EOC Newsletter

No. 205 August - September 2020 MESSAGE FROM THE EOC ACTING PRESIDENT Dear colleagues,

On 21 September we organized our first physical Executive Committee meeting since January in Ljubljana, Slovenia. These were extraordinary circumstances, of course, as the main purpose of our visit was to pay our last respects to former EOC President Janez Kocijančič.

Accompanied by IOC President Thomas Bach, we held a memorial for Janez in the presence of his wife Andreja and daughter Nike before visiting his final resting place to say our last goodbyes. It was a moving tribute to a true friend of sport and great man of Olympism.

The ExCo meeting was an active one, with input received from all Members, including those who joined remotely having been unable to travel due to COVID restrictions.

You can read more about our meeting in the pages that follow and on the EOC website, but of particular interest to our 50 ENOCs were discussions on the 3rd edition of the European Games, which will take place in Kraków-Małopolska in 2023.

Following an excellent meeting with Polish government officials and the Polish NOC on 12 September in Rome, steady progress is now being made with regard to preparations for the event, including the announcement of a preliminary list of 23 sports, the most ever for a European Games. We have been especially impressed by the enthusiasm and vision shown for the project by our Polish friends, which bodes well for a great Games in 2023.

The ExCo also discussed the next five editions of the European Youth Olympic Festival, agreeing, among other things, on the postponement of Vuokatti 2021 from February to December next year. It was a difficult decision to take, but ultimately the health and the safety of the athletes must take precedence during the ongoing pandemic.

We approved the audited EOC figures for 2019 and the provisional budget for 2021, both of which will be sent to you at least 30 days before the next General Assembly, which will take place on 27 November in Rome.

Our discussions also focused on the important activities of the EOC EU Office in Brussels, the ‘reactivation’ of funds for special activities, and a proposal to initiate a long-term strategic plan for the future of the EOC. Each of these will be presented to you at the GA.

As you can see, despite the rise in new coronavirus cases in many countries and subsequent disruption to our normal routines, the EOC has remained hard at work over the last few months for the benefit of sport in Europe. I look forward to seeing you either in person or virtually on 27 November to discuss all these points in greater detail.

Best regards.

Niels Nygaard EOC Acting President

1 EOC NEWSLETTER August - September 2020 EOC EOC ExCo holds first physical meeting since January

The EOC Exutive Committee (EXCo) held its seventh meeting of 2020 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 21 September, taking a number of important decisions for the benefit of European sport while dealing with the continued fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was the first meeting held in person since the start of the pandemic, although due to travel restrictions and other measures aimed at limiting the transmission of coronavirus, a number of ExCo members joined the meeting remotely.

EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi provided an overview of the activities undertaken by the EOC staff in Rome, the key accomplishment being that the Tokyo 2020 emergency funds, provided by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), have now been distributed to the European National Olympic Committees (ENOCs).

Another key discussion centred on the 49th EOC General Assembly, which will take place in Rome on 27 November after being rescheduled from Istanbul at the end of October due to the uncertainty and organisational issues caused by the pandemic. The General Assembly will be asked to vote on a possible change to the EOC Articles of Association and approve the audited 2019 financial statements and 2021 budget, which were both given stamps of approval by the ExCo. Read more

Kocijančič posthumously awarded EOC Order of Merit

EOC President Janez Kocijančič was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in a commemorative ceremony in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 21 September 2020.

The Olympic family paid tribute to Kocijančič, who passed away on 1 June, recognising his outstanding contribution to the cause of European sport and his faithfulness to the Olympic ideals.

EOC ExCo Member Zlatko Mateša presented the Order to Kocijančič’s wife and daughter, together with IOC President Thomas Bach, EOC Acting President Niels Nygaard, EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, EOC Acting Treasurer Peter Mennel, Slovenian Minister of Education, Science and Sport Dr Simona Kustec and the President of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia Association of Sports Federations, Bogdan Gabrovec. “I have hardly heard anybody speak so convincingly about the importance of sport for education, for solidarity, for social values, for bridging the gap between peoples. Or as they would say now, against any form of discrimination,” President Bach said. “And Janez was not only speaking of this, he was living these values.” In a moving speech, Mateša remembered his lifetime friend and the great man of Olympism Kocijančič was: “Our President was a man of vision, dedicated to all aspects of his life. Whatever he touched – business, politics – he was successful,” he said. “But there was one part of his life that was his own, and that was sport. That was his love, besides his family. Through all the decades he spent in sport, it was his way of spreading his thoughts about sport, about Olympism and about the Olympic values.” Read more

2 EOC NEWSLETTER August - September 2020 #BeActive with EOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Gerd Kanter During the European Week of Sport, which started on 23 September 2020, EOC Athletes’ Commission Chair and discus- thrower extraordinaire Gerd Kanter provided Europeans with plenty of motivation to #BeActive.

