Olympic Solidarity aims to ensure that athletes with talent have an equal chance of reaching the Games and succeeding in the Olympic arena.
Giving every athlete a chance to succeed
The world’s greatest sporting festival, the Olympic Games, offers the world’s athletes the opportunity to come together in the same city, the same “village” and the same stadium. They are also the chance for athletes from less advantaged countries to pit themselves against, and sometimes beat, competitors from better off countries, with such stories also contributing to the success of the Games. However, talent and determination are not sufficient to make happy endings. High-level support and preparation are also needed, and many people are unaware of just how much these cost.
It was for this reason that, on the occasion of the Games of the XXV Olympiad in Barcelona in 1992, the idea was born of offering specific financial and technical assistance to athletes preparing for the Olympic Games. Since then, this operation has been repeated for all the Games of the Olympiad, with constant improvements aimed at meeting the athletes’ needs as much as possible.
Enlarging the scope of our action
In order to respond to increasing requests from the NOCs with a solid tradition in winter sports, Olympic scholarships are also offered for the Olympic Winter Games, starting in Vancouver in 2010. The programme of Olympic scholarships for athletes is just one of Olympic Solidarity’s many forms of action.