In light of the increasing appeal being exerted by our Olympic discipline worldwide, World Skate is pleased to announce the launch of a variety of programmes designed to grow further Skateboarding in close collaboration with Olympic Solidarity (OS).
The aim of Olympic Solidarity is to organize assistance for all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) - particularly those with the greatest needs - through multi-faceted programmes prioritizing athlete development, training of coaches and sports administrators, and promoting the Olympic values.
As part of the IOC, the Olympic Solidarity Commission develops its activities on a quadrennial-plan basis. The development and assistance budget approved by the Commission for the 2017-2020 plan amounts to USD 509,285,000, corresponding to the share of the broadcast rights from the Olympic Games (Rio 2016 and PyeongChang 2018) which belongs to the NOCs. Olympic Solidarity redistributes these funds through programmes offered to all NOCs recognized by the IOC.
The most recent initiatives undertaken by World Skate with the support of OS are:
PROGRAMMES FOR ATHLETES
- Supporting elite athletes up to the Olympic Games
This programme provides elite athletes and teams with financial and technical assistance in order to ensure that they can benefit from optimum preparation for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020. The scholarship gives athletes access to appropriate facilities in their own country or abroad as well as suitable technical, medical and scientific support, and reimbursement of travel expenses for Olympic qualifying competitions.
- Preparing continental-level athletes and teams
This programme is designed to optimize athletes’ participation in continental and regional Games with a view to supporting their development, and promoting their access to the elite level. The grant may be used to fund training camps or to help athletes participate in competitions considered useful for their training programme.
- Supporting tomorrow’s champions
Through this programme, NOCs are offered three options to identify, prepare and qualify promising young athletes for the next YOG: technical and financial support for identifying and training young athletes; financial support for participating in qualifying events; and training grants for athletes who have qualified or who have secured a universality place.
PROGRAMMES FOR COACHES
- Technical Courses for Coaches
Conducted by an expert appointed by the IF (the course content follows the IFs’ rules) at national or regional level, this programme gives coaches who are active in their country and officially recognized by their National Federation the opportunity to undergo training at a variety of levels. Technical courses also provide the NOCs with an opportunity to raise coaches’ awareness of certain aspects of Olympic Agenda 2020 - such as the promotion of clean athletes, the fight against discrimination, harassment and sports betting - through the IF and training centers working with Olympic Solidarity.
- Olympic Scholarships for Coaches
This programme gives coaches who are officially recognized by their national federation and who are active in their country the opportunity to receive short-term specific training, practical experience and theoretical knowledge, normally via an intensive residential course at a high-level training center, university or IF-run establishment. Coaches must be nominated by their National Federation and approved by their National Olympic Committee. Potential candidates should have practical experience as a coach at national / international level. Upon completion of their training, coaches will be encouraged to pass on their knowledge and generally strengthen the position of Skateboarding within their home country.
- Development of National Sports System
This programme is particularly relevant for those NOCs whose coaching structure is weak but has genuine potential for improvement, since it gives them the opportunity to strengthen their local and national sports system. In particular, the programme provides funding to NOCs to enable their National Federations to employ an experienced coach for a specific period of time to help them set up or reinforce the whole national structure of a particular sport. At the same time, it allows individuals at national level to acquire sufficient knowledge to pursue such development on a long-term basis. It is important that NOCs, in liaison with their National Federations, develop an action plan to address weaknesses detected in certain areas. World Skate’s role is to offer technical support throughout the project and assist in the selection of a foreign expert, who would then work with the National Federation to establish a coherent and realistic long-term development plan to train local coaches and establish effective elite and grass roots programmes at national level.
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