Australian and French Olympic Committees sign cooperation agreement

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the French National Olympic and Sport Committee (CNOSF), agreeing to collaborate on the development of the international Olympic sport movement and consult each other regarding current issues of concern and common interest.

The two National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have agreed to work together on a range of matters including cooperation in the fight against doping and abuse in sport, the use of sport as a tool for health and well-being, best practices in the field of commercial and marketing strategy and organisation of major sport events.

The MOU is also designed to foster collaboration and training exchanges between Australian and French sports and support innovative programs within the field of high-performance sport and sport science research.

AOC President Ian Chesterman and Chief Executive Matt Carroll AM were joined by Brigitte Henriques, President of the French National Olympic and Sport Committee yesterday in Brisbane to sign the agreement which will take effect until the end of December, 2028.

Advising that the MOU is timely and will foster numerous areas of mutual benefit, Chesterman stated “with Paris 2024 just around the corner and Brisbane 2032 fewer than ten years away, there’s a great deal to be gained for both NOCs in working together on common areas of interest.

“Through our membership of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) we are very much committed to ensuring that the Brisbane 2032 Games are a home Games for all our Pacific neighbours, including those French territories. Equally, there is much we can learn ahead of Paris 2024.

“The AOC and CNOSF have already begun work on a program that will connect Australian and French schools. While in its formative stages, the program will be up and running well before the Paris Games which begin on 26 July, 2024. A similar program connected 600 Australian and Japanese schools ahead of Tokyo 2020."

CNOSF President, Brigitte Henriques, says both NOCs face similar challenges that can be better tackled through cooperation, noting “we are delighted to have signed today the first Memorandum of Understanding between the Australian and the French NOCs and to take advantage of the opportunity to host Paris 2024 and Brisbane 2032 to strengthen our cooperation.

“We each have a commitment under the Olympic Charter to uphold fair play and protect the integrity of international sport. Our athletes are at the centre of everything we do.

“Giving them the best performance environment, looking after their mental health and of course the health of the planet – these are all issues that are important to us as NOCs and we strongly believed that a reinforced collaboration will help us to achieved these goals.”

The weekend also saw Chesterman been elected to the Executive Board of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) during its General Assembly in Brisbane.

One of four candidates to put their names forward, Chesterman said his election is an honour, with his enduring focus to ensure that the Pacific region will share in the great opportunity of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Image: The Australian Olympic Committee and French National Olympic and Sport Committee Presidents announce yesterday's Memorandum of Understanding. Credit: AOC.