EOC Newsletter

No. 196 October 2019

MESSAGE FROM THE EOC PRESIDENT

Dear colleagues,

October was another busy month for the Olympic Movement, with the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) taking place in Doha, followed by our own European Olympic Committees (EOC) General Assembly in Warsaw just a few days later. Both of these gatherings gave us the opportunity to share our experiences of the past year and reflect on what we can do better. Central to our discussions going forward must be the continual reminder that everything we do is for the benefit of the athletes, without which the Olympic Movement would not exist. We must work to ensure that the support for athletes at all levels is improved and the solidarity model of the Olympic Games is reinforced. These are topics that will form the cornerstones of discussions at the 10th European Athletes Forum from 6-8 December in Dublin, Ireland. For the second time, the Forum will be jointly organised with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and will follow on from the highly successful International Athletes’ Forum (IAF) held in Lausanne in April. Other activities on the agenda include an update on the IOC Athlete’s Commission Strategy, a workshop on communication, an overview of Athletes’ Commission resources and a session on the protection of clean athletes. One of the recommendations that came out of the IAF was that engagement and communication among all Athletes’ Commissions be fostered and strengthened. With that in mind, we hope that as many of our 50 European NOCs as possible send athletes to the Forum in Dublin so that our entire continent can be well represented. Many of the issues facing athletes in your home countries are the very same issues being faced by those around the world. Only by voicing their concerns can we begin to find solutions for all athletes. In Europe, we are privileged to be working with a number of highly engaged athletes who are working together for the good of sport. This includes our very own EOC Athletes Commission, under the chairmanship of Olympic champion Gerd Kanter, who will play a key role in the organisation and delivery of the Forum. The leadership of the EOC is convinced that these days will help to give us even more direction to make informed decisions for the future of sport in Europe, and I urge you all to engage with the athletes in your countries to make sure that their voices are being heard and to show the world how the European NOCs are continuing to put the athletes first.

Best regards, Janez Kocijančič EOC President

1 EOC NEWSLETTER October 2019 EOC 48th EOC General Assembly held in Warsaw The 48th General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) was successfully organised in Warsaw, Poland from 25-26 October 2019. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach provided the welcome address for the two-day meeting, encouraging the EOC to build on the great success of the Minsk 2019, which he attended this summer. EOC President Janez Kocijančič reiterated the importance of universality, good governance and ethics in all organisations of the Olympic Movement. He went on to thank the organisers of the four EOC multi-sports events in 2019, including those of the summer and winter editions of the European Youth Olympic Festivals (EYOFs) and the Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE), and, in particular, the 2nd edition of the European Games in Minsk. Finally, he stressed that “the European Games should be much more integrated into the Olympic Movement and become a fundamental part of [qualifying for] the Olympic Games.” Following the President, EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi reported on the activities of the EOC head office. He covered the vast work carried out over the past 12 months and highlighted the changing trends in the consumption of sport, the future strategy and investments that the EOC will make towards communication and digital media. EOC Executive Committee (ExCo) Member, IOC Member and Minsk 2019 Coordination Commission (CoCom) Chair Spyros Capralos provided a final report on the European Games in Minsk together with representatives from the Minsk European Games Organising Committee (MEGOC), including MEGOC CEO and EOC Member ex-officio George Katulin. The Assembly was welcomed to Warsaw by Polish NOC President and host of the event, Andrzej Krasnicki, and Minister of Sport and Tourism of the Republic of Poland, Witold Bańka, who will become the next President of the World Anti- Doping Agency (WADA) later this year. The General Assembly was tasked with approving the financial accounts for 2018, the budget for 2020 and amendments to the EOC Articles of Association, including a measure based on IOC recommendations regarding gender equality intended to give the EOC a leading role in increasing the number of women in leadership roles in sport. Also speaking at the event were Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg and EOC ExCo Member responsible for financial matters Peter Mennel. Moreover, the Assembly received status reports from the organisers of the 3rd edition of the European Games Kraków and Malopolska, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, Beijing 2022 and Milan/Cortina 2026. Former EOC ExCo Member and President of the Slovak Olympic Committee (SOC) František Chmelár was awarded the EOC Order of Merit for his lifelong service to sport and the Olympic Movement in Europe. At the same time, the 2019 European Olympic Laurel Awards were presented to André Bolhuis (The Netherlands), Mariam Giorgobiani (Georgia), Kajetan Hądzelek (Poland), Milan Jirásek (Czech Republic), Eddy de Smedt (Belgium) and Kalevi Tuominen (Finland). The two-day EOC General Assembly wrapped up with reports on the activities of WADA, the 2019 GSSE in Montenegro and this year’s EYOFs in Sarajevo & East Sarajevo (winter) and Baku (summer). This was followed by updates on the 2021 EYOFs in Vuokatti (FIN) and Banská Bystrica (SVK). Borjomi and Bakuriani (GEO) and Brno (CZE) were announced as Candidate Cities for the 2025 winter and summer editions, respectively. In addition, Istanbul was announced as the location for the 49th EOC General Assembly in 2020, with Athens getting the nod for the 50th edition in 2021. Read more

