The Olympic Federation of Ireland has published its own review of the Paris 2024 Games, and everything that went towards it.
The review was conducted on its behalf by Teneo and has resulted in the publication of 32 Key recommendations across 18 specific areas on how to build on the success of achieving seven medals.
“The Paris 2024 Olympic Games marked an historic milestone for Team Ireland, delivering the nation’s most successful Olympic performance to date, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Team Ireland participation at the summer Olympics,” it states in the introduction to the review.
“Team Ireland performed strongly in Paris which is evident by the increased range of medal opportunities across a wider variety of sports, highlighting and emphasising the quality of the high-performance sport system in Ireland.”
“The partnership approach across the various stakeholders (OFI, Sport Ireland, Sport Ireland Institute, NGBs) was a major contributing factor in the success of the team.”
“The general feedback from all stakeholders is that this was the best prepared and planned Olympic Games ever and reflects the journey the OFI has been on since Rio 2016.”
“The ‘athlete-first’ strategy was delivered across all elements of the operations and was evident in initiatives such as the Family Days, the approach to ticketing, the arrangements at the Olympic Village and the Cultural Centre to name a few.”
“The OFI’s comprehensive approach to team preparation, transparent and timely communication, and logistics support ensured no stone was left unturned, allowing athletes to focus solely on athletic performance.”
“The public support behind Team Ireland was evident throughout the Games, on the back of team success and an effective engagement plan.”
“The profile of Team Ireland and the growth of the OFI from a commercial perspective has increased and this will continue into the next cycle requiring increased focus and planning from an OFI perspective.”
“In order to maximise both performance and experience potential, there may be a requirement for additional resource, especially at peak times and in the final stages of preparation.”
“The hospitality, family house, and off-site facilities for athletes post competing whilst effective place a strain on resources for the OFI in Games and alternative options should be explored such as a single venue, less of an ‘always on approach’ an/or a greater reliance on third parties to support these facilities.”
“Looking ahead, the LA 2028 Games will present new challenges in all aspects of preparation, but the lessons learned and successes from this past cycle will serve as a strong foundation to build on the success achieved in Paris.”
“The Irish Sports System is in a strong place and the high-performance community are ambitious for what may be possible in terms of maintaining the progression of Team Ireland success.”
Key Recommendations
1 Overall Assessment
1. Continue to build on the partnership model currently in place and ensure the relationships with Sport Ireland, Sport Ireland
Institute, Sport NI & NGBs are strengthened.
2 Setting Our Sights High
1. Working in partnership with the other key stakeholders in the Irish Sports system, the OFI should set clear ambition targets, reflecting the totality of its role, for the LA cycle which reflect the strength of the system and the potential for further improvement and progression to ensure the success of Paris can be built upon and improved.
3 The LA Challenge
1. Begin resource planning as early as possible. This includes securing funding, identifying training locations, and streamlining logistics (e.g., travel, accommodation, and pre-Games camps).
2. A comprehensive financial plan that accounts for the increased costs and logistical challenges will be vital for sustaining Team Ireland’s success from Paris to LA, ensuring that performance standards are improved moving forward into the new Olympic cycle.
4 Sport by Sport Planning
1. The OFI should continue to increase travel with teams during key events throughout the LA cycle, providing greater insight into the specific needs and challenges faced by each sport. This would help the OFI refine its support structures, build stronger relationships with individual sports, and ensure a more tailored and responsive approach to athlete and team needs in the lead up to the LA Games.
5 Succession Planning OFI
1. OFI should prioritise a structured and deliberate approach to delegation and succession planning. This includes identifying capable team members, providing training and opportunities for growth, and distributing responsibilities more evenly across the team throughout the LA cycle.
2. By increasing the culture of shared responsibility and developing a pipeline of talent within the organisation, the risk of overstretching and dependency on specific individuals can be effectively reduced.
6 Family Day Initiative
1. To ensure continued success without overwhelming resource strain, the OFI should invest in streamlining the planning and execution of these events. This could include creating a detailed logistical framework, setting earlier deadlines for coordination, and potentially leveraging partnerships with NGBS, sponsors or local communities to reduce operational burdens.
2. Engage the wider sport community within each sport around these days to make it a celebration of both the athletes/coaches as well as the grass roots of the sport. This will ensure that the family days remain impactful, cost-effective, and sustainable as part of future Games preparations.
7 Open Training Days
1. Building on the positive feedback and success of the OFI open training sessions in generating pre-Games excitement and engagement, the OFI should explore the expansion of these sessions in the lead-up to LA.
2. Increase the number of sessions, involving a wider range of sports, enhancing reach through school and/or community engagement, or hosting them around the country.
3. Additionally, the open training sessions could be more interactive by incorporating athlete interviews, behind-the-scenes social media content, or fan engagement activities to increase public engagement with Team Ireland.
