(Lausanne, 8th November 2022)
The President of OCM, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri (Dr.) Mohamad Norza Zakaria, paid a courtesy call to the President of IOC, Dr. Thomas Bach, at the Olympic House, in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Tan Sri Dr. Norza, who was elected as the sixth President of OCM in 2018, is making his first courtesy call to the President of IOC. He was accompanied by the Assistant Secretary General of OCM, Ms. Moira Tan Siew See and the General Manager of OCM, Mr. Fong Wan Hor.
The main objective of the courtesy call is to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the IOC and OCM. Tan Sri Dr. Norza took the opportunity to update the President of IOC on the new initiatives by the OCM for the Olympic Movement such as the inception of the “Olympic Carnival” in the month of June since 2018, the partnership with other NOCs in the celebration of the worldwide Olympic Day and the proposed construction of a new Olympic House, which will be a green and smart building with sustainable architecture in Kuala Lumpur.
The courtesy call to the President of IOC included a programme planned by the IOC such as a visit to the Olympic Museum and several meetings with the IOC senior personnel as follows:
1. IOC Director General – Mr. Christophe De Kepper,
2. Director of NOC Relations and Olympic Solidarity – Mr. James Macleod,
3. Associate Director of Olympic Solidarity – Mr. Olivier Niamkey,
4. Associate Director of NOC Relations, Institutional Relations & Governance – Mr. Jerome Poivey,
and a few Continental Managers and Project Managers.
The President of IOC was very impressed with the initiatives and the dynamic approach of Tan Sri Dr. Norza and he has assured full support from the IOC and the Olympic Solidarity to develop, promote and protect the Olympic Movement in Malaysia.
“One of the important missions of the IOC is to provide assistance and support to all the NOCs because the stronger the NOCs, the stronger the IOC will be in the global Olympic Movement” stated Dr. Thomas Bach.
Tan Sri Dr. Norza took the opportunity to congratulate the IOC under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Bach for the successful organization of the two (2) Olympic Games namely XXXII Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and the XXIV Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 within the period of the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tan Sri Dr. Norza also briefed the IOC Director General, Mr. Christophe De Kepper and his team of IOC officers on the modernization initiatives taken by him to inject professionalism into the management of OCM and wishes to engage the IOC actively to pursue his modernization agenda.
“I have had fruitful discussions with the IOC President, Director General and several other senior personnel for the further enhancement of the Olympic Movement and Values in Malaysia” stated Tan Sri Dr. Norza.
- Tan Sri Dr. Norza being welcomed by Dr. Thomas Bach to his office in the Olympic House.
- The IOC is flying the National Flag of Malaysia on Tuesday, 8th November 2022 in respect of Tan Sri Dr. Norza’s official visit.
- Tan Sri Dr. Norza meeting the IOC Director General, Mr. Christophe De Kepper and the IOC Associate Director of Olympic Solidarity, Mr. Olivier Niamkey, in the Samaranch Room of the Olympic House. L-R: Mr. Christophe De Kepper, Mr. Olivier Niamkey, Tan Sri Dr. Norza and Ms. Moira Tan Siew See.
- Tan Sri Dr. Norza (right) presenting an official souvenir from the OCM to Mr. Christophe De Kepper (left).
- Tan Sri Dr. Norza (left) presenting an official souvenir from the OCM to Mr. Olivier Niamkey (right).
- Tan Sri Dr. Norza meeting the NOC Management & Knowledge Sharing Team of the Olympic Solidarity in the Samaranch Room of the Olympic House.
- Tan Sri Dr. Norza (left) presenting an official souvenir from the OCM to Mr. Jérôme Poivey (right).
- Tan Sri Dr. Norza (right) presenting an official souvenir from the OCM to Mr. James Macleod (left).
- Tan Sri Dr. Norza (left) presenting a portrait painting of the IOC President to Dr. Thomas Bach (right). Note: The portrait painting of the IOC President was produced by Mr. Abdul Hadi Ahmad, a renowned artist in Kuala Lumpur.
- Tan Sri Dr. Norza pointing at the photograph of Mr. Fong Wan Hor, the General Manager of OCM, being displayed in the Olympic Museum.