2 EOC NEWSLETTER October 2019 Ukranian Mahuchikh EOC ExCo held final named 2019 European meeting of 2019 young athlete of the year

The 4th EOC Executive Committee meeting of 2019 took place in Warsaw, Poland on 24 October. The ExCo was World silver medallist high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh welcomed to Warsaw by Polish NOC President and ExCo (UKR) was awarded the Piotr Nurowski Best Young Member Andrzej Krasnicki and Polish NOC Secretary Athlete prize on 26 October 2019 in Warsaw, Poland. General Adam Krzesinski. Following a vote by the 48th EOC General Assembly, EOC President Janez Kocijančič opened the meeting by the announcement was made during the centenary congratulating the organisers of all the EOC events that celebrations for the Polish Olympic Committee (PKOI) at took place in what was a very busy year for the EOC and the Great Theatre-National Opera. its 50 European National Olympic Committees (ENOCs). Mahuchikh, who finished second at the World Athletics “We consider ourselves responsible for all sport in our Championships in Doha, Qatar, claimed the 9th summer continent, and we have to be grateful to our organisers Piotr Nurowski prize ahead of swimmer Franko Grgić and continue to show that we are a strong community,” (CRO-2nd), artistic gymnast Giorgia Villa (ITA-3rd), Kocijančič said. cyclist Madis Mihkels (EST-4th), and fencer Liza Pusztai EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi reported on (HUN-4th). Read more the activities of the head office. Specifically, he focused on the work he is doing with his team to produce a strategic document for the European Games in 2023, whose aim is to outline the vision for the sports programme and its operational effectiveness. Read more COMMISSIONS – Athletes, Medical & Antidoping and Gender Equality meet in Warsaw Three EOC Commissions met in Warsaw, Poland on the sidelines of the 48th EOC General Assembly. The Athletes Commission, chaired by Estonian Gerd Kanter, discussed a series of crucial topics, including the IOC Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration and the 10th European Athletes’ Forum, which will take place in Dublin, Ireland from 6-8 December 2019. The Medical & Antidoping Commission, led by German Dr Klaus Steinbach, discussed the reviewed reports from the 2nd European Games Minsk 2019, the Winter and Summer EYOF 2019, as well as the WADA Independent Observer Report. For future events, the group put forward proposals regarding efficiencies in medical service levels, actions for the EOC to retain WADA 2021 Code Compliance and resources needed to increase the EOC Anti-Doping capacity. The Gender Equality in Sport Commission, chaired by Olympic Federation of Ireland President Sarah Keane, gathered in an informal meeting to discuss the EOC Gender Equality Strategy for 2020-2022. The measure focuses on the IOC’s five areas of sport, governance, funding, portrayal and human resources, and was endorsed by the EOC General Assembly in Warsaw. In addition, all the Chairs of the EOC Commissions and the working group reported to the ENOCs on the activities carried out so far and their plans for the future.

