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IOC Inspires with ‘Let’s Move India’

The unique aspect of the ‘Let’s Move India’ initiative will be the active involvement of children and young adults as leaders in participation…reports Asian Lite News

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced the launch of ‘Let’s Move India’, an initiative to inspire people from the country of 1.4 billion to celebrate the athletes participating in the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.  The move invites people from across the country to join the movement through a digital challenge on social media.

Young people can take part in a series of regional school initiatives in collaboration with the Reliance Foundation and Abhinav Bindra Foundation to coincide with Olympic Day on June 23, the Reliance Foundation informed in a release on Thursday.

“Starting today, people of all ages, regions and abilities are encouraged to recreate their favourite athlete celebrations or create their own, aiming to inspire and celebrate the Olympians heading to Paris 2024, who will be representing their 1.4 billion compatriots from July 26.

“In the regional context, this is inclusive of, but not restricted to, catchy dance steps, hero tributes, or simply moves from India’s many local games and sports. The moves should be uploaded to local social media platforms tagging @OlympicKhel and #LetsMoveIndia,” the release added.

The initiative was unveiled on Viacom18’s JioCinema, the official Media Rights-Holder of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in India, by table tennis star and Reliance Foundation-sponsored athlete, Manika Batra, who is set to represent India at Paris 2024.

“I am thrilled to support IOC’s ‘Let’s Move India’ initiative in partnership with Reliance Foundation. As an athlete, I believe that physical activity is essential for our well-being. ‘Movement is medicine,’ and our goal is to inspire more Indians to embrace an active lifestyle, not just today but throughout the year. Together, we can build a healthier, more active nation,” the release quoted Manika as saying.

The unique aspect of the ‘Let’s Move India’ initiative will be the active involvement of children and young adults as leaders in participation.

The IOC has joined forces with Abhinav Bindra, India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist and an IOC Athletes’ Commission member, through his foundation (Abhinav Bindra Foundation) and the Reliance Foundation. Together, they will extend invitations to schools across the nation to join the movement, as part of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP).

Through OVEP, in collaboration with the IOC and the governments of Odisha and Assam, the Abhinav Bindra Foundation initiative has already positively impacted 7 million children by enhancing physical activity, gender inclusivity and educational outcomes. This is set to continue, to coincide with Olympic Day on June 23.

Olympic gold medallist, sport shooting, Beijing 2008, and IOC Athletes’ Commission member Abhinav Bindra, who won India’s first Olympic individual gold medal in shooting sport in Beijing in 2008, said: “Let’s Move India is more than just a campaign; it’s a celebration of our collective spirit and dedication to physical well-being. By coming together through movement, we are fostering a sense of unity and joy that transcends all barriers.

“Through the Olympic Values Education Programme in Odisha and Assam, we’ve witnessed firsthand how sport can inspire and empower young minds. I am excited to see India embrace this initiative and support our athletes as they prepare for Paris 2024,” Bindra added.

An ongoing initiative from the IOC, ‘Let’s Move’ aims to inspire people all over the world to move more every day, anywhere, anyhow. It is part of the Olympic Movement’s mission to make the world a better place through sports and sets out to highlight the positive impact that sport and fitness have on physical and mental health.

Launched on Olympic Day 2023 in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), ‘Let’s Move’ has witnessed participation from over 1,000 athletes, with more than 15 million people worldwide participating in physical activity.

People all over India can participate in the ‘Let’s Move’ digital challenge with three simple steps:

1. Record or ask friends/parents/teachers to record a video of you doing a hook step, a dance move, a tribute to a sporting hero, or anything that celebrates movement.

2. Open Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) and share your video on your feed, nominating your friends/followers to join the movement.

3. Tag @OlympicKhel and add the #Paris2024 and #LetsMoveIndia hashtags.

Join in spreading the joy of movement and cheering the athletes to victory at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

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Putin accuses IOC of ‘ethnic discrimination’

Putin later said he believed new sporting bodies and leagues would eventually replace what he called an existing “monopoly” over international sport…reports Asian Lite News

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the International Olympic Committee of “ethnic discrimination” ahead of the 2024 Paris Games, from which Russian and Belarusian athletes are banned from competing under their national flags.

The IOC still has to make a final ruling on whether athletes from Russia and Belarus, a key ally for Moscow in its offensive on Ukraine, will be permitted to compete next summer.

“Thanks to some heads of the modern International Olympic Committee we found out that an invitation to the Games is not an unconditional right for the best athletes, but some kind of privilege and you can get it not on sports results but by some political gestures,” Putin said at a sports forum in the Urals city of Perm.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the International Olympic Committee of “ethnic discrimination” ahead of the 2024 Paris Games, from which Russian and Belarusian athletes are banned from competing under their national flags.

The IOC still has to make a final ruling on whether athletes from Russia and Belarus, a key ally for Moscow in its offensive on Ukraine, will be permitted to compete next summer.

“Thanks to some heads of the modern International Olympic Committee we found out that an invitation to the Games is not an unconditional right for the best athletes, but some kind of privilege and you can get it not on sports results but by some political gestures,” Putin said at a sports forum in the Urals city of Perm.

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“The Games themselves could be used as an instrument of political pressure towards those people who have nothing to do with politics, and as a gross — in reality — racist, ethnic discrimination.”

He added that: “Some sports officials have simply given themselves the right to determine who is covered by the Olympic Charter and who is not.”

Putin later said he believed new sporting bodies and leagues would eventually replace what he called an existing “monopoly” over international sport.

“All kinds of (new) leagues, associations, clubs and so on … They will certainly undermine the existing monopoly of officials over international sport,” he said.

The IOC last week suspended Russia’s national Olympic body for violating the territorial integrity of Ukraine’s membership by recognising regional organisations in occupied Ukraine.

Russia launched a full-scale offensive against Ukraine in February 2022, with its neighbour Belarus allowing Moscow’s troops to use its territory as a launchpad.

“The Games themselves could be used as an instrument of political pressure towards those people who have nothing to do with politics, and as a gross — in reality — racist, ethnic discrimination.”

He added that: “Some sports officials have simply given themselves the right to determine who is covered by the Olympic Charter and who is not.”

Putin later said he believed new sporting bodies and leagues would eventually replace what he called an existing “monopoly” over international sport.

“All kinds of (new) leagues, associations, clubs and so on … They will certainly undermine the existing monopoly of officials over international sport,” he said.

The IOC last week suspended Russia’s national Olympic body for violating the territorial integrity of Ukraine’s membership by recognising regional organisations in occupied Ukraine.

Russia launched a full-scale offensive against Ukraine in February 2022, with its neighbour Belarus allowing Moscow’s troops to use its territory as a launchpad.

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IOC releases competition schedule of Paris Olympics

Breaking, the high-profile new sport, will make its Olympic debut on August 9 in Place de la Concord…reports Asian Lite News

The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) executive board has approved the competition schedule of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

There will be 32 sports contested across 19 days of competition from July 24, two days before the opening ceremony, to August 11, with 329 medal events and 762 sessions.

The first gold medal will be presented on July 27, the day after the opening ceremony, with cycling, judo, fencing, diving, rugby, shooting, swimming, and skateboarding medals all set to be awarded.

All swimming and athletic finals will be held in the evening. The first swimming gold medal will be awarded on July 27, and the first athletic gold on August 2.

Breaking, the high-profile new sport, will make its Olympic debut on August 9 in Place de la Concord.

From August 8 to 11, finals of the women’s and men’s hockey, handball, football, beach volleyball, volleyball, basketball, and water polo will be held, to provide an exciting finale before the closing ceremony on the evening of August 11.

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