Why? Well, as an Olympic gold medallist, World Champion, and multiple winner of Sportsman of the Year in his native Estonia, it’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about getting fit.

Kanter recently took some time out of his preparations for the Tallinn Marathon to speak to us about the importance of being active and leading a healthy lifestyle.

“Sport has been in my blood since I was little kid,” said Kanter, explaining why he is excited to be a patron of the European Week of Sport. “Already during my professional sports career, I was trying to be a role model for kids to be active and inspire them to take part in sporting activities. Now, as an ex-sportsman, I try to motivate people of all ages to be active and choose an active lifestyle.” Read more EUROPEAN GAMES 2023 - EOC, Kraków-Małopolska agree on preliminary list of sports

On 12 September, the EOC welcomed a delegation from Poland to the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) headquarters in Rome for discussions on the third edition of the European Games (EG), which are scheduled to take place in Kraków-Małopolska in summer 2023.

The two sides agreed on a preliminary list of 23 sports for the Games, subject to final negotiations with each of the European and international sports federations. A key criterion for selection was whether the sports will use the European Games as their continental championships and/or offer qualification for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The sports included in the preliminary list are: archery, artistic swimming, badminton, basketball 3×3, beach handball, breaking, canoe (slalom, sprint), cycling (mountain bike, road), fencing, gymnastics, judo, karate, modern pentathlon, mountain running, rugby sevens, shooting, ski jumping (summer), sport climbing, table tennis, triathlon, volleyball (beach and court), weightlifting and wrestling. Read more EUROPEAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL Vuokatti 2021 – Winter EYOF postponed from February to December 2021 The winter edition of the 2021 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) has been postponed from February to December to safeguard all those involved in the event – in particular the young athletes – during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The EOC came to the decision together with the local organisers of the Vuokatti 2021 EYOF on 23 September. The new dates for the continent’s leading multi-sport event for athletes aged 14 to 18 are 12 to 17 December. “This was by no means an easy decision to take,” said EOC Acting President Niels Nygaard. “For many months now we had hoped against hope that the pandemic would improve enough to safely host Vuokatti 2021 on schedule. Sadly, it was not to be, but postponing the EYOF to December means that the vast majority of the athletes who were looking forward to competing in February will still be able to participate later in the year.” Read more

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Vuokatti 2021 - 25 European Young Olympic Ambassadors selected The EOC has announced the 25 European Young Olympic Ambassadors (EYOA) who will take part in the Winter EYOF Vuokatti 2021.

The candidates were assessed by the EOC Olympic Culture & Legacy Commission, which eventually selected the most motivated young people. Despite the postponement of the Winter EYOF from February to December 2021, the EYOA programme is going forward, and a first webinar already took place on 23 September 2020.

A multinational team from 25 different European countries will introduce young athletes to the international sporting community and encourage them to go beyond competing to discover the power of the Olympic Movement and the strength of the Olympic values and ideals. Read more

Banská Bystrica 2022 - Organising Committee welcomes New Executive Director Peter Hamaj

Peter Hamaj is the new Executive Director of the Banská Bystrica 2022 Organising Committee for the XVI Summer European Youth Olympic Festival, which will be held from 24 to 30 July 2022.

He replaces Peter Korčok, who decided to resign from this position at the end of September. Hamaj, who will continue his duties of Banská Bystrica 2022 Sports Director until the end of the year, has in-depth experience in preparing major events.

Among other roles in international sport, he was also General Secretary of the Organising Committee for the World Winter Universiade 2019 in Štrbské Pleso and Osrblie, and Sports and Competition Director of the 2019 World Ice Hockey Championships. He has also worked for the Slovak Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the British Olympic Association.

“I would like to thank Peter Korčok for his cooperation so far,” said Hamaj. “The work of the Organising Committee is well prepared, we will continue following these footsteps and trends. Our ambition is to prepare the best conditions for the athletes so that they will leave Banská Bystrica full of excellent impressions and great experiences. I am always optimistic; I believe that we will achieve this goal.” Read more

4 EOC NEWSLETTER August - September 2020 ENOCs BELARUS – Olympic lessons and bike ride organised in Minsk The NOC of Belarus has organised a range of activities over the summer. On 1 September, the NOC held “Olympic Lessons” in the Hall of Olympic Fame at its headquarters in Minsk. The lessons were held in a quiz format and were attended by more than 100 participants from Belarusian regional centres in Baranovichi, Bobruisk, Smorgon and Sluck.

