EOC Newsletter No. 204 July 2020 MESSAGE FROM THE EOC ACTING PRESIDENT Dear colleagues, As we recently passed the one-year-to-go mark to the rescheduled Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our European National Olympic Committees (ENOCs) and their athletes the best of preparations as we gear up once again for the XXXII Olympiad. To assist you in your activities, the EOC has already distributed a lump sum of USD 25,000 to each ENOC from the ANOC Tokyo 2020 funds and are now working expeditiously on finalising the allocation of the final USD 1.55 million. This amount will be distributed on a case-by-case basis according to need to the 43 ENOCs that requested assistance by the 22 July deadline. More information will be communicated shortly. Another major milestone was also reached this summer: three years to go until the 3rd edition of the European Games in Kraków and the Małopolska Region of Poland in 2023. Last week I led an EOC delegation on a successful three-day visit to Warsaw, Kraków and Małopolska to discuss preparations and make inspection visits to some of the proposed sport and accommodation facilities. We met with a number of federal ministers and local politicians, including the Mayor of Krakow and the Marshall of Małopolska, and I am happy to report that support for the Games is strong at all levels of government. The venues we visited are high-class, and our continent’s best athletes can rest assured that they will all have terrific platforms on which to showcase their talents on the road to Paris 2024. EOC Sports Director Peter Brüll, meanwhile, is working hard with his counterparts in Kraków-Małopolska to map out an exciting and diverse sports programme for 2023. It is a tall order, as interest in the European Games has grown steadily since their debut in 2015 and several new sports have expressed their desire to become part of Europe’s leading multi-sport event. This is of course an agreeable position to be in and, following our trip to Poland, the EOC is even more confident that Kraków-Małopolska will organise an excellent European Games to rival Baku 2015 and Minsk 2019. Best regards. Niels Nygaard EOC Acting President 1 EOC NEWSLETTER July 2020 EOC With 1 year to go, European athletes hungrier than ever to compete at Tokyo 2020 Asked to describe how it felt to learn that the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 had been postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, two-time Olympic medallist David Belyavskiy of Russia said: “It was like waiting for a holiday only for it to be cancelled at the last moment.” The disappointment the artistic gymnast and other athletes across Europe felt earlier this year is understandable. After all, most had trained every day for over three-and-a-half years to be in peak condition this summer. But Belyavskiy, a five-time European Games medallist, admits that once the initial shock subsided, he began to see the silver lining. “I realised that I can prepare for the Olympic Games in Tokyo even better now,” he says. “Everything will be fine.” He is far from alone in this sentiment as the countdown clock for next year’s Games officially hit the one-year- to-go mark on 23 July. A surprisingly large number of European athletes who have already qualified for Tokyo 2020 – or are in the process of doing so – say they also see the benefits in gaining an additional year. “I am not sure I would even call it a challenge per se,” explains Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast Katrin Taseva, who is looking forward to competing in her first Olympic Games next year. “I would say that the postponement of the Olympic Games has been a positive influence for all of us because we can be better prepared as we have more time to work on our routines.” Read more EUROPEAN GAMES 2023 – Optimism, enthusiasm greet EOC delegation during 3-day visit On 27 July, the European Olympic Committees (EOC) concluded a constructive three-day visit to the Polish hosts of the 3rd European Games Krakow-Małopolska 2023. The delegation, led by EOC Acting President Niels Nygaard and Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, began its tour with meetings in Warsaw with government ministers before moving on to Krakow and the Małopolska Region for inspection visits to a number of the sports and accommodation facilities that will host Europe’s best athletes in 2023. “We held fruitful talks this week with all our Polish counterparts in Warsaw, Krakow and Małopolska,” said Acting President Nygaard. “I would say the overall feeling here is one of great optimism as the region looks ahead to a time, hopefully, post COVID-19 and to celebrating our elite athletes just a year ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. We all have a great deal to look forward to and