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| Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young is taking a commemorative photo with Kirsty Coventry, Chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), at BEXCO, Haeundae-gu, Busan on the 2nd. Photo courtesy = Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism |
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| Photo courtesy=KADA |
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| Photo courtesy=KADA |
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"In Korea, two excellent Olympics have been held recently. It maintains a strong partnership with the IOC. We will continue to work closely together."
Kirsty Coventry, chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), acknowledged South Korea's contribution to the Olympics and expressed her intention to continue the partnership when asked about the promotion of the Jeonju (Jeonbuk) Olympics.
Coventry visited Korea on the 2nd for the Busan General Assembly. As Zimbabwe's former sports and youth minister and Olympic swimming legend, it is the first visit to Korea since being elected as the first African and female IOC president in March and starting his term as former chairman Thomas Bach in June. Coventry met with on-site reporters at a 10-minute press conference shortly after emphasizing clean sports for future generations and international solidarity and unity for them at the opening ceremony in BEXCO.
Asked what the most ideal Olympics would be when the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, the first Olympics since the start of his term, were imminent, Coventry said, `No doping, no doping competition would be the most ideal. We will work on that. Each one will play his part." International solidarity for anti-doping and Korea's role in the original team "Korea has always been a good partner in the Olympic Movement and is a good partner for us, who recently successfully hosted the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the 2024 Gangwon Youth Olympics. We will continue to have a good partnership together as a one-team team."
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| Minister Choi Hwi-young Meeting with International Olympic Committee Chairman Kirsty Coventry Photo courtesy = Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism |
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Asked about South Korea's bid for the Jeonju World Cup, Coventry, chairman of the IOC, answered with affection. South Korea, which hosted the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics and the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, is trying to host the 2036 Jeonju Summer Olympics. Chairman Coventry "South Korea has recently hosted two outstanding Olympic Games (2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics), and we maintain a very strong partnership with the KOC (Korea Olympic Committee). Also, the meeting with Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister (Choi Hwi-young) was very meaningful. Later in the day, Coventry met with Minister Choi separately and had a pleasant talk. Coventry confirmed that the Government is more determined than ever to continue to attract sports and sporting events"We will continue to work closely together in the future." He also delivered a message of support to South Korean athletes preparing for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. "I want to convey to all the Korean players who will be active in Cortina. I'm looking forward to the day when I can support you. I wish you all the best. And keep your head down for yourself and really focus on training."
Chairman Coventry, who emphasized the unity of the global sports community at the opening ceremony, also affirmed the role of coordinator and mediator as the head of the IOC, encompassing division and leading unity and solidarity. "As the director of the Olympic Movement, we must work together with the same vision and goals. We must not forget that, after all, it is sports and athletes that unite us"One of the things I must keep during my term is to make everyone work as one. We have a lot of passionate fans, so sometimes there may be conflicts, and there will be things that people don't like that I do for the next seven years. But I want you to monitor me and all of us to fulfill our responsibilities. This is the key factor in us working together for the players."
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| Photo courtesy=KADA |
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Amid the recent offensive by journalists from around the world on issues, some were asked what to do if the ceasefire agreement (Olympic Truth), which stops the war during the Olympics, was violated ahead of the Milan and Cortina Olympics. On the 18th and 20th of last month, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the Olympic Truth Resolution for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. "I think we have achieved very good cooperation with neighboring countries through the two-week Olympic Truss led by the Italian Embassy. What is more special is that more than 30 member states have recognized the power of sports and declared it not just power. "Sports should be neutral and a beacon of hope and inspiration. I was very pleased that this was something I had not seen in the United Nations in recent years. We will continue to work closely with member states to protect these values in the future." "If this principle is broken, we will discuss it again then..." he added. There were also questions about specific countermeasures for the controversial new international sports international competition, Enhanced Games, which nurtured drugs and technology. Enhanced Games is a competition that allows the use of drugs prohibited by WADA, state-of-the-art shoes disallowed by each sports organization, and wearing uniforms. The first competition will be held in Las Vegas next year. Coventry replied with the principle of 'Clean Sport'. "We're all here because we believe in clean sports. It is our top priority to ensure that our athletes continue to play sports in a clean environment." Asked about transgender participation in the Olympics, it is premature for me to comment without the (IOC) working group regarding transgender participation having completed its activities. The working group is communicating with sports organizations, WADA experts and athletes. It will set a very strong direction for the future."
Reporter Jeon Young-ji sky4us@sportschosun.com
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