8 Transparent Communication
1. The practice of providing athletes with a dedicated point of contact for non-essential information worked well. This should be continued in the next cycle.
2. The communication protocols, processes and system (portal) were effective, and this model should be replicated for future Games.
9 Ticketing
1. The key objectives should remain i.e. ensure availability of tickets for key family support members and nominate an alternate person to act as the key contact point for athletes to ensure they are not distracted by ticketing issues or concerns. In addition, some lessons from Paris can be learnt in terms of potential booking and demand patterns. This should consider certain events where certainty cannot be obtained until late because of athlete qualification and the option to seek last-minute open market purchases may be available.
2. Also, the NGBs should take a more active role in supporting the OFI on the managing ticketing operations.
10 Commercial Agreement
1. As the commercial side of the OFI grows, the level of resources dedicated to this area will need to also grow.
2. The need for high levels of clarity and transparency will be essential to avoid any potential conflicts with NGBs..
3. The OFI should review the structure of its commercial activities including the potential for the creation of a ‘pooled’ commercial programme across multiple sports and also to maximise the commercial potential of the Olympic brand for the Irish sport system.
4. The expansion of the Olympic Foundation programme targeting potential funders in the Irish American community could be explored.
11 Media
1. The OFI should continue to build its NGB comms network strategy and work with Sports in terms of the promotion of Olympic sport.
2. The commercial and marketing strategy should continue to support an always on approach from the OFI sponsors in terms of their own engagement with the team and athletes.
12 Accreditation
1. Continue current accreditation strategy in future Games, maximising the use of accreditations when budget allows for it.
13 Team Ireland
1. The OFI should consider focusing on building further on the “Team Ireland” culture consistently throughout the entire Olympic cycle leading up to LA.
2. Initiatives and programmes to explore could include regular team building activities, joint training camps, and cross-programme collaborations that bring athletes and coaches from different sports together.
14 OFI Support
1. The OFI has demonstrated a strong ability to address issues promptly and effectively throughout the Paris Games. The philosophy of adopting a solutions orientation across the OFI team worked well and should be continued.
2. As the organisation continues to evolve and grow, roles & responsibilities will continue to change. A key to the successful growth of the organisation will be clear and responsible reporting structures and delivery channels as these roles continue to evolve.
15 OFI Facilities (outside of the Olympic Village)
1. The concept of having OFI venues for family, friends, supporters, sponsors and partners is a good one. However, careful consideration should be given to the operational model supporting these venues and the image/perception created by the choice of venue. Any venues with late night activity place a strain on OFI staff and an outsourced model may be more appropriate to ensure such venues are managed by non OFI core staff.
2. It is also suggested that a single hotel venue may be more efficient, reduce costs and enhance overall experience for athletes, staff, and fans. A single, larger venue, with better VIP arrangements with greater space, may be more manageable and enable greater use of third parties and third-party staff for digital ticketing and hosting.
16 Exit Strategy Execution
1. OFI to emphasise and re-enforce pre-departure briefings and create information packets including athlete and coach case studies. These case studies will benefit competing athletes and coaches by detailing the process for leaving the village, options available post competition and what to expect will help mitigate any potential uncertainties, allowing for a smoother departure and continued positive experience.
17 Support for Coaches
1. The OFI should review the support structures in place for coaches and support staff involved in Team Ireland and ensure that practical supports are provided including, for example, peer/coach support networks, shared learnings, mental and physical supports.
18 Dare to Believe
1. The Dare to Believe programme is a success and delivered on its planned outcomes. Continuing and expanding the initiative should be explored. Areas for consideration in terms of expansion may include the creation of a book of Athlete stories, explore gamifying the Olympic School challenge, integrating the programme with Team Training Days, expanding the artwork project to incorporate other platforms (e.g. video messaging etc.) and integration of AI and VR experiences.
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
This is a comprehensive review of every aspect of the management of the Games and with specific recommendations on how things can be built upon and improved. The challenge will be that the OFI remains a small team, with Winter and Youth Games to manage as well and with LA a significant logistical burden compared to the relative ease of Paris. That said, the way the r=team excelled in delivery for Paris should give hope and confidence that it will do so again for athletes, partners, fans and the sporting eco system.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
The LA Cycle has already begun. This review will be an ongoing piece of work and an annual restating of where the recommendations have got to would be a welcome next step, just as is the case with the Sport Ireland Review of the Performance system elsewhere . We will be looking at the new Strategic Plan for the OFI and the Paralympics Ireland Review in the near future.
MEMBERSHIP AND EVENTS
The Olympic Federation of Ireland, Paralympics Ireland, Sport Ireland, over 30 Sporting NGB’s and Teneo who wrote the review are members of the Sport for Business community.
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