IOC brokers historic Israel-Palestine Olympic agreement 21/01/2011 |
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Israel has agreed to provide training facilities for Palestinian athletes to prepare for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The surprise offer came after an historic meeting of the national Olympic committees of both countries and was brokered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge.
Rogge had previously visited the Middle East in October, prompted by continuing difficulties athletes from both countries faced in obtaining visas to compete internationally in various countries, reports the Daily Telegraph.
The Munich massacre of Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists marked the darkest days in Olympic history.
But the IOC said in a statement that the meeting of Israeli Olympic committee president Zvi Varshaviak and secretary general Efraim Zinger with Palestinian Olympic president Major General Jibril Rajoub, international relations director Khalid El-Yazji, and Palestine Football Association officials Tanya Jaar and Jérôme Champagne, was held in ''a very constructive and co-operative spirit''.
''It was agreed that both national Olympic committees will make an assessment of the current difficulties they face and work together on concrete proposals and a mechanism that would help improve the situation before referring to their respective public authorities,'' the IOC said.
'' A second meeting will be scheduled in two months’ time to review the progress made.''
But preparing the athletes for the London 2012 Olympic Games was a critical step forward. The IOC said it would provide experts to work on a long-term sports development strategy in Palestine to continue to assist not only the athletes but also coaches and sports administrators, and to identify ways to better promote sport and its values at grassroots level.
''In the short run, priority will be given to assisting Palestinian athletes to move towards their dream of taking part in the Olympic Games in London next year,'' the IOC added.
''In that respect, the representatives of the Olympic committee of Israel said that they were ready to offer training opportunities to Palestinian athletes.
''The participation of Israeli athletes in international competitions was another subject raised during the meeting, and all participants stressed their good will to use when possible their influence to address the issue with the relevant parties.''
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