Opinions & Interviews

“I am confident that Belarus will host the European Games at a proper level. The Games will be a good rehearsal before the Tokyo Summer Olympics and will help unite European athletes,” noted Janez Kocijancic.

The EOC head said the First European Games in 2015 was a success. Janez Kocijancic sees anti-doping fight as the main goal for the world sport and Olympic movement today. “We would like the European Olympic committees to support the IOC principle of zero tolerance to doping. Together we should find the way to protect the clean sport. In my opinion, Europe should show an example of how to fight against doping in sport,” he said.

Janez Kocijancic also believes that Patrick Hickey (assumed the post of the EOC President in 2006 – BelTA’s note) reserves a better lot and should be released from home arrest in Brazil where he is held on the allegations on illegal ticket sales at the Rio Olympic Games.

The EOC new logo was unveiled ahead of the General Assembly. In this respect Janez Kocijancic noted that the European National Olympic Committees should be more united. “If we take a look at the logo, we will see a diamond. If we stay united within the EOC and continue defending our positions in the world sport development, we will be able to make the Olympic movement more popular,” he stressed.

Today the European Olympic Committees, headquartered in Rome, unites 50 National Olympic Committees. The international organization was founded in 1975. The major goal of the EOC is to develop the Olympic movement in Europe in line with the Olympic Charter. The EOC supervises the organization of the European Youth Olympic Festivals and also the European Games.

The General Assembly is the EOC supreme management body. The EOC Executive Committee is its executive body elected every four years. Belarus is represented in the EOC by NOC adviser Georgy Katulin who is the Chairman of the Olympic Games Commission.

The National Olympic Committee of Belarus takes an active part in all major international events of the European Olympic Committees. In 2011 Minsk played host to the EOC Executive Committee meeting. President of Belarus’ NOC Alexander Lukashenko took part in the meeting as well.

Jointly with the EOC, Belarus has recently hosted the European seminar for sports media and the Legends’ Race biathlon festival.

Thanks to its active international activity, Belarus’ NOC got the right to host the 45^th EOC General Assembly and the 2019 Summer European Youth Olympic Festival.