EOC Newsletter

No. 201 April 2020

MESSAGE FROM THE EOC PRESIDENT Dear colleagues,

The value of staying connected while isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be understated. I am pleased to report that, following our first EOC Executive Committee meeting held by teleconference this month, the Olympic Movement of Europe is as close and interconnected as ever.

Our day-to-day business, while certainly altered by the crisis, nevertheless continues unabated. There is nothing we were doing before the pandemic that we are not doing now in terms of our daily operations, and my sincere appreciation goes out to all the staff and administration at sports organisations across Europe for the excellent work you are doing in this regard.

Staying connected and sharing best practices was one of the goals of our recent survey of the 50 European National Olympic Committees, which you can read more about in this newsletter and on the EOC website.

The survey has allowed us to monitor and evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on sports around the continent. While the situation from country to country differs greatly depending on the local impact of coronavirus and other factors, two problems are universal: a lack of income due to the absence of sports events and limited access to sports facilities for elite athletes.

Respondents provided us with a number of best practices, in particular with regard to assisting top athletes with their training routines, and I call on our ENOCs to continue sharing such knowledge for the benefit of all sports bodies in Europe.

The COVID-19 pandemic is gradually improving, and we are finally seeing some liberalisation in terms of sanctioned sports activities. But sport, like healthcare, falls under the sovereignty of national governments and the EOC is aware that whatever we do at the continental level may not be applicable to, or endorsed by, every country in Europe. So our advice for now is that we all begin by participating in national programmes designed to survive the crisis.

I once again commend Europe’s Olympic Movement stakeholders for the solidarity you have shown and your willingness to come to the assistance of those in greater need. Likewise, should any ENOC find itself in a precarious position, contact us and we will do everything we can to help you. Please stay healthy and strong.

Best regards.

Janez Kocijančič EOC President

1 EOC NEWSLETTER April 2020 EOC EOC ExCo discusses measures to ease impact of COVID-19 crisis on NOCs The European Olympic Committees (EOC) Executive Committee (ExCo) held its second meeting of 2020 on 29 April via teleconference to discuss a number of important matters, in particular the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sport and measures to deal with the fallout.

Chaired by EOC President Janez Kocijančič, the meeting focused primarily on the current state of sport in Europe and ways to assist the 50 European National Olympic Committees (ENOCs).

The ExCo pledged its full support for the policies and guidance laid out in a letter sent earlier in the day by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.

“As the stewards of the Olympic Movement in Europe, we need to stand strong and united behind the policies of the IOC for the benefit of sport and our athletes,” said President Kocijančič. “Let us be clear that if any ENOC is endangered, they should contact the EOC and we will do everything we can to help them in this time of crisis.” Read more

EOC unveils results of COVID-19 survey

The EOC has unveiled the results of a flagship survey aimed at assessing the impact of the current COVID-19 crisis on Olympic Movement stakeholders in Europe.

Forty-five of the 50 European National Olympic Committees (ENOCs) took part in the survey, which was conducted from 6 to 14 April 2020 in collaboration with European management consulting firmMethodos Group.

“As the umbrella body for the National Olympic Committees of Europe, it is our duty to assist our members where possible,” said EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi. “By surveying the ENOCs, we were able to get a clearer idea of what is working well – and to share those best practices – while also figuring out what their greatest needs are and how we can help.” Read more

2 EOC NEWSLETTER April 2020

EOC celebrates World Earth Day by becoming partner of Green Sports Europe hub

The 50th anniversary of #EarthDay was celebrated on 22 April 2020. Since 1970, increased focus has been put on safeguarding the planet, and the EOC is grateful for these efforts. All sports are dependent on the health of our environment, and as part of the ongoing efforts to protect the planet, the EOC has pledged its support for a “Green Sports Europe Hub” programme.

This green partnership of European sports stakeholders is being led by the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball (CEV) and the Surfrider Foundation Europe (SFE), and is supported by eight other European sports organisations. The objective is to create a pan-European hub on sport and the environment to help the sport sector identify its needs and potential actions for a greener and more sustainable future.

