The IOC has actively supported the athletes, the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the International Federations (IFs) through an emergency COVID aid package programme of 150 million US dollars. Furthermore, as a very strong demonstration of solidarity in action during this global coronavirus crisis, the IOC decided not only to maintain, but even to increase, the 2021-2024 budget of the Olympic Solidarity programme by 16 per cent, to a total budget of 590 million US dollars. Within this budget, the support to athletes has increased by 25 per cent, thus reinforcing the commitment of the IOC to always keep athletes at the heart of the Olympic Movement.

The Olympic Solidarity programme benefits all the athletes from all 206 NOCs, from the IOC Refugee Olympic Team and from all Olympic sports demonstrating IOC's commitment to solidarity and universality.