The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. The IOC is the authority responsible for organising the Summer, Winter, and Youth Olympics. The IOC is also the governing body of the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the worldwide Olympic Movement, which includes all entities and individuals involved in the Olympic Games. Since 2025, the IOC president has been Kirsty Coventry.
As of 2026, a total of 206 countries and territories are officially recognised by the IOC and participate in the Olympics.
Its stated mission is to promote Olympism throughout the world and to lead the Olympic Movement:
To encourage and support the promotion of ethics and good governance in sport;
To support the education of youth through sport;
To ensure that the spirit of fair play prevails and violence is avoided;
To encourage and support the organisation, development, and coordination of sport and sports competitions;
To ensure the regular celebration of the Olympic Games;
To cooperate with competent public or private organisations and authorities endeavouring to place sport at the service of humanity and thereby to promote peace;
To take action to strengthen the unity, independence, political neutrality, and autonomy of the Olympic Movement;
To encourage and support elected representatives of athletes, working with the IOC Athletes' Commission as their official representative;
To encourage and support the promotion of women in sport in pursuit of equality between men and women;
To protect clean athletes and the integrity of sport by leading the fight against doping, and by taking action against all forms of manipulation of competitions and related corruption;
To encourage and support measures relating to the medical care and health of athletes;
To oppose any political or commercial abuse of sport and athletes;
To encourage and support the efforts of sports organisations and public authorities to provide for the social and professional future of athletes;
To encourage and support the development of sport for all;
To encourage and support a responsible concern for environmental issues, to promote sustainable development in sport and to require that the Olympic Games are operated accordingly;