In endorsing this initiative, EOC President Janez Kocijančič pledged the support of the EOC by offering to help disseminate the project’s legacy among the European National Olympic Committees and to a wider European audience and beyond. “We are confident that this partnership has sufficient knowledge and expertise to successfully implement, execute and disseminate the project.”Read more

PIOTR NUROWSKI – Ten years of tribute

A talented sportsman, an enlightened President of the Polish Olympic Committee, but above all a great friend of European sport, Piotr Nurowski lost his life just over 10 years ago, on 10 April 2010.

Nurowski died in a plane crash in Smolensk, Russia, that also took the lives of the President of the Polish Republic and several personalities from Polish politics and sports.

A few months after his death in 2010, the EOC decided to pay tribute to Nurowski and commemorate his life by creating an award bearing his name for the best young European athletes. To this day, the Piotr Nurowski Prize celebrates the memory and legacy of the former President of the Polish NOC, a great man of Olympism, who constantly encouraged young athletes to pursue careers in elite-level sport and inspired future generations to adopt healthy lifestyles based on the Olympic principles and values. Read more

EOC EU Commission holds videoconference meeting

The EOC EU Commission, chaired by Estonian Jüri Tamm, held a videoconference meeting on 21 April 2020.

The online meeting was an opportunity for the Members in attendance to give an overview of the situation of the COVID-19 emergency in their country. They discussed the impact of the pandemic on European sport, concluding it is still early to make any meaningful assessments. They finally agreed to have another web-meeting in the near future to discuss the results of the EOC COVID-19 questionnaire and consequently advise on some guidelines to assist the European NOCs.

3 EOC NEWSLETTER April 2020

Digital celebration of International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2020 The EOC has celebrated the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) through a digital mobilisation.

Established by the United Nations (UN) in 2013 and supported by the IOC since 6 April 2014, the IDSDP has even greater value today as the global sporting community is facing serious challenges due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“On this special occasion, I would like to send my best wishes to the Olympic family of Europe, including our athletes, coaches and officials,” said EOC PresidentJanez Kocijančič. “Right now, the sports world has stopped, but I am fully confident it will kick off again stronger than ever.”

In celebration of the IDSDP on 6 April, the EOC Athletes’ Commission (AC) and the National Olympic Committees of Europe joined the “Peace and Sport” digital campaign and shared messages of global solidarity through sport. Read more

EUROPEAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL

BANSKÁ BYSTRICA 2021 – Summer EYOF moved to 2022 to avoid clash with Tokyo 2020

The XVI Summer European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) Banská Bystrica 2021 has been moved to 2022 in order to avoid a clash with the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, being postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision was taken in agreement with the Organising Committee and approved by the EOC Executive Committee, during its last meeting held in videoconference on 29 April 2020.

The Summer EYOF, originally to be held in from 25 to 31 July 2021, coincided with the new Olympic Games dates - 23 July to 8 August.

“We have had successful negotiations with the EOC on a possible postponement and various options have been considered,” noted Peter Korčok, Executive Director of the EYOF 2021 Banská Bystrica Organising Committee. “The move of the EYOF to 2022 seemed to be the most advantageous solution.”

“The EOC has consulted all the European Federations (EFs) involved to find the best possible new dates for the EYOF,” said EOC Sports Director Peter Brüll. “We have had a very constructive dialogue with the EFs and I strongly believe we will be able to organise an excellent event in Slovakia in 2022.”Read more

4 EOC NEWSLETTER April 2020 ENOCs AZERBAIJAN – Digital campaigns and OCEP programme to keep athletes and fans engaged

The NOC of Azerbaijan has undertaken a number of engaging campaigns with the intention of maintaining good spirit and optimism among athletes and fans.

Video competitions promoting sport and physical activity at home have attracted many participants, and the NOC is working closely with national sports federations and other sports institutions to find solutions to the problems inherent to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NOC of Azerbaijan recently accepted the NOC of Kazakhstan’s #stayathome #beactive challenge, sharing it with its stakeholders both in and out of the country.

