201 8 EOC Head Office | Villino Giulio Onesti | Via della Pallacanestro, 19 00135 Rome, Italy | Tel. +39 06 36857828 | Fax +39 06 36857666 | [email protected] www.eurolympic.org FEBRUARY N.179 EOC Congratulations PyeongChang 2018! - The curtain has closed on 16 days of fascinating competition at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, which IOC President Thomas Bach has rightly described as “the Games of the New Horizons”. The highlight of February was without a doubt the historic Games, which marked the culmination of years of preparation by athletes and their NOCs from all over the world. The European Olympic Committees (EOC) is proud that all 50 European NOCs (ENOCs) participated in the Games, with Kosovo competing for the first time. This made the EOC the only continental association in history to have all its NOC members competing in an edition of the Olympic Winter Games. “The Winter Olympic Games proved once again the power of Sport for unity - commented EOC President Janez Kocijancic - Our continent testified its leading role in the Olympic Movement and we are convinced our new big event the European Games will be instrumental to make Sport and Olympism even greater” Out of the 91 participating countries, 30 featured in the medal table, 22 of which were from Europe. Norway’s outstanding performance saw them top the medal table with 14 golds and 39 medals in total. The continent as a whole brought home an extraordinary total of 210 medals. Apart from the outstanding success at PyeongChang 2018, the EOC has one more reason to congratulate Norway. Legendary cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen became the most decorated female winter Olympian in history as she reached an incredible total of 14 medals (7 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze), overtaking the Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjorndalen, who boasts 13 Olympic medals (8 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze). The world record score by Germany’s Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot in the pairs figure skating was another memorable moment of the Games. There were also a number of positive outcomes for Europe from the IOC meetings in PyeongChang, with the election of Czech NOC President Jiří Kejval as an IOC Member, Slovak skeet shooter Danka Bartekova appointed as Athletes’ Commission Vice-Chair, and the election of Finnish Emma Terho (ice hockey) as one of the three new Members. However, the greatest success of the PyeongChang 2018 Games was the unison of North and South Korea, who entered the Opening Ceremony under the same flag before competing as a joint women’s ice hockey team. President Bach stated: “The Olympic Games are an homage to the past and an act of faith for the future.” He thanked both countries for sharing with the world their faith in a peaceful future and stressed how sport can bring people together and build bridges in fragile times. The Olympic flag is now entrusted to the organisers of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games - Beijing. Well done PyeongChang 2018 and good luck to Beijing! 3rd Winter Piotr Nurowski Prize - Candidatures for the 2018 EOC Best Young European athlete award have opened. To be eligible for the Winter Piotr Nurowski Prize, young winter sports athletes must have turned 18 by 31 December 2018. Athletes are nominated by their respective National Olympic Committees. The criteria for nominees include performance during competitions as well as the athletes’ general conduct and level of fair play, and reflection of the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship. The prize is awarded each year in memory of the late Piotr Nurowski, a man who embodied the Olympic values and provided an invaluable service to the EOC. The award aims to provide a platform for young athletes to pursue a career in elite- level sport, as well as inspiring future generations to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Since 2016, the winter prize has been awarded at the spring EOC Seminar, while the summer prize is presented at the annual EOC General Assembly. 2018 FEBRUARY EOC Newsletter During last November’s 46th General Assembly in Zagreb, a new process was introduced where all five of the shortlisted young athletes are awarded a trophy and a scholarship, rather than just the winner. The first place recipient is now given €15,000, second is given €8,000, third is given €5,000, and fourth and fifth are given €3,000. Candidatures must be submitted before 16 March 2018. ENOCs ALBANIA – The Albanian National Olympic Committee in cooperation with Albanian Radio Television held "The 10 best athletes of 2017" - a special event organised on February 20 to celebrate the athletes proposed by their Federations for their sports results during the year. President of the Albanian NOC Viron Bezhani, and Vice president Vojo Malo, conducted the event attended by the Ambassador of Japan, Makoto Ito, special guest as Olympic Games 2020 are getting closer, Vice Ministers of