14OLYMPIC REVIEWThe 5th International Athletes' Forum ended inColorado Springs, USA, with a series of strong recommendations for the IOC to take action in a number of areas affecting athletes. In the presenceof the IOC President Jacques Rogge and USOCPresident Larry Probst, eight separate workinggroups made these recommendations. Athletes' representatives reported back to theclosing plenary session on a number of subjectareas, including: athletes' entourage (those surrounding and advising athletes, such as coachesand doctors); communications and social media;the IOC's Athlete Career Programme; health, safetyand security of athletes; anti-doping; betting andgambling; Games-time experience; and athletes'commissions themselves.Calls were made to control the size of athletes' entourages during important events, andfor members of an entourage to face investigationand possible sanctions when the athlete in theircare faces similar action. But perhaps thestrongest recommendations came from the working group on anti-doping.One recommendation was that athletes "convicted of a deliberate and aggravated dopingoffence should receive a lifetime Olympic ban". Inaddition, "coaches, doctors or any other membersof an athletes' entourage found to be taking part in illegal doping practices must be convictedand sanctioned."Frank Fredericks, Chairman of the IOCAthletes' Commission, praised those present for their hard work and welcomed the recommendations. "It is important to take note of the strong and growing voice that athleteshave in the Olympic Movement," he said. "We are right to put the athletes at the centre of ouractivities, and we should take action when theyspeak so clearly and powerfully on topics thatcrucially affect them and the Olympic Movement."BelowIOC President Rogge and FrankFredericks at the Forum in Colorado SpringsHONORARYDOCTORATE FOR IOCEXECUTIVE BOARDMEMBERIOC EB member CraigReedie, who is also onthe board of the London2012 OrganisingCommittee, wasawarded an HonoraryDoctorate from theUniversity of the West of Scotland at a recentgraduation ceremony.IOC MEMBER RECEIVESHONORARYDOCTORATEIOC Member NatIndrapana has receivedan honorary doctoratedegree (in sportsscience) fromChulalongkornUniversity in Bangkok,which is Thailand'soldest university andone of the mostprestigious in Asia.RAMSAMY RECEIVESGANDHI AWARDIOC EB Member SamRamsamy has beengiven the MahatmaGandhi SatyagrahaAward by the GandhiDevelopment Trust inhonour of the role heplayed in furthering thecause of the oppressed people ofSouth Africa and inupholding the principlesof social justice andhuman rights. The 5th World Conference on Women and Sportwill take place from 16-18 February 2012 in LosAngeles, USA, under the theme "TogetherStronger: the Future of Sport". The Conferencewill bring together participants and high-levelspeakers from the sports community, the UnitedNations system, specialised organisations, governments, the business world and the media. The event, which will cover a variety of subjects associated with the efforts to strengthenwomen's representation in sport leadership positions, is organised jointly by the IOC, theUnited States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games, under the chairmanship of IOCmember Anita DeFrantz. The 2012 IOC Womanand Sport Awards will also be presented duringthe conference in recognition of outstanding contributions to the development of women's participation in sport and sports administration.Six trophies, one world and five continental, willbe awarded to individuals and organisations.IOC ATHLETES'FORUMENDS WITHCALLSFORTOUGH ACTIONONDOPING5THWORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN AND SPORT TO TAKE PLACE IN L.A.Atos, the Worldwide IT Partner for the OlympicGames, and the London 2012 OrganisingCommittee have unveiled the TechnologyOperations Centre - the "mission control" for all 94Olympic competition and non-competition venues. The Technology Operations Centre monitorsand controls the IT systems that deliver theresults from all the Olympic sports competitionsto the world's media in real time.  For the London Games, Atos expects toprocess 30% more results data than in Beijing,ensuring the world's media meets the increasingdemand of fans for information as it happens.With 15 billion PCs, smart phones and tabletspredicted to be connected to the internet by thesummer of 2012, the London Games are set to be the biggest smart Games ever.BelowRepresentatives from Worldwide TOPPartners were present for the launch in LondonThe IOC Athletes' Commission has celebrated its30th anniversary. Former IOC President JuanAntonio Samaranch set up the Commissionfollowing the recommendations of the XI OlympicCongress in Baden-Baden, Germany, in 1981.Athletes have always been at the heart of theOlympic Games, but it wasn't until the formationof the Athletes' Commission that they were trulygiven a voice within the Olympic Movement. TheCommission serves as a consultative body and is the link between athletes and the IOC. NEWS INBRIEFATOS UNVEILSLONDON2012TECHNOLOGYOPERATIONS CENTREIOCATHLETES'COMMISSION CELEBRATES 30THANNIVERSARY