“What books do athletes read while staying at home?” “What movies do athletes watch while staying at home?” “What meals do athletes cook while staying at home?” and many other interesting topics have been shared by the NOC of Azerbaijan on its social media accounts. Inspired by the positive reaction of the general public as well as various stakeholders, the NOC is planning to strengthen the cooperation with local TV and radio stations, as well as with other media channels for wider impact.

These exciting initiatives also include a digital campaign to continue the legacy of the Olympic Culture and Education Programme (OCEP) and support schoolchildren during the COVID-19 quarantine regime. The OCEP has re-started by launching the #stayathome #stayactive video campaign and encouraging schoolchildren and young people to share a series of sporting, artistic and educational activities at home. In just one week, the campaign attracted many children and over 500 students, who sent in videos of staying active at home. Around 70 schools from Azerbaijan are currently participating in the campaign and the numbers are increasing on a regular basis.

The OCEP was a one-off programme initiated by the NOC of Azerbaijan as part of the 2019 European Youth Olympic Festival. It was supported by the International Olympic Committee and the European Olympic Committees. A total of 49 Azerbaijani schools were selected and twinned with other schools across Europe, with the goal of sharing and learning about the culture, history, art and sport of other European countries. For further information click here BELARUS – Olympic road cycling champion Vladimir Kaminsky turns 70

On 18 April 2020, Montreal 1976 Olympic champion Vladimir Kaminsky celebrated his 70th birthday.

Kaminsky started his sports career at the age of 17 in a road cycling club. He went on to perform at professional level and participated in national and USSR competitions. His portrait hangs at the entrance to the gym in the school he attended, reminding children that there is nothing they cannot achieve.

An extremely talented athlete, Kaminsky was even lucky enough to be praised by the most rigorous coach, Viktor Kapitonov (head coach of the USSR road cycling team). After retiring from his professional career, Kaminsky became a docent and obtained a PhD in pedagogy. Read his full interview here

5 April 2020 EOC NEWSLETTER

BELGIUM – 100th anniversary of Olympic Games Antwerp 1920 commemorated with official coin

This year, Belgium has celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Olympic Games Antwerp 1920.

Antwerp 1920 is remembered as a very special edition of the Olympic Games because it was the first time in history that the Olympic Oath was taken (and this by Belgian fencer Victor Boin), and because it was also the first time that the famous Olympic flag with the five rings was raised. Furthermore, doves, as symbols of peace, were released into the sky for the first time.

At this edition of the Olympic Games, Belgium won 14 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze medals on its home territory.

The Royal Mint of Belgium commemorated this historical event with an official Mint State (MU) 2.5 Euro coin, presented in a coin card. The commemorative coin has been produced in two versions: one in 3D, and one with a touch of colour. The obverse side of both versions of the coin features a discus thrower from Antiquity and the Olympic Stadium flying the Belgian flag.Read more

BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA hosts first digital Athletes’ Forum

The NOC of Bosnia and Herzegovina organised the first digital Athletes’ Forum from 22 to 24 April 2020. More than 40 elite athletes from Bosnia and Herzegovina took part in the videoconference aimed at stressing the importance of staying united in these challenging times.

The main aim of the Forum was to give the athletes the opportunity to speak out and be heard during the COVID-19 crisis. The NOC also encouraged the athletes to stay at home, to keep in good spirits and to use their free time to participate in the additional educational events being organised by the NOC and its partners.

NOC President Izet Rado sent a message of support to the athletes: “We are happy that this project has been successful. Besides the educational side, this has been an excellent opportunity to share experiences about training during COVID-19 as well as to build a solid network of athletes, enabling them to communicate between each other and share their thoughts, ideas and concerns.” For further information click here

6 April 2020 EOC NEWSLETTER

CROATIA – Virtual classes and social campaign keeps fans and athletes engaged

The Croatian Olympic Committee has launched its #OstaniDoma (Stay at Home) campaign featuring athletes such as reigning Olympic trap champion Josip Glasnović and several other elite athletes who have encouraged fans to stay active as they stay at home.

