Inspired by Ancient Olympia the new Laurel of the Olympics!

The IOC President Thomas Bach and the President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos identified a stone that will be incorporated in the design of the new Olympic Laurel award. The two leaders met during the lighting ceremony of the Olympic flame for the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Starting this year in Rio de Janeiro, the Olympic Laurel award will be given at the Opening Ceremony of every Olympic Games to honour outstanding individuals in education, culture, development and peace through sport.

The day before the lighting ceremony, President Bach had inspected the stone at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia. The creation of the Olympic Laurel is part of the reforms under Olympic Agenda 2020, the strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement.

Photo, IOC / Ian Jones