3 EOC NEWSLETTER October 2019

EUROPEAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL Sarajevo & East Sarajevo 2019 – NOC and two cities nominated for Peace and Sport award The EOC is pleased to announce that the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the cities of Sarajevo and East Sarajevo have been nominated by Peace and Sport for the Diplomatic Action of the Year award for their joint efforts in staging the successful 14th Winter EYOF this February. This EYOF marked a historic moment for Bosnia and Herzegovina, illustrating willingness on all sides to embrace peace and friendship through sport and to work together towards a brighter future. In total, 911 athletes from 46 ENOCs took part in the multi-sport event for Europe’s best athletes between the ages of 14 and 18. “The EYOF once again demonstrated that peace, harmony and hope for a better future begin where sport and youth converge,” said EOC President Janez Kocijančič. Read more Vuokatti 2021 – CoCom pleased with second visit The EOC Coordination Commission visited the next winter EYOF host Vuokatti, Finland on 22 October 2019. The EOC representatives, led by Chair Florin Misca, were told about the initial work of the Organising Committee in different areas, including accommodation and sport venues. In particular, the group was very impressed with the progress of the facilities. “We found that progress has been made, and the activities are carried out according to the masterplan,” Misca said. “The CoCom proposed many recommendations that were accepted by the Organising Committee. However, I must say that Vuokatti already has most of the components to organise a successful EYOF.” Visit the recently launched Vuokatti 2021 website. Read more Banská Bystrica 2021 – Preparations progressing well for next summer EYOF A progress report on the 16th Summer EYOF Banská Bystrica was presented to the 50 ENOCs during the 48th EOC General Assembly in Warsaw, Poland on 26 October. EOC CoCom Chair Joe Cassar, along with CEO of the Organising Committee Peter Korčok and Head of NOC Relations and Services from the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee Petra Gantnerova, gave an update on the preparations currently under way in the Host City Banská Bystrica. Additional information included the announcement of the first two EYOF 2021 ambassadors and Slovak Olympic champions: biathlete Anastasiya Kuzmina and race walker Matej Tóth. Moreover, the 2021 EYOF will be the first to include triathlon on the sports programme. From 24 July to 1 August 2021, competitions will feature the best young athletes of Europe competing in 11 sports: artistic , athletics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, cycling, handball, judo, swimming, tennis and triathlon. The sports venues will be a mix of existing, newly built and temporary facilities. For more information, please visit the recently launched Banská Bystrica 2021 website.

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EUROPEAN GAMES Kraków and Małopolska region agree on 2023 collaboration framework The municipality of Kraków and the region of Małopolska, Poland have signed a letter of intent to officially confirm their joint collaboration for the organisation of the 3rd European Games in 2023. “Kraków has the resources and the background to organise large events,” said Mayor of Kraków Jacek Majchrowski. “We have again proved it with the organisation of the World Youth Day. Staging an event of the magnitude of the European Games is a great opportunity to promote the region and, above all, to improve sports facilities, transport and the overall urbanisation of the city.” For the region of Małopolska, the Games provide a unique platform for the development and promotion of the area. “We will try to make the most out of this opportunity,” said Marshal of the Region Witold Kozłowski. “Counting on the support of the Polish government and the cooperation with the rectors of Kraków’s universities means that we have great foundations to stage the event at the highest European level.” Read more ENOCs BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA - Olympic Venues and Environmental Sustainability project The Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina has successfully implemented a project on “Olympic Venues and Environmental Sustainability” as a part of its annual activities for the community development and environmental sustainability. Thanks to this initiative and with the help of over 800 volunteers, 6,250 seedlings were planted at the Olympic venue Bjelašnica. In addition, a series of lessons on nature preservation, environmental sustainability and Olympic values were organised at secondary schools in the country. “This is a unique opportunity to learn how Olympic values can be linked to the importance of preserving nature as well as our sport facilities,” said one of the volunteers. “This is the third year in a row that I take part in the project, and I feel that every time I’m making a difference. I’m really looking forward to the next one.” Read more CZECH REPUBLIC – Sport stars complete NOC’s sport diplomacy course

Six-time Paralympic gold medallist Jiří Ježek, former basketball player Ilona Burgrová, Olympians Klára Křížová and Petra Juříčková are only few of the participants who successfully completed the second year of the sport diplomacy course. The programme is implemented by the Czech Olympic Committee in cooperation with the University of Economics in Prague and other local institutions. “I have gained the experience that I’d really missed,” said Ježek about the programme. “I have learnt about how sport is organised in different countries, also in terms of sporting law matters, other cultures and international relations.” Read more

