The document summarizes the International Fair Play Committee's (CIFP) involvement with the Youth Olympic Games (YOG). CIFP has promoted fair play at YOG since 2010 through educational programs. While YOG focuses on elite young athletes, CIFP recognizes the need to define and teach fair play to a broader group of young athletes in the 21st century. There are also opportunities to improve YOG's inclusion of athletes with disabilities and focus beyond just competitive sport. CIFP is working to adapt its mission of promoting fair play to new generations and remains committed to its work with organizations like the IOC.

1. 4th
Athletes for Social Change Forum
Dr Emese Ivan
Assistant Professor
St John’s University (NY)

2.  International Fair Play Committee (CIFP) -
brief history
 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) - promise and
reality
 CIFP’s strategy at YOG
 Pros and cons in CIFP’s participation at YOG
 Conclusion
 Further research

3.  Founded by UNESCO in 1963 (Paris) CIFP’s
mission is to defend and promote fair play
worldwide
 CIFP is aimed at national and international
sport and educational organizations with
emphasis on training end education of youth
 Professional athletes have a special place in
mentoring
 Pivotal role in supporting education on as well
as practice of fair play on and off the field

4.  Annual Fair Play Awards (in categories such as
act, career, promotion and youth) since 1965
 The notion of fair play is understood differently
at different periods of time in history – sports
mirror society
 1960 Rome Olympics – cyclist Knud Jensen lost
his life as a result of prohibited substances
 1965 Inaugural Fair Play Awards Ceremony is
held and the first Pierre the Coubertin Trophy is
awarded

5.  1970s: steps to establish cooperation with
UNESCO and IOC
 1980s: international seminars and forums with
participation of top leaders of sport and politics:
fights against doping, commercialism, violence in
sport AND issues “Fair Play for All”
 1990s: work with media and international sports
law organizations (Willie Daume dies in 1996)
 Revitalization and revamp to keep pace with the
expectation of new generations and new
expectations

6.  Summer (2010; 2014) and Winter Games (2012; 2016)
– newest IOC initiative targeting young athletes (15-
18 years)
 Competitive as well as cultural and educational
programs are equally important (some critique
exists – Judge et all 2007;2012; Ivan et all 2008; 2014
– but so does positive feedback – Torres 2015.)
 Fact: new, attractive sport competitions are
included; mixed teams; focus on friendship,
learning, educational, and sharing experiences
among young athletes

7.  YOG’s CEP has 5 themes: Olympism; Social
Responsibility; Skills Development; Expression;
Well Being, and Healthy Lifestyle
 CIFP has been part of the CEP since 2010
- Promote Sportsmanship
- The Notion of Fair Play
- Theory into Practice via interactive games
 Lillehammer (2016): Learn & Share activities
- http://www.olympic.org/news/technology-bringing-real-world-
issues-to-life-for-young-athletes-at-lillehammer-2016/248482

10.  Focus on Elite athletes
 Some positive developments over years:
- mixed gender competition
- mixed nation teams
- better structured CEP (Learn & Share)
 Still no focus on athletes with disability
 CIFP in alliance with its founders (international sport
press and council of sport and phys ed) established
Athletes Role Model/Ambassador and Sports
Journalist/YOG Press programs
 BUT there is no involvement for broader young
athletes (YOG participation: 3000 in Summer, 1000 in
Winter Games only)

11.  CIFP is in a ‘transition phase’ to adopt to
requirements and tasks of the 21st
century:
- how to approach fair play and introduce it to
the next generation?
- how to define the notion of fair play for the 21st
century - in theory?
- how to deliver this new notion to young athletes
of the 21st
century - in practice?
- how to reach out to the broadest group of young
athletes?

12.  What is the place and role of CIFP in defining ‘fair
play?’
 How to bring institutions (CIFP, IOC, IFs, NOC,
IGOs and INGOs) back into the analysis of ‘acting
fair and being fair’ in the 21st
century? Are they the
trend setters or followers of youth expectations?
 Whose benefit? The institutions? The athletes? The
growing number of sponsors and media?
 What is with those without participation? Athletes
with disabilities? Any idea/plan to set up a Youth
Paralympics? Why or why not?

13. IF you are interested take the following quiz on
Fair Play.
http://www.fairplayinternational.org/quiz/startquiz/id/3/m/66
Thanks for your attention!