International Athletes’ Forum 2025 empowers and inspires over 400 athlete representatives

12 June 2025 – More than 400 athlete representatives gathered in Lausanne, Switzerland, for the 12^th International Athletes’ Forum (IAF). Hosted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission (AC), athlete representatives from 200 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), 54 International Federations (IFs), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the International Paralympic Committee, Organising Committees for the upcoming Olympic Games and Continental Associations of NOCs, and members of the Athletes’ Declaration Steering Committee attended to discuss some of the most pressing athlete-related topics.

IOC President Thomas Bach and IOC President-elect Kirsty Coventry had welcomed the participants to the Olympic Capital before they joined for discussions on the final day of the forum.

“We see a world which is becoming more and more divided within societies and among societies. Sport is about unifying, is about solidarity. And solidarity means more than respect: it means that you not only respect each other but help each other. We are standing against hate, divisions, growing inequalities. We are about solidarity, peace and helping each other. This is why we have to be even more determined, outspoken and also to be extremely consistent in what we are doing,” said Bach, an Olympic champion in fencing, in his last Forum appearance as IOC President. As at previous editions of the IAF, athletes were able to ask the President about the topics most important to them, with no subject off limits in a dedicated Q&A session.

“We have to stand strong for these values and have to show through sport and in sport that it is possible to compete with each other. It needs to be done peacefully, in respect of the rules. You, the athletes, are the best ambassadors, the living examples. What you show on the field of play has more effect than any words. You saw that in Paris, where athletes from those countries were all there together even if their countries were at war.”

In a very touching moment, the athletes’ community said goodbye to President Bach, who was a member of the first IOC Athletes’ Commission in 1981, with a highly emotional film including many athlete voices thanking him for his work. This was echoed by the room in a standing ovation.

This Forum was particularly special as IOC President-elect Kirsty Coventry, a two-time Olympic champion in swimming and former IOC AC Chair, was also attending.

She emphasised the role of athletes in the Olympic Movement and society: “We play an important role, whether it is on the global stage or at home in our community. As athletes, we are all ambassadors. We are all role models. (…) In order for us to continue to help inspire a younger generation, we need to ensure that we continue to make good decisions for our athletes, to ensure that we create an incredible platform which is the Olympic Games for all of our athletes to succeed, and to be able to leverage those Games for themselves and their communities and in their sports.”

She called on the participants: “As athletes we need to focus on spreading the Olympic values of friendship, excellence and respect. Those three values connect all of us.”

The Forum allowed athletes to engage in dialogue about the challenges they are facing, and to learn about the support the IOC is offering to strengthen their own athletes’ commissions and athletes individually.

A statement issued by the IOC AC and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Athlete Council addressing the Enhanced Games, saying that they are “a betrayal of everything that we stand for”, was welcomed with a round of applause.

“This Forum was a great inspiration for all of us. It is a hugely important engagement opportunity for the IOC Athletes’ Commission, and we want to thank all the 400 participants for taking the time and making their way to Lausanne. It is so important to meet them in person every two years and to hear directly from them what support they need,” said IOC AC Chair Emma Terho. “This year’s main takeaways have been the importance of athlete support – on an individual level, at the athlete commission level, and in providing resources that help athletes use their platforms to champion social causes that matter to them.

The two-day event resulted in a number of important takeaways across various areas, such as athlete financial support programmes, safe sport, mental health and career transition.

TOPICS DISCUSSED DURING THE FORUM

During the two days of panel discussions, keynote speeches, and breakout sessions, the following topics were discussed:

Direct support for athletes:

• Olympic Solidarity – From 2025-2028, Olympic Solidarity will invest USD 650 million in development programmes for NOCs and athletes, including Olympic scholarships for athletes. Following scholarships for 1,560 athletes ahead of Paris 2024, more than 400 athletes have received scholarships to help them qualify for Milano Cortina 2026.

   

• Support from Worldwide Olympic Partners (TOP) – The TOP programme continues to provide various support programmes for athletes, from direct financial support on the road to the Games to exciting opportunities after retirement.

   

• Athlete365 – Athlete365 membership has grown by 70,000 since the previous IAF in 2023, and now stands at more than 200,000 Olympians, Paralympians, elite athletes and entourage members. The Athlete365 app makes it easier than ever for athletes to access the support and offers available, including their Games-time images from the last three editions of the Olympic Games.

   

• Career transition – Support available to athletes includes Athlete365 Career+ workshops, Athlete365 Mentoring with experts from across the Olympic Movement, and the Business Accelerator for athlete entrepreneurs.

   

• Safe sport – The IOC interactive safeguarding directory allows athletes to easily find an IOC-certified safeguarding officer near them. A new pilot project is also setting up regional safe sport hubs in southern Africa and the Pacific islands, aimed at enhancing athlete protection at the local level. New tools and programmes to enhance athlete well-being and safeguard against violence and abuse in sport were announced at the Olympism365 Summit last week.

   

• Mental health – The Athlete365 Mind Zone x Powerade was well received at Paris 2024 and will be in place again at Milano Cortina 2026, offering athletes a space to disconnect and work on their mental fitness during the Games.

Support for the global network of athletes’ commissions:

• Olympic Solidarity – Participants were reminded that the NOC AC Activity Grant is available for all NOCs, with USD 10,000 on offer each year for projects focused on supporting athletes. In 2024, more than 100 NOCs from around the world applied for this grant, and at the Forum a number of athlete representatives shared best practice examples of how they have used the grant to support athletes in their country.

   

• Effective ACs and athlete representation – A panel discussion on effective ACs covered five case studies to help generate new ideas through peer-to-peer learning. A further breakout discussion on the importance of effective athlete representation upskilled participants on AC compliance, communicating and maintaining a positive relationship with NOCs, and developing athlete feedback channels.

   

• Social media – Social media experts delivered a breakout session to AC members on maximising their social media presence and empowering athletes to generate revenue through content creation.

   

• Implementation of the Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration – ACs were presented with the Athletes’ Declaration implementation guide, which provides practical recommendations on how to adopt the declaration to empower themselves and their athletes.

   

• Other support – AC members were upskilled on topics such as anti-doping, prevention of competition manipulation, mental health and well-being, and sustainability.

ATLHLETES AT THE HEART OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT

Held every two years, the IAF brings together athlete representatives from around the world for panel discussions, Q&A sessions and interactive workshops, providing a space to exchange ideas, learn new skills, share their voice and access resources. As well as strengthening the global network of athletes’ commissions and improving athlete support, the IAF provides the IOC AC with key outcomes and recommendations to take to the IOC Executive Board.

After athletes’ rights and responsibilities were placed front and centre under Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5, the IAF is also crucial in gathering feedback as the future strategic roadmap of the Olympic Movement is laid out.

The highlights from the IAF 2025 can be watched on Athlete365.