International Olympic Committee

Hello! We are the International Olympic Committee, but you can call us the IOC for short. Have you ever watched talented athletes run, jump, swim, or ski for a gold medal? That’s the Olympic Games! Our most important job is to organize the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. We believe that sports are a wonderful way to bring people together. During the Games, athletes travel from countries all over the world to one city. They compete to see who is the best, but they also celebrate friendship and learn about each other.

Our story began a long time ago. We were created on June 23rd, 1894, in the city of Paris, France. A man named Pierre de Coubertin had a very special idea. He had learned about the ancient Olympic Games that took place thousands of years ago in Greece. He thought it was a shame that they had stopped. Pierre de Coubertin believed that bringing the Games back could help the world. He felt that if countries could compete peacefully on a sports field, it would be much better than fighting. He wanted to use sports to build a friendlier world.

His idea worked! Just two years after we were formed, we held the very first modern Olympic Games in 1896. To honor the history of the Games, we chose to have them in Athens, Greece. This was the same country where the ancient games first began. It was a very exciting time. Athletes from fourteen different countries came to Athens to compete in sports like running, jumping, and wrestling. It was the first time in many, many years that so many nations had gathered for a peaceful sports festival.

Today, we continue the work that started so long ago. Our main office, where we do our planning, is located in a city called Lausanne in Switzerland. One of our biggest jobs is to choose which cities will host the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Cities from all around the world hope to be chosen, and we help make sure they are ready for the thousands of athletes and visitors who will come.

We also have another important job. We are the keepers of the Olympic symbols. You have probably seen the five colorful rings that are linked together. That is our symbol! We also protect the tradition of the Olympic flame. Before each Games, a flame is lit in Greece and carried all the way to the new host city. These symbols help remind everyone of the Olympic values. We work to share these values—excellence, friendship, and respect—with people everywhere. We hope that the Games inspire everyone to try their best, be a good friend, and treat others with kindness.