 With Bermuda Olympic Association President Judy Simons in attendance, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach delivered a robust defence of the body's performances this year in a keynote address in which he blamed media for supposedly misrepresenting their achievements.
Bach, speaking at the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) XXI General Assembly in Doha, argued that no cities would have bid for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics if it had not been for the Agenda 2020 reforms he masterminded in 2014.
He also claimed that Rio 2016 had been an "iconic" success despite the catalogue of problems beforehand, while defending the IOC's decision not to impose a blanket ban on Russian athletes at August's Games after allegations of state-sponsored doping.
This comes after a year in which Bach and the IOC has received significant criticism worldwide - especially with regard to Russian doping and Rio preparations.
But the speech was praised afterwards by delegates representing 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) as the Olympic Movement continues to show a united public front.
"There is a difference between public opinion and published opinion," Bach declared in reference to "last week's [Presidential] election" in the United States in which Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton.
Rio 2016, he then suggested, could provide another case study.
The German admitted there had been "unprecedented challenges" in Brazil, but highlighted how anticipated problems raised in the media such as Zika virus did not materialise.
"We now have a solid foundation to build the future of the Olympic Movement," he claimed.
He appeared reluctant to directly praise the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee headed by Carlos Nuzman afterwards, however, something highlighted by several other delegates who did so afterwards.
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