Games in 2025 or no later than 2026.

McConnell said: "We have established the IOC e-Sports Commission, which held a meeting at the end of last year. Our analysis of e-sports continues, but we believe that e-sports is very important for reaching young people around the world. This is a very enthusiastic group, and we need to find ways to connect them with the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement. " (Participating journalists: Xu Dongyuan, Wang Chunyan, Yao Youming, Dong Yixing)

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