5 EOC NEWSLETTER October 2019 GEORGIA – NOC marks its 30th anniversary The Georgian National Olympic Committee celebrated its 30th anniversary at its headquarters in Tbilisi on 6 October. The ceremony was attended by founding members, Olympic champions, delegates of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport and National Sports Federations, as well as sports fans and media representatives. NOC President Leri Khabelov, along with first President of the NOC and current Honorary President Nona Gaprindashvili, delivered speeches retracing the history of the NOC. The 30th anniversary was devoted to the Legacy Project, the first publication of the Georgian Olympic Encyclopaedia. Written by the NOC’s first Vice-President E. Berishvili, it was created with the support of Olympic Solidarity. Before the celebrations, a commemorative monument was inaugurated at the entrance of the Tbilisi Chess Palace and Alpine Club, as this building hosted the NOC’s Founding Conference on 6 October 1989. Read more GREAT BRITAIN – Team GB canoeing athletes selected for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Rio 2016 gold medallist Liam Heath heads the list of five canoeing athletes who were officially selected for Team GB for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on 10 October. Heath will compete at his third Olympic Games in Tokyo next year, having won sprint bronze in the K2 200m alongside Jon Schofield in London 2012 and then silver in Rio 2016, before being crowned Olympic champion in the K1 200m event three years ago. He held the grand slam of canoeing titles in 2017 (Olympic, World and European titles) and has been unbeaten in the K1 200m since then. The 35-year-old, who hails from Guildford, will be looking to retain his title at Tokyo 2020 and cement his place in British history as the most successful canoe sprint athlete of all time. Having qualified the maximum Olympic quota places at the World Championships last month, Heath is joined by four canoe slalom athletes: Adam Burgess, Bradley Forbes-Cryans, Mallory Franklin and Kimberley Woods, who will all make their Olympic debuts in Japan next year. Read more GREECE – Qatar and Hellenic Olympic Committee sign MoU The Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) and the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Doha, Qatar on 18 October 2019. The agreement was inked by HOC President and IOC Member Spyros Capralos and QOC President HH Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on the sidelines of the ANOC General Assembly. The deal will allow Greek athletes to train and prepare at the Aspire Zone and use the facilities at Aspetar, the world’s leading specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital on the complex. For its part, the HOC will invite Qatari children to the Panathenaic Stadium, the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games, for a project called “I love Sports - Kids’ Athletics.” Read more – Great sport diplomatic achievements in Doha On the sidelines of the ANOC Beach Games in Doha, the Hungarian Olympic Committee (MOB) have reached three bilateral agreements with the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), Guatemala Olympic Committee (COG) and Kuwait Olympic Committee (KOC), respectively The deals were signed by MOB President Krisztián Kulcsár and his counterparts - QOC President Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, COG President Gerardo René Aguirre Oestmann and KOC President Sheikh Fahad Nasser Sabah Ahmad Al Sabah - and will further strengthen the ties between the NOCs. Read more IRELAND – OLY Pin Presented to the President of Irish Olympians Association President of the Irish Olympians Association (IOA) and Olympic gold medallist Ronnie Delany was presented with an OLY pin by CEO of the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) Peter Sherrard at the OFI headquarters in Howth on 1 October 2019. The OLY pin is part of the World Olympians Association’s popular post-nominal letters initiative that awards Olympians with the OLY designation after their names in recognition of the years of hard work that it took them to become Olympians. “It’s an honour to present Ronnie Delany with the first OLY pin in Ireland,” Sherrard said at the presentation. “I warmly thank both him and John Bouchier-Hayes for the work that they do with the Irish Olympians and their lifelong commitment to Irish Olympic sport. “As an athlete, Ronnie’s phenomenal gold medal win in [Melbourne] 1956 continues to inspire generations of athletes. The work and energy he puts into Olympism and connecting Olympians is admirable.” Read more

6 EOC NEWSLETTER October 2019

LITHUANIA – Unique opportunity to join international training course on Olympic values With the assistance of funding from the Erasmus+ programme, the NOC of Lithuania will be hosting the Olympic Values Education Programme in January 2020. A total of 27 participants from nine partner countries will spend a week in Lithuania sharing best practices in the field of Olympic Education. The aim of the programme, which will run from 27 January to 4 February 2020, is to upskill participants so that they can then initiate future projects on education through sport, Olympic values education and promotion of physical activity in their own countries. Read more POLAND – Icing on the cake for NOC’s Centenary Yearlong celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Polish Olympic Committee (PKOI) culminated at the Centenary Gala, which took place at the Great Theatre-National Opera on 26 October. In addition to the IOC and EOC Presidents, the ceremony was also attended by President of Poland Andrzej Duda, Polish Minister of Sport and Tourism and future WADA President Witold Banka, PKOI President Andrzej Krasnicki and other dignitaries. The Gala, which was streamed live on the EOC Channel, featured a look back at not only the storied history of Polish Olympians, but also of the last 125 years of the Olympic Movement: from the founding of the IOC in 1894 by French Baron Pierre de Coubertin through to the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. “It is a great honour to be here with you tonight to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Polish Olympic Committee,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “With over 300 Olympic medals won, your athletes personify the heart of this remarkable Olympic Movement … For over a century, the Polish Olympic Committee has spread the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect across the country.” EOC President Kocijančič said: “The Polish people are living the Olympic values with all their heart. Poland can be proud of its athletes and Europe can be proud of Poland.” During the gala, Polish hammer thrower Anita Włodarczyk, a four-time European gold medallist, four-time World Champion and two-time Olympic Champion, was awarded her gold medal from the London 2012 Olympic Games by IOC President Bach. Włodarczyk, who defended her title at Rio 2016, initially finished second in London, but was reassigned gold following the doping disqualification of the original winner. SLOVAKIA – NOC signs Memorandum of Cooperation with RIOU

The Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee and the Russian International Olympic University (RIOU) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on 25 October 2019. The agreement formalises the two parties’ commitment to promoting Olympic education and raising the standards of sports management and administration. Slovak NOC President Anton Siekel and RIOU Rector Lev Belousov signed the deal, which was held on the sidelines of the 48th EOC General Assembly. Under the agreement, the RIOU will provide training and professional development to Slovak sports management specialists based on advanced educational technologies and Olympic expertise. The two sides will deliver joint educational events and provide conditions for an expert dialogue on current issues in the development of the sports industry and the Olympic Movement. Furthermore, they will encourage student exchange between the RIOU and Slovak universities. Read more SLOVENIA - Gymnast Miroslav Cerar named ambassador for Tokyo 2020 Legendary artistic gymnast Miroslav Cerar, who turned 80 on 28 October, has been named ambassador of the Slovenian team for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. On the occasion of his birthday, an exhibition on his sport and life achievements was held in the Town Hall. Cerar will lead the Slovenian Olympic team next year in the Japan’s capital, where he won two gold medals in pommel horse and horizontal bar at the 1964 Olympics. Along with Leon Štukelj (1898-1999), Cerar is known as one of the greatest Slovenian and Yugoslav gymnasts of all time. He was also inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City in 1999. Read more

7 EOC NEWSLETTER October 2019

UKRAINE - Legendary Ukrainian Olympians acknowledged on Kiev’s ‘Square of Stars’ Three new commemorative stars were lit on the “Square of Stars” in Kiev, Ukraine on 29 October. The square is the country’s symbol of national culture, art and sports. The stars were dedicated to three Ukranian sport legends: 35-time pole vault world record holder, Olympic champion and Ukranian NOC President Sergey Bubka, famous football player and 1986 Golden Ball winner Igor Belanov and the best handball player of the 20th century, Zinaida Turchyna. “I am happy that the ‘Square of Stars’ is being populated with more and more great sports names,” said Bubka. “The lives and achievements of our Olympians should be a signpost for the younger generation. Olympians are great role models. Of course, not all of them will become champions, but I hope these successful stories will inspire young people to reach for their own stars.” Read more ANOC Europe well-represented at Beach Games, General Assembly and Awards in Doha

The inaugural ANOC World Beach Games in Doha, which wrapped up on 16 October, were highly successful for European athletes, with Spain topping the medals table and Italy finishing third. The five days of competition saw the Spaniards, who travelled to Qatar with the biggest European delegation of 62 athletes, compiling seven gold, one silver and two bronze medals. Italian athletes won four gold, one silver and one bronze. On the following day at the XXIV ANOC General Assembly, EOC President Janez Kocijančič delivered his report on the EOC’s 2019 activities, highlighting the very important year for the continent of Europe from a sports perspective. As part of the ANOC initiative to have more female representation from all continents attending its General Assembly, the European delegation has been bolstered by the addition of five women, who all play an active role in the work of their respective ENOCs: Lotte Bücher (Denmark – NOC Board Member), Irene Canini (San Marino – Vice-President of Sammarinese Gymnastics Federation), Rumiana Dineva (Bulgaria – NOC Head of International Relations), Kim Gevaert (Belgium – Olympic champion) and Dejana Planincic (Bosnia & Herzegovina – NOC International Relations & Projects Manager). After the General Assembly, the delegates were able to celebrate some of the best sporting achievements of the year during the awards gala. Selected by an ANOC Jury, a special award this year was presented to the best athletes from the 2nd European Games Minsk 2019. The winners were Mauro Nespoli (Italy – Archery), who clinched one gold and one bronze medal, and Dina Averina ( – ) who won three gold medals, one silver and one bronze. Read more