The Croatian NOC is also making use of its sports television archives to provide virtual classes for junior and senior school students. For further information click here

ESTONIA - Stay home campaign reaches half a million people

The Estonian Olympic Committee (EOK), together with Estonian athletes, has launched a social media campaign to urge people to stay at home during the COVID-19 emergency.

The messages of Estonian athletes have had a broad reach. According to the EOK, the “Olen Olümpiafänn” (“Stay Home”) post on its Facebook page has reached around 500,000 people.

EOK Media Projects Manager Merili Luuk informed the media: “There were two campaigns, one entitled “Püsin kodus” (“I stay at home”) and the other “Aitäh meedikutele!” (“Thank you!” to medics).” “In the beginning there was a problem of people not wanting to stay at home,” added Luuk. “We had examples from our athletes living in , saying how difficult the situation was and what we could learn from it. The athletes are on board with all the campaigns and the subjects are close to their hearts. We have received messages both from athletes and from medical professionals thanking us for coming up with this idea,” she said. Read more

GEORGIA – Sports community united to celebrate 6 April

The Georgian NOC teamed up with its country’s Olympic champions, Olympians, the sports community and the international community to celebrate the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace from home by joining the #WhiteCard digital campaign.

Georgian NOC President and Olympic champion Leri Khabelov also took part in the campaign together with his family. Moreover, Georgian Olympic champions and athletes are uniting on social media to show how they are training from home following the recommendations of the IOC, ANOC and the EOC.

These Georgian athletes include artistic gymnast Luba Golovina, who represented her country at three editions of the Olympic Games (2008, 2012 and 2016), and rhythmic gymnast Salome Pazhava, bronze medallist at the Baku 2015.

“We are confident that the active celebration of 6 April increases the power of sport and drives social change, fostering peace and understanding between people,” said the NOC of Georgia’s Media Department in a statement. For further information click here

7 April 2020 EOC NEWSLETTER

GREECE - Hellenic Olympic Committee thanks healthcare workers fighting COVID-19

The Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) has joined many of its Olympic medallists in praising healthcare workers who are helping to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Greece.

“The HOC and the athletes of the Olympic Team created a video for doctors, nurses and hospital and ambulance employees for the battle they are fighting against COVID-19, in order to save and protect the lives of all Greeks,” noted HOC President Spyros Capralos.

The video shows athletes thanking those who are working to treat victims of the pandemic in Greece. Athletes include the country’s three Olympic gold medallists from Rio 2016: women’s 25-metre pistol champion Anna Korakaki, who is also a European Games champion; artistic gymnastics still rings champion Eleftherios Petrounias; and women’s pole vault gold medallist . For further information click here

IRELAND – Train Like a Champion in Lockdown with “Dare to Believe” Ambassadors

The Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI)’s Dare to Believe Circuit Challenge video was launched on 16 April with the aim of providing a fun exercise circuit for schoolchildren that they can complete at home. The video features top Olympic and Paralympic athletes who are ambassadors of the Dare to Believe programme, which was launched last year.

The Dare to Believe Circuit Challenge video features Team Ireland Olympians Claire Lambe, Brendan Boyce and Shane O’Donoghue, European Games medallist Grainne Walsh, Paralympian Greta Streimkyte and International Modern Pentathlete Sive Brassil. The workout gives children the opportunity to choose which exercise they want to do, with two athletes on the screen at all times, taking the viewer through a fun and achievable home circuit.

Dare to Believe was launched following an investment by the OFI and the International Olympic Committee in February 2019, with the aim of bringing the Olympic Games to the classroom. It is championed and supported by the OFI Athletes’ Commission. Schools throughout Ireland participated in the programme, which promoted Olympism, Paralympism and the benefits of sport, with one of the 12 ambassadors visiting the class on the final day of the lesson.Read more

ISRAEL – Olympic quizzes to engage with fans

The Olympic Committee of Israel has launched Olympic quizzes on its social media channels, with hundreds of thousands of fans participating online.

