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On 10 November, the Executive Board of the IOC approved the Olympic Solidarity 2017-2020 Quadrennial Plan during a meeting in Lausanne.The Olympic Solidarity development and assistance budget amounts to USD 509,285,000 and corresponds to the share of the broadcast rights from the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, which will be distributed to NOCs. This represents an increase of 16 per cent in comparison with the 2013-2016 Quadrennial Plan, the budget for which amounted to USD 439,870,000.Pere Miró, Deputy Director General for Relations with the Olympic Movement and Director of Olympic Solidarity, said: “This increase shows that the athletes remain at the heart of all our activity. “The huge worldwide success of the Olympic Games Rio 2016 also means that the Olympic Movement continues to enjoy a sound financial situation.”Olympic Solidarity will propose 21 programmes to NOCs across the world with a high focus on athlete development and education.ZAMBIAN NOC HOSTS WOMEN IN SPORT FORUMFrom 19 to 21 September, under the aegis of the IOC and the Zambian NOC, a forum aimed at training women working in African NOCs and National Federations (NFs) to excel as leaders in sports was held in the Zambian capital, Lusaka.It involved 65 participants from 42 countries, and was the third time that this kind of forum combined with training had been organised in Africa for women in sports leadership.The forum was in line with the IOC policy to further enhance the presence of women in decision-making bodies within the Olympic Movement. NOCs elect their new officers after each edition of the Olympic Games, and in the context of this period of the electoral cycle, the forum aimed to prepare large numbers of women in middle and senior management positions in NOCs, NFs and other international organisations to successfully stand for election. It also aimed to provide key tips for female sports leaders, giving them the tools and counsel to become mentors for other women seeking to work in sports.Zambian Vice-President Inonge Wina said: “Women and girls’ participation in sport is still influenced by culture, tradition and religion, which hinder them from participating fully despite representing a bigger population of the world. Especially in Africa, women remain under-represented in key decision-making positions, which is unacceptable in the 21st century.”OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST TO CHAIR AUSTRALIAN NOC ATHLETES’ COMMISSIONIOC COMMITS HALF A BILLION DOLLARS TO OLYMPIC SOLIDARITY PLANThree-time Olympian Steve Hooker, who won gold in the pole vault at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008, has been elected as Chair of the Australian Olympic Committee’s (AOC) Athletes’ Commission.The 34-year-old was chosen by his fellow Athletes’ Commission members, with Olympic gold medal-winning rower Kim Brennan appointed as his deputy.The commission plays an important role in providing advice to the AOC Executive on all matters relating to the Olympic Movement from an athlete’s perspective.“It’s an honour to have been selected as the Chair,” said Hooker. “This is a group of passionate athletes that I’m proud to be a part of and I know we’re all motivated to achieve a lot over the next term.”Following the Olympic Games Rio 2016, the eight summer Olympic athlete positions on the commission were also voted upon. Hooker, Brennan, Alana Boyd, Cate Campbell and Ken Wallace were re-elected for another four-year term, while they were joined by new members Jessica Fox, Shelley Watts and Jamie Dwyer. Winter Olympians Ramone Cooper and Lydia Lassila, along with IOC Athletes’ Commission representative James Tomkins, remained in their roles.Pictured Steve Hooker won pole vault gold in Beijing22 OLYMPIC REVIEW