The IBC2026 International Honour for Excellence (IHFE) Award, its most prestigious award, goes to Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), recognising the company’s decades of innovation in live sports production and its far-reaching impact on the global broadcast industry.
For decades, OBS has set the benchmark for innovation in live sports production, consistently pushing the boundaries of what is technically possible. Through pioneering developments in ultra-high-definition production, immersive audio, remote production workflows, artificial intelligence, cloud-based technologies and next-generation storytelling, OBS has transformed the way audiences around the world experience the Olympic Games.
Beyond its technical achievements, OBS has played a defining role in raising standards across the wider broadcast sector. The innovations developed to meet the unique demands of the Olympic Games have frequently become catalysts for industry-wide adoption, influencing broadcasters, technology partners, manufacturers and production teams across every genre of live television.
Yiannis Exarchos, OBS Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are truly honoured to receive this award and sincerely thank IBC for this recognition. This distinction is a tribute to the passion, expertise and dedication of everyone at Olympic Broadcasting Services, whose work enables us to bring the Olympic Games to audiences around the world. It recognises our team’s commitment to innovation, excellence and service to the Olympic Movement, as we continually seek new ways to enhance the coverage and audience experience of the Games. We are especially proud to receive this award from IBC, whose role in bringing together the international broadcast community is so highly regarded.”
OBS has previously received multiple broadcast and sports industry awards. At IBC, this has included the IBC2024 Innovation Award for Content Creation, with OBS winning, along with its technical partners, for its live broadcast production for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, which used more than 200 smartphones contributing video, and a sea-based 5G network for Olympic sailing competitions in Marseille.