The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has strengthened ties with a long-time ally, announcing a Cooperation Agreement with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) today as both organisations prepare for the Summer Games in London.

“This is an affirmation of an already strong relationship,” AOC President John Coates said.

“The USOC has been a great friend to us particularly in the years leading up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics. We learned a lot from them in Atlanta in 1996.”

He signed the Agreement with USOC President Larry Probst in Durban, South Africa, where both men are attending the 123^rd Session of the International Olympic Committee.

“We value our partnership with the AOC greatly,” Probst said. 

The USOC expects to take a Team of over 600 athletes to the London 2012 Games. The AOC is planning for a Team comprising about 430 athletes depending on the number of qualifications.

 These will be two of the biggest Teams at the London Games in a little over 12 months time.

The Cooperation Agreement will benefit both organisations as they prepare for the Winter Games in Sochi in 2014 and Rio in 2016. They agree to:

• Organise athlete and coaching exchanges in the USA and Australia;
  
  
• Exchange of information regarding the education and development of coaches, sport medicine, technical officials and sport administrators;
  
  
• Exchange of information regarding the fight against doping and illegal and irregular betting in sport;
  
  
• Sharing best practices in the field of sport facility design, construction, management, maintenance and ongoing care of sport installations and facilities (Olympic Training Centers);
  
  
• Explore possibilities for reciprocal access to athlete training facilities in the USA and Australia; with each request or offer to be considered individually and on a case by case basis subject to availability;
  
  
• Explore possibilities for staging training and pre-Games preparation camps in the USA and Australia;
  
  
• Sharing best practice approaches on NOC staff training, to include professional staff exchanges focusing in the areas of leadership, management, and organisational development when agreed upon in advance;
  
  
• Explore cooperation possibilities in the area of sport medicine and anti-doping programs and activities;
  
  
• Sharing information in the area of event management and marketing and the logistics required to administer multi-sport events;
  
  
• Sharing information, where appropriate, on Olympic Team preparations;
  
  
• Exchange of information materials relating to documentation centers and other sport-related institutions, publications, films and videos;
  
  
• Explore possibilities of cooperation with other organisations in the areas of sport programs for communities, sport facilities administration and management, education through sport, others. 

Mike Tancred
AOC - Durban