work towards.” The EOC delegation met with federal government ministers, Kraków President Jacek Majchrowski and the Marshal of the Małopolska Region, Witold Kozłowski, to discuss preparations for the Games. “Overall it was a productive three days of discussions,” said Secretary General Pagnozzi. “We can already feel the enthusiasm for the next edition of the European Games and we come away from our visit even more confident that Krakow-Małopolska will host an unforgettable event in 2023.” Read more 2 EOC NEWSLETTER July 2020 EYOF – Region confirms funds for Friuli Venezia Giulia 2023 On 29 July 2020, the Regional Council of Friuli Venezia Giulia announced that the region has confirmed the allocation of the funds for the organisation of the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) 2023. A total amount of €7 million has been allocated to the municipalities and districts that are involved in the Games. While a total investment plan of €39 million will be intended for the ski facilities of the region. Friuli Venezia Giulia will host the 16th winter edition of the multi-sport event for elite young athletes aged 14 to 18 from 21 to 28 January 2023. Read more Europe at the IOC 136th Session HE Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović (Croatia) and President of World Athletics Lord Sebastian Coe (Great Britain) were elected as IOC Members at the 136th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 17 June 2020. Grabar-Kitarović and Coe, the two Europeans out of a total of five new IOC members, were elected at this first-ever IOC Session to be held by video conference, following a proposal by the IOC Executive Board (EB) on 10 June. Grabar-Kitarović is a Croatian politician and diplomat who served as President of Croatia from 2015 to February 2020. She was the first woman to be elected to the presidency, becoming the youngest President in the history of Croatia. Lord Coe, whose election as an IOC Member is linked to a function within an International Federation, has been the President of World Athletics since 2015. He is a former track and field athlete and, as a middle-distance runner, won four Olympic medals, including gold in the 1,500 metres at the Olympic Games Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984. Europe is represented within the IOC by 27 countries and 43 Members (10 of whom are women). A total of 55 per cent of the IOC membership is European. Read more ENOCs AUSTRIA - NOC celebrated Tokyo 2020 one year to go with 1-hour heptathlon competition The Austrian National Olympic Committee (NOC), together with Austrian Athletics, staged a one-hour-heptathlon competition on 23 July 2020, to mark one year to go until the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. Two-time Olympian Ivona Dadic, who has already qualified for Tokyo 2020, challenged heptathletes Sarah Lagger (Austria) and Swiss under-23 European champion Géraldine Ruckstuhl. Some 500 spectators watched the competition live in the stadium of Amstetten (located on the west side of Vienna). Austrian record holder and World Championship bronze medallist Verena Preiner, who had to withdraw from the competition due to a recent injury, acted as a co-commentator for Austrian TV, which broadcast the event live. Read more 3 EOC NEWSLETTER July 2020 BELARUS – NOC paid tribute to 1980 Moscow medallists The NOC of the Republic of Belarus has paid tribute to the champions and medallists from the Olympic Games Moscow 1980. The commemorative event was held at the NOC headquarters in Minsk, Belarus, on 17 July, which marked the 40th anniversary of Moscow 1980. “Not only are you the legends of our national and Soviet sport, but also at the international level,” said Belarusian NOC First Vice President Viktor Lukashenko. “Winning 33 medals in Moscow, you made a huge contribution to the USSR medal collection, becoming idols for us, our young people and children.” “Thanks to your winning spirit, you are still active, passing on your experience to our young generation. You inspire them to be like you, and maybe to surpass you,” he added. Three-time Olympic champion in freestyle wrestling Aleksandr Medved, who read the oath at the Opening Ceremony at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow and lit the Olympic torch at the Dinamo Stadium in Minsk, was among the athletes to be awarded. Read more CROATIA – NOC signs cooperation agreement with ‘Kali Sara’ Romani Union The Croatian Olympic Committee (COC) and Romani Union in the Republic of Croatia “Kali Sara” have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at contributing to the promotion of integration of the Romani national minority into Croatian society and the development of sports, sports values and sports infrastructure for the common interests of the two associations.