Earlier, on 28 August, the NOC scheduled a series of bike rides starting from different locations: Minsk Hero City Obelisk, Komsomolskoye Lake, Minsk FC building, the National Olympic Committee headquarters and the Tennis Palace. Read more

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – Technical course for Taekwondo coaches & “Parainspired” project successfully held

The NOC of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Taekwondo Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina successfully held a technical course for coaches in Taekwondo on 8 and 9 August 2020.

Organised under the auspices of the Olympic Solidarity Programme for coaches, the two-day online seminar was attended by 50 coaches, who had the opportunity to learn from the experience of experts in different sectors, including coach and expert Dragan Jović, sports psychologist Dr Marija Pavlović, nutritionist Monika Varga, and Nebojša Šakić, while the practical part was led by Bosnia and Herzegovina taekwondo coach Haris Husić.

The NOC also successfully concluded its “Social integration through parasport – Parainspired!” project by holding a final conference via an online application. The project was conducted in cooperation with partner organisations from Serbia and was co-financed by the European Union as part of the IPA II Cross-Border Programme Serbia-Bosnia and Herzegovina. The conclusion of the conference was that the project had contributed to the improvement of parasports in both countries. For the first time, a systematic and comprehensive research and analysis of the situation in the field of parasports in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been provided. As a result of the research, numerous training sessions and the publication of manuals for parasport have been successfully conducted. The manual is intended for trainers and para-athletes, and is a guide for future projects and steps in the development of the social integration of people with disabilities. As a part of the project implementation activities, the NOC of Bosnia and Herzegovina procured specialised sports equipment and a vehicle for para-athletes. The closure of this project represents the beginning for the NOC of Bosnia and Herzegovina in its future activities for parasport in the country. In developing these activities, the NOC is implementing some of the basic provisions of the Olympic Charter, ensuring that all athletes in Bosnia and Herzegovina have equal opportunities and access to sports practice. Read more

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CROATIA – National sports magazine celebrates 75th anniversary

The only Croatian daily sports magazine - Sportske novosti (SN), marked its 75th anniversary on 9 August.

To celebrate its first publication in 1945, SN gifted readers with a gold magazine, a special edition of 148 pages featuring stories about 75 top successes of Croatian sport.

The special edition included a foreword from IOC President Thomas Bach. Bach said that SN could be proud of its commitment to sport and the passion with which it reported about all sports events, “bringing the magic of the Olympics to its readers.”

President of the Croatian Olympic Committee (COC) Zlatko Mateša stressed that SN was a true sports medium, quoting the legendary words of SN journalist and editor Zvone Mornar: “If you want to be in sports journalism, first you must love sports, then journalism, and – as a third thing - work at the Sportske novosti.” Read more

CZECH REPUBLIC – Olympic skier Šárka Strachová becomes Chair of Czech Fair Play Club

Olympic bronze medallist and World Champion in Alpine skiing (slalom) Šárka Strachová has become the new Chair of the Czech Fair Play Club. The holder of four World Championship medals replaced three-time Olympic medallist in cross-country skiing Květa Pecková-Jeriová.

The Czech Fair Play Club, which is part of the Czech Olympic Committee, has been promoting ideas such as mutual assistance and respect in sport for the last 45 years. This year, its main award for lifelong contribution to fair play went to ice hockey forward Vladimír Martinec, who is a three-time World Champion and 1970 double Olympic medallist, as well as a successful coach. He is renowned for being a true gentleman both on and off the ice. The main award for fair play in action went to racing driver Martin Prokop. Read more ESTONIA – Olympic Day in Estonia contributes to Guinness World Record

On 19 September, Olympic Day in Estonia culminated with a Guinness World Record event to celebrate the centenary of Estonian basketball.

Enthusiasts all over the country shot more than 100,000 free throws, of which 2,500 were shot during the Olympic Day celebrations held at Tamme Stadium in Tartu. The event included contributions from the patron of Estonia’s Olympic Day, Kelly Sildaru, winner of the EOC “Piotr Nurowski” Best European Young Athlete Prize; and Urmas Sõõrumaa, President of the Estonian Olympic Committee.

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“Participating in the Olympic Day is a unique experience: people of all ages have come together to enjoy fitness activities. I am very glad to have seen a great number of eager kids trying a variety of sports with the help of current top athletes,” Sõõrumaa said. Hundreds of children took part in the Olympic Day in Tartu, trying a number of sports: athletics, handball, football, ski jumping, BMX racing, shooting, biathlon, sumo, taekwondo and karate. Read more HUNGARY – NOC launches new “Magyarock” brand

The Hungarian Olympic Committee (HOC) has launched a new brand identity called Magyarock (“Hungarians”), which aims at unifying athletes and fans in Hungary.

