While much of the public attention surrounding this week’s 146th Session of the International Olympic Committee is focused on political neutrality and the future participation of Russian athletes, another proposal on the table could have a much deeper impact on the long-term future of Olympic sport.
The IOC is studying changes to the Olympic Charter that would remove the fixed list of International Federations from the text itself and give the organisation greater flexibility to determine the composition and governance of the Olympic programme. At first glance, it may seem like a minor legal adjustment. It is not.
A new relationship with the federations
The measure would represent a fundamental change in the balance between the historical weight of each sport and the continuous evaluation of its value within the Olympic Movement. For decades, being part of the Olympic programme offered a certain level of institutional stability, closely linked to historical recognition and to the governance structures included in the Olympic Charter.
With the proposed reform, the IOC would gain room to define future Olympic programmes according to strategic criteria such as cost efficiency, operational feasibility, global appeal or long-term sustainability. In practice, each IF could enter a stage in which its Olympic relevance is no longer taken for granted, but has to be earned on a constant basis.
A change aligned with ‘Fit for the Future’
This does not mean that traditional Olympic sports are suddenly at risk of disappearing from the programme. It does imply, however, that the criteria used to assess sports and their federations may become more dynamic and more closely connected to the current reality of sports governance.
The timing is also particularly significant. The proposal comes in parallel with the ‘Fit for the Future’ agenda, through which the IOC seeks to make the Olympic Movement more agile, sustainable and capable of adapting to a changing global context. The direction seems clear: more flexibility, less rigidity; more strategic performance, fewer acquired rights; more future and less historical comfort.
What federations will have to demonstrate
For the IFs, the consequences could be significant. The conversation could stop revolving solely around the technical excellence of each sport and open up to a broader evaluation, including issues such as governance quality, financial sustainability, commercial relevance, global participation, digital connection, event delivery capability and the contribution of each discipline to the Olympic brand.
Some leading federations have already begun working in that direction. Others will have to accelerate their transformation if they do not want to be left behind in an ecosystem in which the IOC increasingly sees itself not only as the guardian of Olympic tradition, but as the manager of a global sporting platform that must be sustainable, efficient and attractive to new generations.
The real weight of the reform
For National Olympic Committees and International Federations, the message is direct. The Olympic future may reward organisations capable of demonstrating value, adaptability and strategic vision, not only those that have historically occupied a place within the programme.
If these amendments move forward, they will probably not generate the headlines of a geopolitical dispute or a controversial eligibility decision. But they could end up being one of the most important governance reforms of the Coventry era… Having said that, which sports, federations and organisations are best prepared to contribute to the Olympic Movement of the future?
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