Covid 19: NOC, Others To Get Cash From IOC

Covid 19: NOC, Others To Get Cash From IOC

By Sampson Adedeji

The Association of National Olympic Committees will make $11.7m (£9.2m/€10.3m) of funding available to National Olympic Committees, including Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to help them through the Covid-19 crisis and cover some of the additional costs associated with the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

A technical working group made up of representatives from ANOC, the Continental Olympic Committees and the director of the Olympic Solidarity programme decided on the funding, which will be distributed to NOCs through each of the five Continental Associations.

It's reported that some of the money earmarked for organising this year’s ANOC general assembly in Seoul, South Korea, which has been postponed to 2021, has been used to boost the emergency fund.

Although by no means a panacea, the money will be allocated to help NOCs cover the additional athlete training and preparation costs associated with the delay of the Tokyo Olympics. In exceptional circumstances NOCs may also use it for more general support during the pandemic.

An ANOC statement indicated all 206 NOCs would be able to apply for funding directly through their Continental Associations on a case-by-case basis. Indirect assistance will also be provided through each of the Continental Association’s Tokyo 2020-specific projects such as training camps and athlete preparation programmes.

In many cases government funding is allocated to NOCs in four-year cycles, often ending after the Summer Games. This leaves many NOCs facing funding shortfalls between the originally-planned start date for the Tokyo Olympics and their rescheduled start date on 23 July 2021.

Acting ANOC president Robin Mitchell said: “We are committed to helping NOCs and their athletes prepare for Tokyo 2020 by providing additional funding that will assist NOCs with the exceptional costs associated with the year delay of the Games.

“The Technical Working Group has agreed the distribution of the funding in the fairest and most effective way possible to ensure all NOCs benefit directly or indirectly. ANOC is committed to serving, promoting and protecting the interests of the NOCs and we will continue to work to assist them in any way we can," the statements concludes