Several Olympians have also featured in live chats, including judoka Yael Arad, who won Israel’s historic first Olympic medal in 1992.

Weekly interviews with athletes and officials are being broadcast, while Olympians are teaching Olympic values through video lessons. For further information click here

8 April 2020 EOC NEWSLETTER KOSOVO – 5,000 people participate in White Card campaign

An estimated 5,000 people took part in the National Olympic Committee of Kosovo’s White Card digital campaign to mark the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace on 6 April 2020.

The NOC’s White Card campaign featured elite athletes as well as many important sports personalities in the country, including NOC President Besim Hasani and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Vlora Dumoshi, who used their white cards to convey messages of peace, while inviting people to stay at home.

“Sport teaches us to fight hard if we want to achieve our goals,” said Dumoshi. “The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace has never been more relevant than now. “Through sports, we strengthen ourselves and the society, and we contribute to peace and sustainable development.” For further information click here

MONTENEGRO – Athletes raise #WhiteCard on 6 April

Every year, the Montenegrin Olympic Committee (MOC) celebrates the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace on 6 April by inviting the sports community to participate in the White Card campaign.

“We invited all athletes to join the Montenegrin Olympic Committee and support the ‘Peace and Sport’ campaign by posting white card images, and the feedback was great,” MOC President Dusan Simonovic said. For further information click here

NORWAY – NOC releases exercise guidelines during COVID-19 pandemic

The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF) has released a list of recommendations for sport and exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The guidelines come after the NIF approached the country’s Directorate of Health with the aim of establishing clear rules for physical activity. While organised sport is currently banned, personal exercise is allowed, but the NIF said recommendations had been interpreted very differently in various parts of the country.

“The intention behind the Directorate of Health and the NIF’s joint sports recommendations is to prevent infection,” a statement said. “These must be considered as minimum restrictions, a minimum set of guidelines to be followed.” For further information click here

9 April 2020 EOC NEWSLETTER NETHERLANDS – NOC provides hospitals with equipment

The Dutch Olympic Committee*Dutch Sports Federation (NOC*NSF) has provided hospitals in the country with cooling vests and iced drinks machines to help in their battle against the coronavirus pandemic.

Around 25 machines and hundreds of cooling vests will be delivered to hospitals to assist medical staff. The equipment had been bought by the NOC*NSF as part of its preparations for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in order to help the Dutch team acclimatise to the expected high temperatures in the Japanese capital. However, with the Olympic Games now postponed, it will be shared among 10 hospitals in the Netherlands.

“It is nice to see that it will not only come in handy at the Games, but can now also help in such an important place in society: the hospital,” said NOC*NSF Technical Director Maurits Hendriks. “This is a good example of how specific top sports know-how can be applied in a different place in society.” For further information click here UKRAINE – Sergey Bubka talks online with leading athletes and coaches President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine Sergey Bubka has spent two-and-a-half hours talking with over 200 athletes and coaches from summer and winter sports preparing for the Olympic Games in Tokyo and .

During the video conference, Bubka shared his life and sports experience, gave valuable tips and revealed his own secrets and visions of success. “We must accept new challenges and continue our work,” said Bubka. “You should move forward and continue to prepare in today’s conditions so as you will be in the best possible shape for 2022.”

The participants discussed many psychological aspects, including motivation and uncertainty, as well as the role of coaches and the social role of the athlete. A webinar about “The rights of athletes they are not aware about” with sports lawyer Ievgen Pronin was also organised on 28 April, bringing together about 200 athletes and coaches, as well as representatives from seven NOCs: Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Estonia. Read more OLYMPIC SPORTS EVENTS TOKYO 2020 – Olympic Solidarity increases its support to NOCs by USD 25.3 million

Olympic Solidarity has provided an additional USD 25.3 million to support National Olympic Committees in their preparations for and participation in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, now being hosted in 2021.

This decision will allow NOCs to sustain additional costs that might occur in the lead-up to the Games in Tokyo.

The budget allocated to the “IOC subsidies for the participation of NOCs in the Games” programme has also been increased from USD 46.7m to USD 57m.

