The landmark agreement was finalised during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, which ended on Sunday, and signed by BOA chairman Colin Moynihan and USOC chairman Larry Probst.

Among the areas the two countries have agreed to work in are exploring areas of cooperation in winter sports for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, particularly skiing following the collapse last month in of SnowSport GB, which left Britain's top competitors without a governing body to oversee their sport.

Specific opportunities will include coaching and technical exchanges, winter-sport training camps and other high performance programmes.

They also plan to jointly establish a congress to take place in London 2011 next year which will discuss best practices in National Governing Body leadership.

Moynihan said: "This is a groundbreaking agreement between two National Olympic Committees with a shared commitment to support the growth of the Olympic Movement not only in our own countries, but worldwide.

"For the BOA, this agreement also represents an invaluable opportunity to provide an additional pathway of critical support for our winter sport athletes and, in particular, those athletes affected by the recent collapse of the former National Governing Body for ski and snowboard sport in the UK."

The agreement also aims to bring together National Olympic Committees and private sector expertise to assist the process of taking forward last year's Olympic Congress resolutions on new digital technologies and also to establish a joint forum to discuss the development of youth and education programmes in sport and recreation.

Probst (pictured) said: "The special relationship between Great Britain and the United States has been bolstered by this agreement.

"[Colin] Moynihan is to be commended for his commitment to partnership and advancing the important ideals of the Olympic Movement.

"Our goal coming into the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games was to continue our efforts to engage the global Olympic Movement, learn from other National Olympic Committees and where possible, share our own expertise.

"With this agreement and others we've signed during these Games, I believe we have made progress against that objective.

"I look forward to working closely and collaboratively in the coming years with Lord Moynihan, [BOA chief executive] Andy Hunt and the entire BOA."

Moynihan said: "Relations between the BOA and USOC have always been close, but with this agreement, and with partners such as Larry Probst and [USOC chief executive] Scott Blackmun, we enter a new era of trust, respect and collaboration.

"In just over two years, we will welcome the world to London for the 2012 Olympic Games, and now is the perfect time to strengthen long-standing friendships and develop new ones."

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