Christophe Dubi is the International Olympic Committee’s Sports Director. An economics graduate and holder of a Masters in Sports Administration from Lausanne’s Public Administration Higher Education Institute, Christophe started his career in finance and real estate. He subsequently worked as a political economics teacher. In 1996, the year of the centenary of the Olympic Games, he entered the IOC world as a trainee to work on his favourite subject: sports management and the impact of the Games. In July 2007, Christophe was designated IOC’s Sports Director and is now responsible for the relationship with the International Sport Federations, as well as the sport components in the organisation of the Olympic Games.
He is also the director responsible for the Athletes’, Olympic Programme, and Sport for All Commissions, which are of paramount importance for the IOC and the Olympic Movement. Athletes dedicate themselves entirely to the sporting movement and bring their commitment and excellence. In return, good care must be taken of them and their voices must be heard. The Sport Programme is the heart of the Games. It offers a great variety of disciplines, reflecting the diversity of skills, interests and cultures.
For many years, Christophe was responsible for Games co-ordination and strategy. In this capacity, he developed an overall understanding of what the Games represent for a city and a country from every standpoint: architectural, economical, environmental, social and human.
For Christophe, the Olympic Games are, more than ever, about sport, culture and strong symbolism. He believes that they have a meaning for the world today. This is what the IOC would like to implement with the idea of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG). By giving equal emphasis to the manner in which results are achieved, rather than the sporting achievement itself, the YOG will present a true vision of educating young people through the values sport teaches. Young people who live the YOG experience will either go on to become Olympians, or simply ambassadors in society for sport and Olympic values, having learnt their relevance and significance in today’s world.
Christophe had the opportunity to live the values of Olympism and sport from the early age of three, when his father, an ice hockey player, took part in the 1972 Sapporo Games.
As a Sports manager, Christophe has also written numerous publications, and frequently gives lectures to audiences in many countries, sharing his vision of the Olympic Games and their unique legacy to sport, economy and culture.