This additional budget of USD 10.3m will allow Olympic Solidarity to make available additional funds needed for the exceptional Games-related costs incurred by NOCs due to the postponement of the Games in Tokyo. These additional funds will be available to NOCs based on their application. Read more

10 April 2020 EOC NEWSLETTER EUROPEAN UNION EU hears the voice of the European sports movement

The European Commission and the European Council have backed the COVID-19 position paper produced by the EOC EU Office with the SHARE initiative stakeholders, and have urged both entities to ensure that sports organisations be fully eligible for support under relevant EU funding schemes directed to overcome the COVID-19 crisis.

This backing was confirmed following a meeting of European Sports Ministers held via videoconference on 21 April to discuss the current impact of the pandemic and solutions for the future of sport.

In the official press release following the meeting, the Commission outlined its instruments and resources to provide assistance and invited Member States to use them for the sports sector. These include the Corona Crisis Investment Initiative (CRII), Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE) and the Temporary Framework for State Aid. Read more European Commission launches 2020 Be Inclusive Sport Awards On 14 April, the Sport Unit of the European Commission launched the 2020 edition of the #Beinclusive EU Sport Awards. This initiative was created to build an inclusive, united society through physical activity and celebrate the work of organisations that use sport to empower and integrate disadvantaged groups.

Are you a public or private, commercial or not-for-profit organisation that works with groups facing challenging circumstances and that develops projects that focus on social inclusion through sport? If so, applications are open until 30 June!

Winning projects will be awarded EUR 10,000 and their creators will also have the unique opportunity to promote innovative ideas in order to inspire others and present their project to an audience of sport inclusion experts. The three winners will be announced at an awards ceremony which will take place in Brussels in December 2020. So do not miss this opportunity and go to the #Beinclusive page to apply now! MISCELLANEOUS PEACE AND SPORT - True power of sport revealed through digital mobilisation of 117 million people “Does the exceptional unveil the extraordinary?” The #WhiteCard campaign initiated by Peace and Sport (P&S) on 6 April, the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, took place in exceptional circumstances this year. At a time when the world is confined by social distancing practices, the campaign aimed to promote global solidarity and unity. It reached more than 117 million people on social networks, breaking last year’s record of 98 million.

“The #WhiteCard 2020 campaign by far exceeded our expectations,” said Peace and Sport President and Founder Joël Bouzou. “Once again, our champions headed the movement and acted as role models.”

P&S Patron His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, Vice-President Didier Drobga, and Olympic stars including Tony Estanguet and Christian Karembeu are also some of the top personalities who joined the campaign. Read more

11 April 2020 EOC NEWSLETTER

EUSA - European Universities Games postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19

The European Universities Games, scheduled to be held in the Serbian capital of Belgrade, have been postponed to 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

EUSA, together with the Organising Committee of the European Universities Games in Belgrade, have agreed new dates for the fifth edition of the event. The competitions in the Serbian capital will now take place from 14 to 27 July 2021. Read more

MEDITERRANEAN GAMES – Oran 2021 postponed to 2022

The International Committee of the Mediterranean Games (ICMG) and the Algerian Government have made a joint decision to postpone the Mediterranean Games Oran 2021 to 2022.

The 19th edition of the Games will now be held from 25 June to 5 July 2022.

This responsible decision was made in agreement by the two parties after consultation and evaluation of current circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent adaption of the international sports calendar. Read more

SOCIAL MEDIA HUB

The EOC Athletes Commission joined the EOC Sports Director Peter Brull has joined @peaceandsport digital campaign and shared a message conversations about the unprecedented of global solidarity through sport! postponement of #Tokyo2020

12 April 2020 EOC NEWSLETTER

Olympic decathlete Mihail Dudaš shows how to #BeActive at home

Watch the home workout of Georgian gymnast Salome Pazhava, Bronze medallist at Baku !

“We will get back to train, compete and cheer together!” – Watch the video of the historical Foro Italico complex in - now unbelievable empty.

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