The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is holding an Extraordinary Session in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 24–25 June 2026. A key item on the agenda is the presentation of President Kirsty Coventry’s new strategic roadmap for the Olympic Movement. The programme, titled Fit for the Future (F4F), outlines the direction of the Olympic Movement for the years ahead.

The Finnish Olympic Committee is not a member of the IOC and has neither voting rights nor decision-making authority in IOC matters. The National Olympic Committees are not invited to the IOC Session. Sari Essayah is the IOC’s Finnish individual member.

– The National Olympic Committees and the athletes have had a voice in this comprehensive F4F process, which has addressed a range of issues within the Olympic Movement. The Finnish Olympic Committee’s message throughout the process has been clear: we want the National Olympic Committees to be heard, and we hope for transparency in the processes and the opportunity to express our views. We have a good dialogue with the IOC, even though we do not have voting rights in the IOC, notes Executive Director Riku Tapio.

At the extraordinary IOC Session, IOC members approved the IOC Executive Board’s proposal regarding the F4F process and its main themes, which include, among other things, strengthening support measures for athletes and revitalizing the Olympic competition program.

– The Finnish Olympic Committee is pleased that the Olympic Movement is being scrutinized with an open — and even critical — eye, including at the initiative of the IOC. Strengthening support for athletes is in line with the Finnish Olympic Committee’s own goals, and it is fantastic news that every athlete competing in the Olympics will receive a concrete support package of 10,000 USD through the IOC’s Solidarity program. Furthermore, we view it as a positive development that the Olympic program is being simplified and the process made more transparent. We have not yet received any news about the competition programs for upcoming Olympic Games, such as the 2030 Games in the French Alps, and our view is that there must be a balance between traditional and new sports, says Tapio.

Learn more about the “Fit for the Future” program

• An Olympic first: The IOC will establish the “Fit for the Future Olympian Grant” to provide all Olympians with USD 10,000, starting with the Milano Cortina 2026 Games
• Fit for the Future: New Olympic program methodology approved to shape more relevant, flexible, and sustainable Olympic Games

This text was translated using AI.