About the Games


A celebration of excellence and inspiration to achieve
An invitation for the world to gather and dream in common spirit

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

The IOC fosters and oversees the Olympic Movement. Guided by the Olympic Charter, the IOC works in conjunction with the Olympic family which includes:

  • Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs)
  • International Sports Federation (IFs)
  • National Olympic Committee (NOCs)
  • Athletes
  • The Olympic Program (TOP) sponsors
  • Broadcast partners
  • United Nations Agencies

Together these organizations host a wide and highly successful variety of international events and programs, the most noted being the Games of the Olympiad and the Olympic Winter Games.

International Paralympic Committee (IPC)

The IPC , a partner in the Olympic Movement, organizes the Paralympic Games.  The IPC's mission is to enable athletes with a disability to achieve sporting excellence and to excite and inspire the world.

Unlike other sport organizations for athletes with a disability (which are limited to a specific sport or disability), the IPC represents all sports and disabilities.  The IPC’s national sport organizations believe the future of disability sport lies in bringing together athletes with different handicaps to hold joint competitions.

International Sports Federations (IFs)

IFs are international non-governmental organizations that oversee, at the world level, one or more Olympic sports.  IFs are independent from the IOC, but activities, conduct and rules must align with the Olympic Charter in order to keep their sport on the Olympic program.

National Olympic Committees (NOCs)

Countries participating in the Olympic Games have NOCs, whose main duties are:
  • Overseeing all plans, activities and funding related to their country’s participating in the Olympic Games
  • Promoting the principles and ideal of the Olympics
  • Coordinating the development and selection of their nation’s high-performance athletes
  • Training sport administrators
  • Designating bid cities for Olympic Games

Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games

The Olympic charter requires a host city to establish an OCOG to coordinate and carry out the many projects, programs and activities needed to stage the Olympic Games.  These committees work on behalf of their nation’s NOC, their country and the IOC.  As well, they work with participating IFs, NOCs, broadcasting, sponsors and a wide variety of communities, groups and organizations with a stake in the Games.

Currently, three OCOGs exist:

Quick Fact

Recognized by the IOC in 1907, Canada’s NOC is known as the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC).