The International Olympic Committee (IOC) (French: Comite international olympique, CIO) is an international non-profit, non-governmental organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre, Baron de Coubertin, on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president. Today its membership consists of 100 active members, 33 honorary members, and 1 honour member. The IOC is the supreme authority of the worldwide modern Olympic movement.
The IOC organises the modern Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games, held in summer and winter, every four years. The first Summer Olympics organised by the IOC was held in Athens, Greece, in 1896; the first Winter Olympics was in Chamonix, France, in 1924. Until 1992, both Summer and Winter Olympics were held in the same year. After that year, however, the IOC shifted the Winter Olympics to the even years between Summer Games, to help space the planning of the two events from one another, and improve the financial balance of the IOC, which receives greater income on Olympic years. The first Summer Youth Olympics were in Singapore in 2010 and the first Winter Youth Olympics were held in Innsbruck in 2012.
The committee was established by Pierre de Coubertin, on 23 June 1894. The committee was housed at the Mont-Repos villa in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Motto | Citius, Altius, Fortius (Latin: Faster, Higher, Stronger) |
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Formation | 23 June 1894 |
Type | Sports federation |
Headquarters | Lausanne, Switzerland |
Membership
| 105 active members, 32 honorary members |
Official language
| English, French and the host country's official language when necessary |
Thomas Bach | |
Website | Olympic.org |