8 EOC NEWSLETTER October 2019 OLYMPIC SPORTS EVENTS LAUSANNE 2020 - Youth Olympic Village ‘Vortex’ formally inaugurated The Youth Olympic Village “Vortex” has been formally inaugurated as keys were handed over to the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) organisers, with less than 70 days to go until the start of the competition. The ring-shaped Vortex is the first of its kind, with participants to be housed in a single facility for the first time at a YOG. Standing 27 metres tall, the Youth Olympic Village features 712 units and a 2.8-kilometre spiral ramp. “What better way for young athletes to experience the Olympic dream in its fullest than by sharing it with the entire Olympic family under one roof,” said 2020 Winter YOG chief Virginie Faivre. After the event and as part of Lausanne 2020’s legacy programme, the Vortex will be used as lodging to cater for the growing number of students, staff and academic visitors at the University of Lausanne. Read more TOKYO 2020 - Unique gymnastics venue unveiled The Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 officially unveiled the Ariake Gymnastics Centre on 29 October. This unique venue will be the future home of gymnastics - one of the most popular events on the Olympic programme – hosting artistic, rhythmic and trampoline events. Located near the Olympic Village, it can seat up to 12,000 fans and will also be used for boccia during the Paralympic Games. The facility showcases true Japanese craftsmanship and embodies Japan’s woodworking culture. The surrounding area’s former identity as a timber storage district inspired its design, modelled around the image of wooden ships in the bay. The Centre has one of the largest timber roofs in the world and includes the most amount of timber of all Tokyo 2020 venues, with 2,300m of wood sourced from around Japan. Another special characteristic is the wooden benches for spectators, which give the venue a natural feeling of warmth. Alibaba Cloud and Intel, partners of the Games, along with the local organising committee will jointly review and select as winners those who develop the most innovative and creative applications. Read more 2024 – New Olympic and Paralympic Games emblem unveiled The Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 unveiled its new emblem on 21 October. It was revealed following an innovative launch ceremony, which saw over 700 runners – led by Olympic and Paralympic medallists, including Renaud Lavillenie, Nantenin Keïta and Sarah Ourahmoune – completing different routes around the centre of Paris and Seine-Saint-Denis, forming the outline of the new Paris 2024 emblem. The new design brings together three iconic symbols connected to sport, the Games and France – the gold medal, the Olympic and Paralympic flames, and French national icon Marianne. Read more

9 EOC NEWSLETTER October 2019 EUROPEAN UNION European Week of Sport Beyond Borders Seminar successfully held in Kiev The “European Week of Sport Beyond Borders” seminar took place in Kiev, Ukraine on 28 October. The event was organised by the European Commission within the framework of the European Week of Sport (EWoS) to celebrate the success of this year’s activities in non-EU countries. Since its launch in 2015, the EOC has been one of the official partners of EWoS. The initiative, which is organised annually by the European Commission from 23-30 September, aims to encourage European citizens to #BeActive and practice more sports. This year, 47 partner organisations in 42 countries were involved, as well as countries outside EU borders. Many non-EU ENOCs acted as national coordinating bodies and organised activities at the national level, including Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Iceland, the Netherlands, Serbia, Slovenia and Ukraine. Read more

MISCELLANEOUS Patras 2019 deemed ‘clean’ Games

The Mediterranean Beach Games Patras 2019, which were held from 25-31 August 2019, were deemed “clean” Games after all doping samples came back clean. Out of 26 participating countries, athletes in 12 sports from 14 countries were tested, with 76 urine tests and 7 EPO tests conducted. All 83 samples came back negative, which greatly satisfied the International Committee of Mediterranean Games, as it proves that the Mediterranean Olympic Committees follow the rules of fair play and continue the fight against doping. Read more

10 EOC NEWSLETTER October 2019 SOCIAL MEDIA HUB

Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh Winter EYOF Vuokatti 2021 Summer EYOF Banská crowned the European Young Organising Committee reports Bystrica 2021 is ready to shine Athlete of the Year on initial activities to the EOC General Assembly

Russian Olympic Committee President Polish hammer thrower Anita Włodarczyk was Stanislav Pozdnyakov awards Italian awarded her gold medal from the London 2012 archer Mauro Nespoli in Doha Olympic Games during the Polish Olympic Committee gala

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