Following in the footsteps of TeamGB and TeamDeutschland, the launch of the IOC-approved brand marks a milestone for the Hungarian Olympic movement, as Magyarock embodies the values of excellence, friendship and respect, as well as promoting inclusivity, belonging and a sense of community not only for athletes and fans, but for every Hungarian.

“I have been working in the Olympic Movement my whole life, first as a fencer, then as a sports leader and now as President of the Hungarian Olympic Committee,” HOC President Krisztián Kulcsár said at the launch press conference. “This new brand is very close to my heart and I look forward with great pleasure to working around the values it conveys.” Read more IRELAND – NOC approves motion for minimum 40 per cent women on Board

The Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) has passed a motion for a minimum gender balance of 40 per cent on its Executive Board.

The decision was unanimously approved at the OFI General Assembly, which was held virtually on 8 September 2020. The 40 per cent minimum gender balance, which will now be enshrined in the OFI constitution, will ensure that no gender can be represented less than 40 per cent on the Board.

“It was an important day to have this milestone approved at our AGM by our 39 member sports, who unanimously approved the changes,” commented OFI CEO Peter Sherrard. Read more KOSOVO - “Sports Forum” Conference kicks off the European Sport Week

A “Sports Forum” Conference kicked off the European Sport Week in Kosovo on 23 September. Organised by the Kosovo Olympic Committee (KOC) in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), the event addressed a number of hot topics, such as “Sports and the Covid-19 pandemic,” as well as “National Strategy for Sport, Good Governance and Gender Equality.”

KOC President Besim Hasani opened the conference and stressed the importance of the European Sport Week, whose aim is to involve children and people of all ages in sport as much as possible. MCYS Minister Vlora Dumoshi highlighted that the government was supporting sport and that an emergency fund would be allocated to local clubs. Read more

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LITHUANIA – Third episode of “He for She” campaign: father and daughter’s love for ice hockey

Lithuania’s third episode of “HeForShe Father,” the United Nations (UN) solidarity campaign for the advancement of gender equality, is about a father and daughter’s fight against stereotypes and their mutual love for ice hockey.

Fifteen years ago, ice hockey player Linas Paražinskas would scan the stands searching for his biggest fan - his daughter Rugilė. The little girl never missed her dad’s matches. Today she plays ice hockey herself and tries to shake off the myths surrounding women playing ice hockey.

Paražinskas (50) has been around ice hockey for over four decades. He represented Elektrėnai “Energija” for many years, and a decade ago founded the “Griunvaldas” ice hockey school in Kaunas. Today he is the assistant coach of the Lithuanian national women’s ice hockey team. It is also the team where his daughter Rugilė, 21, plays defence. Read more

ROMANIA – Covaliu and Boroi confirmed as NOC President and Secretary General

The Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR) held the elections of its Executive Board during its annual General Assembly, which took place in Bucharest, Romania, on 24 September.

Mihai Covaliu, Olympic Champion in fencing, was unanimously re-elected President, while George Boroi, 1992 and 1996 Olympian hurdler, was re-appointed Secretary General, both for another four-year term.

Due to the restrictions caused by the COVID crisis, the General Assembly took place on the field of play of the NOC’s Olympic Training Centre in Izvorani, Bucharest. Read more

RUSSIA - Olympic Solidarity sports administration courses held for the first time

A series of training courses in sports management was held for the very first time in Russia, under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The courses took place in Moscow from 8 to 10 September. Supported by Olympic Solidarity, the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) initiated the first part of the National Training Courses for Sports Administrators, adapting the educational material specifically for the Russian-speaking audience. The Russian International Olympic University (RIOU) was chosen by the ROC to host this cycle of the NOC Management programme. The programme is addressed at 30 students, representatives of national sports federations and Olympic councils. All the first participants who successfully concluded the three-day course and passed the final certification were awarded certificates from the IOC and the RIOU. Read more

8 EOC NEWSLETTER August - September 2020 TURKEY – “Bosphorus” Cross-Continental Swimming Race connects Asia and Europe again

Thousands of swimmers from around the world swam from Asia to Europe in the unique “Bosphorus” Cross-Continental Swimming Race for the 32nd time, on 23 August.

The race, organised annually since 1989 by the Turkish Olympic Committee (TOC), featured 1,765 swimmers from 34 countries and is the only swimming contest in the world that sees competitors swim from Asia to Europe.

Hilal Zeynep Saraç from Turkey was crowned champion in the women’s category with a time of 47 minutes 52 seconds, while Mustafa Sevenay, also from Turkey, finished first in the men’s category with a time of 46 minutes 1 second. Read more UKRAINE – #BEACTIVE Olympic lessons kick off in Ukraine ahead of European week of sport

#BEACTIVE Olympic lessons kick off in Ukraine ahead of European week of sport The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine kicked off the celebrations of the European Week of Sport (EWoS) with the launch of the “#BeActive Olympic Lessons” on 14 September.

Famous Ukrainian Olympians from various sports conducted live training sessions on their Instagram accounts.

As part of a wide range of EWoS events and activities in the country, the NOC has launched a series of five short motivational videos about the formula for success from famous athletes and other Ukrainian outstanding personalities. In particular, one of the heroes of the videos is the Ambassador of the European Week of Sports in Ukraine, the UNESCO Champion for Sport, Olympic Champion Sergey Bubka. The NOC of Ukraine President and International Olympic Committee Member spoke about his sports career, the importance of motivation in life and the secrets of success. Read more OLYMPIC EVENTS TOKYO 2020 - Olympic Torch Relay planned for 2021

The Olympic Torch Relay will start its journey on 25 March 2021 from the J-Village National Training Centre in Fukushima Prefecture, and then traverse all 47 prefectures across Japan over a period of 121 days. In principle, the route and the schedule of the Relay will remain as originally planned.

As 2021 will mark the 10th anniversary of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay will aim to showcase the recovery of the areas worst affected by the disaster, in line with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay concept of “Hope Lights Our Way.” Read more

9 EOC NEWSLETTER August - September 2020 EUROPEAN UNION 6th European Week of Sport celebrated from 23 to 30 September

On 23 September, the European Week of Sport (EWoS) was launched in Frankfurt, Germany. This event is traditionally organised in the country of the EU Presidency.

The EWoS is being celebrated for the sixth time. Starting with 5 million participants and 7,000 events in 2015, the 2019 edition drew over 15 million participants to some 28,000 events in 41 countries across Europe and even beyond its borders.

This year, the event took place in special circumstances that invited people to find new ways to stay physically active.

The #BeActive campaign that has accompanied the event since its launch has become #BeActiveAtHome. It aims to create a network of Europeans exchanging ideas on all the different ways to exercise at home.

Stephan Mayer, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community, presented the sport goals of the German presidency, namely cross-sectoral cooperation for sport, but also volunteering and mental health through sport. Mayer said he was hopeful that the European Week of Sport would have a sustainable long-term impact.

Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, and IOC President Thomas Bach also sent their greetings virtually. Meanwhile, Alfons Hörmann, President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), and Alfons Hölzl, President of the German Gymnastics Federation (DTB), discussed support for sport in Germany.

The winners of the #BeActive Awards, created in 2019, will be announced in November 2020 in the three categories: education, workplace, and local hero. Read more MISCELLANEOUS Peace & Sport praises EOC for widely supporting April6 campaign

Peace and Sport (P&S) has openly thanked the EOC for its meaningful contribution to spreading a message of unity and solidarity through sport on 6 April, the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP). The EOC featured in the April6 annual report as one of the P&S partners and sports organisations that most actively supported the seventh edition of the initiative. The publication highlights the unity demonstrated by the sports world on the occasion of April 6, by showcasing the actions and activities undertaken by sports actors, as well as the important role they play in transmitting the values of sport to the Olympic family and beyond, thus contributing to promoting sustainable development and peace around the world, through sport.

Fifty-three National Olympic Committees, 60 International Federations, 28 sports organisations and 16 Paralympic sports bodies have joined the global digital #WhiteCard movement in many different, innovative ways. The best initiatives will be rewarded during the annual Peace and Sport International Forum, which this year will be held online on 15 December due to COVID-19 restrictions. P&S Founder and President of Peace and Sport Joël Bouzou was invited to participate in a dedicated TV show on the French National Olympic Committee channel “Sport en France” on 2 October The show’s topic was “Le Sport vecteur de Paix?” [Sport, a vehicle for peace?]. In case you missed it, you can watch the episode here. Read more

10 EOC NEWSLETTER August - September 2020 SOCIAL MEDIA HUB

Many NOCs participated in the European Week of Sport 2020!

#RoadToTokyo Meet Turkish karateka Meltem Hocaoğlu Akyol

#RoadToTokyo Meet Slovak sprinter Jan Volko #RoadToTokyo Meet Georgian shooter Nino Salukvadze

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