Education, Sports and Youth, Konstantin Shkurti and Shpati Kolgega, by Deputy Fidel Ylli, and by Eduard Shalsi President of the Albanian Federation of Chess. Members of the Executive Committee and Presidents and Secretaries General of Albanian Sports Federations were also in attendance. Were also present the Advisor for Sport to the President of the Republic Leonard Tase, the Vice-Mayor of Tirana Abaz Hado and other Albanian sports representatives. Izmir Smajlaj and Luiza Gega (Athletics), Jon Vrenozi (Judo), Eriglent Prizreni (wrestling), Elord Gjana (Taekwondo), Nikol Merizaj (swimming), Endrit Hysenagolli (Basketball), Erblira Bici (Volleyball), Krenar Zeneli (Boxing) and Liridona Rexha (Table Tennis) were the athletes who deserved the best trophy in the sport they represent, while volleyball player Gazmend Husaj received the "Fair Play" prize. ANDORRA - Whilst Andorra’s elite skiers were enjoying an unforgettable Olympic experience in PyeongChang, more than 60 veteran skiers from Andorra and neighbouring countries took part in the 29th Manuel Cerqueda Memorial Trophy. The giant slalom competition took place on the picturesque L’Esparver de Soldeu-El Tarter ski run, with the trophy being sponsored by private bank Andbank, a partner of the Andorran Olympic Committee. The winners of the different men’s categories were Ivan del Moral, Tomàs Mijares and David Rous, and the top three in the women’s categories were Judith Lluent, Meritxell Pifarré and Gabriela Puncernau. The competition was set up to pay tribute to the pioneers of skiing, Andorra’s national sport, and in recognition of the ongoing work of the first President of the Andorra Ski Club, Manuel Cerqueda i Escaler. Under his leadership, Andorra has been able to begin relationship-building with neighbouring countries, as well as establishing skiing as the country’s national sport.The ceremony was chaired by Cerqueda i Escaler, who is also President of the Andbank Group, and Amàlia Soriano, Director of the Andbank office in Canillo, the largest of the seven parishes in the sixth-smallest nation in Europe. BELGIUM - President of the Belgian NOC Baron Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant, has become an individual IOC Member. The decision to switch his membership from a Member representing a National Olympic Committee was approved at the 132nd IOC Session held in PyeongChang prior to the Olympic Winter Games. Beckers-Vieujant will be able to continue his role as Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. CYPRUS – The Cyprus Olympic Committee’s seventh Pierre de Coubertin Conference was held on 20 February, focusing on the topic: “The Olympic values as an educational system for better quality life.”The conference was attended by 120 students from four educational institutes in Cyprus: Pancyprian Gymnasium (Nicosia), Paralimni Lyceum (Famagusta), Larnaca Technical School and Polemidia Lyceum (Limassol). Students from Kato Tithorea Lyceum (Fthiotida) in Greece also attended. Students presented their own approach to the topic and were free to choose how they presented it. The presentations were followed by an open discussion.The conference was attended by Cyprus’ Minister of Education and Culture Kostas Kadis, as well as the President of the Cyprus Sports Association Kleanthis Georgiades.The students from Greece enjoyed a guided tour of Nicosia after the conference to learn more about the history of Cyprus. 2 2018 FEBRUARY EOC Newsletter CZECH REPUBLIC - President of the Czech Olympic Committee Jiri Kejval was elected as an individual IOC Member for an eight-year term at the IOC Session in PyeongChang 51-year-old Kejval is an international rowing champion and successful entrepreneur. He has been President of the Czech Olympic Committee since 2012. In the same year, he also joined the IOC’s Marketing Commission. Under his leadership, the Czech Olympic Committee organised an excellent EOC General Assembly in Prague in November 2015, as well as the successful Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly in November 2017. DENMARK - President Niels Nygaard sent condolences to the Royal Danish House after the sad passing of HRH Prince Henrik on 13 February, on behalf of the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF). Nygaard said: “Prince Henrik's death affects all of Denmark and us in the DIF, and we remember fondly having the pleasure of his company at the Athens 2004 and London 2012 Olympic Games, as well as the Lillehammer 1994 Olympic Winter Games.” The President noted that he will remember Prince Henrik as a man with so many interests and passion, including sailing. Prince Henrik’s son Crown Prince Frederik has been an IOC Member in Denmark since 2009. FRANCE – France hosted an Olympic Festival for the first time, from 10 – 24 February, in Grenoble, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the city hosting the Olympic Winter Games. The innovative idea was proposed by the IOC and was organised in partnership with the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF).