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MAY N.182

EOC

EOC in Spring Mood - May was another fruitful month for the EOC, which was in full swing with the organisation of our

annual Seminar and Executive Committee meeting in Belgrade. Under the direction of EOC President Janez Kocijančič, Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi and other EOC officials, the meetings were productive and led to several important outcomes. The composition of the EOC Commissions was finalised and the winner of the Winter Piotr Nurowski Best European Young Athlete prize was revealed: French biathlete Camille Bened. Other monthly highlights included the appointment of the new EOC marketing and communication agencies. It was a busy month for President Kocijančič, who was also named Vice-President of the International Ski Federation at the FIS Spring Congress in Costa Navarino (GRE) from 13-17 May. In addition, he travelled to Paris on 31 May to attend an informal meeting with EU Sport Ministers, called by French

Sport Minister Laura Flessel. The EOC President took the opportunity to speak about the constantly evolving nature of sports models in Europe and overseas. “One of the greatest challenges that European sport faces is how to preserve the unique nature of our national championships while at the same time keeping pace with the evolution of sports from overseas, in particular America,” he stated. “We must work together to create the winning formula – sustaining the passion and excitement of European sport while increasing competitiveness.” EOC Seminar in Belgrade – The 39th EOC Seminar & IOC Forum took place in Belgrade on 11-12 May. The NOC of Serbia, led by President Bozidar Maljkovic and Secretary General Djordje Visacki, was a flawless host of the event, ensuring that all the delegates from the 50 European National Olympic Committees (ENOCs) and friends from other international organisations received a very warm welcome and stay. With the European Games Minsk 2019 and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on the horizon, the Seminar represented a very useful opportunity for the ENOCs to share their experiences and best practices. Interactive workshops were organised in collaboration with ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg, IOC Head of NOC Games Services Toshio Tsurunaga and Deputy Director Olympic Solidarity & Project Manager for Europe Pamela Vipond. This allowed the NOCs to analyse case studies and work together to find suitable policies to better manage the Games. Delegates were also updated by Minsk European Games Organising Committee CEO George Katulin and Coordination Commission Chair Spyros Capralos on the progress of preparations for the forthcoming European Games. Progress reports on the two other key EOC events – the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) and the Games of the Small States of Europe – were also delivered. “The Seminar is an important moment for sharing our knowledge. We have to make Europe the strongest continent not only in sports but also in wisdom,” EOC President Kocijančič stressed in his welcoming speech. Secretary General Pagnozzi gave a thorough report on the activities of the EOC Head Office, focusing in particular on its work surrounding the European Games. These initiatives are being enhanced by the recently appointed Mitchell Communications Agency and marketing agencies Altius Sport and Octagon, which will contribute to the creation of a compelling Eurolympic narrative. In addition, President Kocijančič and Secretary General Pagnozzi signed an agreement together with Spanish Olympic Committee President Alejandro Blanco and Secretary General Victoria Cabezas that confirmed Marbella, Spain as the host city of the 47th EOC General Assembly, to take place 9-10 November 2018. The next EOC Seminar will take place in Durres, Albania on 10-11 May 2019, upon invitation by the Albanian NOC.

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EOC Executive Committee holds 2nd meeting of 2018 - On the eve of the 39th EOC Seminar & IOC Forum in Belgrade, the Members of the EOC Executive Committee held their second meeting of the year. EOC President Janez Kocijančič conducted the working session, warmly thanking President of the Serbian Olympic Committee Božidar Maljković for his hospitality. “The EOC Executive Committee is very well composed and its Members have great experience and expertise in the field, which will lead our organisation to achieve continually better results,” the President said. He also stressed that the EOC’s new approach, based on transparency and efficiency that align with IOC and ANOC policies, will truly represent the Olympic spirit in our continent. A report on the progress in preparations for the 2nd European Games Minsk 2019 was delivered by Coordination Commission Chair Spyros Capralos and MEGOC CEO George Katulin. At the European Union level, the activities of the EOC EU Office in

Brussels and related information were also addressed, in particular the new Data Protection Legislation that came into force at the end of May. ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg gave a brief report on the latest ANOC activities and referred to the ‘New Norm,’ an IOC initiative that aims to lower costs at the Olympic Games, ease the candidature procedure and allow for more reasonable budgets for future hosts. EC Members also received a presentation of the city of Marbella, the venues and provisional programme for the 47th EOC General Assembly to be held in the Spanish city in November. The EC Members will meet for the third time this year on September 20 in Stockholm, upon the invitation of recently elected Swedish NOC President Mats Arjes. 3rd Winter Piotr Nurowski Prize - Camille Bened (FRA) was named the winner of the 3rd edition of the Winter Piotr Nurowski Best European Young Athlete prize. The young French biathlete received her prize in recognition of her sporting accomplishments, including a gold medal at the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival last year in Erzurum, Turkey. This year, five athletes were shortlisted from a list of 19 nominees. EOC Athletes’ Commission chair Gerd Kanter welcomed the athletes to the seminar, where they gave short presentations about their accomplishments. The award ceremony took place on 11 May at the Gala dinner at Belgrade City Hall as part of the annual European Olympic Committees Seminar. The runner-up prize went to freestyle skier Jennie-Lee Burmansson (SWE), while speed skater Karolina Bosiek (POL) received the third-most votes. Tied in fourth place were figure skater Annika Hocke (GER) and short-track speed skater Peter Murphy (LUX). The winning athlete was awarded with a €15,000 scholarship, while the second- and third-place finishers secured €8,000 and €5,000 respectively. The two fourth-place athletes, meanwhile, both received €3,000. “I am honoured to have been selected for this prestigious award. It’s amazing to see your work recognised by the sporting community. The prize will definitely keep me motivated to excel, while the scholarship money will certainly help take away some of the financial pressure,” Bened said. “The Piotr Nurowski prize is a fantastic recognition of the value young athletes bring to the Olympic Movement,” said EOC Athletes’ Commission chair Kanter. “We hope that this award, and the scholarships that go with it, will provide valuable support to athletes in their pursuit of even greater athletic and personal excellence.”

COMMISSIONS

The new EOC Commissions have been finalised. Further to the EOC Executive Committee meeting in Belgrade, Serbia on 10 May, eight new bodies composed of members with expertise in their respective fields will be in charge of advising and supporting the EOC over the next 4-year term: Olympic Games – Chair Mr Yury Yuriev (RUS) Marketing & Communication – Chair Mr Mihai Claudiu Covaliu (ROU) EYOF-European Youth Olympic Festival – Chair Mr Jose Manuel Araujo (POR) European Union – Chair Mr Juri Tamm (EST) Environment & Sport for All – Chair Mr Gilad Lustig (ISR) Olympic Culture & Legacy – Chair Ms Susanna Rahkamo (FIN) Medical & Anti-doping – Chair Dr Klaus Steinbach (GER) Gender Equality in Sport – Chair Ms Sarah Keane (IRL) Legal Affairs Commission – Chair Mr Marc Theisen (LUX)

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In addition, a Working Group named Olympic Academies has been set up, chaired by Ms Gudrun Doll-Tepper (GER). The EOC also benefits from the Athletes’ Commission, chaired by Mr Gerd Kanter (EST). The composition of the Commission was elected last October in Monte Carlo, and its Members will serve as athlete representatives on each of the new Commissions.

ENOCs

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA - The contract for reconstruction and final restoration of the Olympic Museum on Petrakija

Street in Sarajevo was signed this month in Sarajevo. The project to restore one of the symbols and leading examples of Austro-Hungarian architecture in the city will be undertaken by architect Ivan Štraus. The signatories to the renovation agreement were the President of the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina Siniša Kisić and the director of contractor company Unigradnja Mustafa Duraković. Museum Director Edin Numankadić, the man who protected the exhibits during the last war, said the restoration would once again illuminate the stars of the Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo in 1984 and showcase the Sarajevo of the 20th century. Mayor Abdulah Skaka expressed hope that next year the museum will be visited by athletes and guests of the 2019 Winter European Youth Olympic Festival, which will take place in Sarajevo & East Sarajevo from 9-16 February 2019.

DENMARK - More than 70,000 Danes participated in the Royal Run to celebrate the Crown Prince’s 50th birthday on 21 May. Crown Prince Frederik, who was greeted by thousands of cheering supporters, ran a mile in Aalborg, Aarhus, Esbjerg and Odense, before finishing 10 km in Copenhagen/Frederiksberg.

On 5 May, representatives from all Danish NOC sports federations gathered at an annual assembly to take stock of the work done over the last year. NOC President Niels Nygaard emphasised in his report that it has been a great year for the NOC, both economically and politically. Nygaard, who is also EOC Vice President, reported on topics including anti-doping, volunteer programmes, the Royal Run, and the initiative ‘Move for Life,’ whose goal is for 50 per cent of the Danish population to have joined a sports club and 75 per cent to be regularly taking part in sports activities by 2025. “Our common vision in the coming years is making Denmark the world’s most sporting nation,” Nygaard said. “We are already the happiest nation in the world – or at least close to it. We are also one of the world’s greenest and most climate-friendly nations. But we must be even more ambitious. We want to be also the world’s most sporting nation!”

FINLAND - On occasion of the 39th EOC Seminar in Belgrade, the Finnish Olympic Committee presented their new Sport Leadership Programme, a legacy project of IOC World Trophy Winner Birgitta Kervinen and supported by the EOC. The aim of the programme is to transform the sport movement by creating a new generation of young women and men who have the power to make great changes with their ideas and actions. From October 2018 to September 2019, three workshops and one conference will be organised in collaboration with the Lithuanian NOC, IOC, and EOC, and will include the participation of 30 Mentoring Champions. “To build an equal and modern culture of sport, it takes persistence. It takes concrete actions. It takes leaders who speak up,” Kervinen said, highlighting the need for an institutional transformation to achieve the goal of ethical leadership, including gender equality. The targets of the ‘New Leaders Programme’ are women and men working in National Olympic Committees or

in the Olympic Movement, as well as Olympians looking for career transition opportunities, who are eager to be part of this mission.” Based on personal motivation letters and support letters from NOCs, 30 applicants will be shortlisted by the end of August 2018. The evaluation will be conducted by the NOC of Finland and the selection approved by EOC Gender Equality in Sport Commission. The Finnish Olympic Committee has also been coordinating a campaign called #MITÄTEHTÄIS (#WHATTODO) to ensure that all Finnish children have the opportunity to do physical activity every day. “We challenge companies and other actors

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to care of the well-being of children. At present two-thirds of our children do not move adequately for their health and well-being. We want to correct this and create a good and active day for all children,” said Mikko Salonen, CEO of the Finnish Olympic Committee. The goal this year is to set up at least 250 clubs for some 4,000 children. The clubs will be financed by companies and donors and run by local sports club directors, associations and athletes. The clubs are specifically reaching out to children who are currently physically inactive. FRANCE - French Sport Minister Laura Flessel organised an informal meeting of European Sport Ministers in Paris on 31

May to adopt a declaration on a “Reinforced Sporting Europe.” The initiative was also aimed at promoting values related to the Olympic Games Paris 2024: protection of athletes, integrity of sport events, promoting European values through sport and bringing Europe closer to the public. EOC President Janez Kocijančič was invited to the meeting, which provided an opportunity to reaffirm that The European Olympic Committees are fully engaged with all partners, in particular Paris 2024, and support and advance the issues that ensure the future of a clean and inclusive sport movement inspired by Olympic values. The meeting took place at the Stade de France in Paris, and featured among others Bulgarian Minister of Youth and Sports Krasen Kralev, French NOC Secretary General and EOC EC Member Jean-Michel Brun, and European Commissioner for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Tibor

Navracsics. President Kocijančič spoke about the constantly evolving nature of sports models in Europe and overseas, and called for the strengthening the European Sports Model. The sports leaders signed a declaration of intent regarding the EU’s sport perspective on Paris 2024, which they welcomed as an important event to promote Europe’s cultural, sporting and social heritage. GERMANY - The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) is looking for former top female athletes interested in an international career in sports to join its mentoring program for 2018/2019. The deadline for applications is 30 June. The aim of the programme is to motivate junior female staff members to take on managerial positions and support them on their way to becoming experienced executives. The special focus of the DOSB Mentoring Program is on young female athletes who, following their sporting careers, also aspire to a voluntary or professional career in organised sport. “The programme and my mentor gave me space and provided important ideas for my career after competitive sport,” said Amelie Kober, Olympic silver- and bronze-medallist snowboarder and mentee in the 2016/2017 programme. GREAT BRITAIN – The British Olympic Association supported UK Anti-Doping's (UKAD) Clean Sport Week from 21-27 May,

with many events aimed at raising awareness of clean sport and anti-doping programmes. This year’s campaign, which once again enjoyed the support of a range of National Governing Bodies (NGBs), sports organisations and UK sports stars, celebrated clean athletes and their successes, and promoted the work of the anti-doping community in the fight for clean sport. The campaign also had a strong focus on supplement use and the image-enhancing culture in the UK.

GREECE - For the first time in history, the plenary session of the Hellenic Olympic Committee led by President Spyros Capralos met in a venue outside the headquarters of the HOC in Athens. The meeting took place on May 18 at the Thessaloniki Olympic Museum, sending a symbolic but essential message for sports decentralisation and the strengthening of sport outside Athens. During the meeting, which was attended by the Mayor of Thessaloniki Yannis Boutaris, the HOC announced the establishment of a National Olympic Academy Office at the headquarters of the Olympic Museum in Protergia, Thessaloniki. Joint actions will take place there to celebrate Olympic Day (June 23), various Olympic sports and the Committee of Women and Sports meeting, which will be led by Committee President Xenia Argidaki. Commemorative IOC pins were given to athletes who participated at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, including Sofia Rallis, Apostolos Angelis, Yannis Antoniou and Maria Danu.

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KOSOVO - The Olympic Committee of Kosovo organised Olympic Day celebrations in the seven centers of Kosovo - Pristina, Gjilan, Ferizaj, Mitrovica, Prizren, Gjakova and Peja - on 25 May. Around 5,000 children took part in the seventh edition of Olympic Celebrations, running hundreds of meters across the squares of the municipalities. The Olympic Committee of Kosovo thanked everyone involved and applauded the fruitful cooperation between the seven municipalities, the Directorates for Culture, Youth and Sports, and the Education Directorates of the respective municipalities.

LATVIA - The Latvian Olympic Committee, fully committed to involving youngsters in active, healthy lifestyles, has for the fourth straight year launched its “Sport in Class” project, involving 230 classes and more than 5,200 children in schools all over the country. On 16 May at the Zemgale Olympic Center in Jelgava, students took part in general physical fitness tests and sport competitions.

Together with the Latvian Mobile Telephone Company, the NOC also implemented an interesting initiative to reveal how daily training and physical activity aid in sleep and enable practitioners to wake up more easily in the morning. Thirty-seven Latvian children took part in the experiment: over one year they wore an LTM device that registered their daily physical activity, as well as their sleeping hours. They also answered questionnaires on their habits, daily routines and computer use. The results showed that children who spend more time practicing sport slept better and fell asleep quicker. “I am delighted that our projects continue to make timely progress and the use of modern technology helps us in this sense. A good quality of sleep and rest are essential, and constant exercise and high-intensity physical activity helps improve them,” LOK Secretary General Georges Tikmers noted. POLAND - On May 29 the Polish NOC welcomed a delegation from Croatia headed by the Secretary of State for Sport of

the Republic of Croatia, Janica Kostelić, a four-time Olympic champion in alpine skiing known as the greatest Croatian sportswoman of all times. During the meeting with President of the Polish Olympic Committee Andrzej Kraśnicki, the leaders discussed topics related to the promotion of Olympism and its values, as well as the challenges sports face in the modern world, in particular with the evolution of and competition with new technologies. President Kraśnicki told his Croatian guests about the structure and principles of the POC, and the directors participating in the meeting summarised the NOC’s current activities. Kraśnicki also underlined the excellent relations between the POC and the Croatian Olympic Committee and its President Zlatko Matesa, with whom President Kraśnicki has worked in close cooperation as part of the Executive

Committee of the European Olympic Committees. RUSSIA - Stanislav Pozdnyakov has been elected President of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), replacing outgoing Alexander Zhukov. Pozdnyakov defeated Alexander Popov in an election organised on 29 May, receiving 214 votes, or 78.7 per cent of the total. Pozdnyakov, 44, was the first vice-president of the ROC and headed the neutral Olympic Athletes from Russia team at this year’s Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang. He is also one of the world’s most-decorated fencers, with four Olympic gold medals and 10 world championships to his name. “Among the main tasks of the sports and organisational activities of the ROC, it is necessary to highlight the increase in the effectiveness of interaction with the Ministry of Sport and the All-Russian Sports Federations (OCF),” he was quoted by TASS, Russia’s official state news agency. Vladimir Sengleev and five-time Olympic synchronised swimming champion Anastasia Davydova were reappointed as ROC Director General and Secretary General, respectively.

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SPAIN – The Spanish Olympic Committee hosted the XVIII Congress of the Spanish and Portuguese speaking Association of Olympic Academies on 15 May in Madrid. Representatives from Olympic Academies in Europe, the Americas and Africa took part in the Congress, including members from Angola, Argentina, Cape Verde, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Mozambique, Paraguay, Portugal, Puerto Rico and Uruguay. The session was attended by President of the Spanish Olympic Committee Alejandro Blanco and President of the Royal Spanish Olympic Academy Conrado Durántez. Blanco said: “The Association of Olympic Academies has become what it is today because of the principles and values the academies are based upon, the ones that hark back to the cradle and the origins of Olympism.” Durántez thanked Blanco for the support he has given the Royal Spanish

Olympic Academy and presented the NOC President with a plaque of the Royal Spanish Olympic Academy in gratitude. Since its creation in 1990, the Association has carried out important work in support of and coordination with all national member academies. It has participated directly in the creation of Olympic academies in countries where they did not exist and in the consolidation of those already formed. Congresses of the Association are held every two years. TURKEY - “Move, learn, discover” was the slogan of Olympic Day celebrations in Gaziantep on 3 May, jointly organised by the IOC and the Turkish Olympic Committee. Around 500 sports fans of all ages gathered together with Turkish athletes to play their favourite sports, which included basketball, archery, darts, cycling, bowling, and climbing. As a sign of inclusion and solidarity, 350 Syrian refugee children also attended the events. Among the many athletes that took part, Nevriye Yılmaz (Basketball), İlke Özyüksel (Pentathlon), Fatih Cengiz (Wrestling), Eren Akkurt (Karate), Sibel Güngör (Taekwondo), Yücel Sezer and Halit Can Baskaya (Weightlifting) showed great enthusiasm playing with their fans. At the end of the event, all of the participants received an assessment from their sporting idols and were awarded with a certificate of attendance signed by IOC President Thomas Bach and TOC President Uğur Erdener.

EUROPEAN SPORT EVENTS

EUROPEAN GAMES Progress in preparations for the European Games Minsk 2019, the 2nd edition of the continent’s premier multisport event,

was outlined for the participants of the EOC Seminar in Belgrade by Coordination Commission Chair Spyros Capralos and Minsk European Games Organising Committee Chair George Katulin. Simon Clegg, the former Baku 2015 Chief Operating Officer, was unveiled as the European Olympic Committees’ European Games Executive Director for Minsk 2019. Clegg relocated to Azerbaijan in 2013 where he worked with the Republic’s Minister for Youth and Sport, Azad Rahimov, for the highly successful inaugural edition of the European Games. His new role will see him regularly in Belarus from now until Games-time in June 2019. He will work closely with MEGOC and the Coordination Commission for the successful delivery of the event. Commenting on his appointment, EOC President Janez Kocijančič said: “I am

delighted that Simon has agreed to work with us again. His experience in Baku coupled with over 30 years in the Olympic Movement mean that he is uniquely placed to support the EOC and MEGOC. While still relatively young, the European Games concept is the EOC’s most important asset and this appointment further strengthens our aspirations for the brand and the future of the event.” The NOCs of Belarus and Poland also announced this month that they will hold a joint sports event dedicated to the 2nd European Games and the 100th anniversary of the Polish Olympic Committee. The decision was made following a visit of the Belarusian delegation headed by First Vice-President Andrei Astashevich to the Polish Olympic Committee, upon invitation of President Andrzej Kraśnicki. Belarus also signed an inter-state agreement with Russia to establish visa-free entry for foreign fans that have purchased 2018 FIFA World Cup match tickets and those that will purchase tickets for the 2nd European Games. The agreement was signed by the two countries’ Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Vladimir Makei (BLR) and Sergey Lavrov (RUS).

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EYOF Winter - Sarajevo 2019 - The countdown to the Sarajevo & East Sarajevo 2019 European Youth Olympic Festival has officially started with the unveiling of an EYOF 2019 clock in front of the Sarajevo City Centre on 23 May. The EYOF 2019 Winter edition will be held from 9-16 February 2019 and it will be the biggest sports event in the city after the 1984 Olympics. The Countdown Ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Sarajevo Abdulah Skaka, President of the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina Siniša Kisić, Director of the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board Nermin Muzur, as well as the Director and Deputy Director of the EYOF 2019 Organising Committee Senahid Godinjak and Natko Sudžuka. Also in attendance was the EYOF 2019 mascot Groodvy.

Summer - Baku 2019 - The Coordination Commission led by Serbian EOC EC Member Djordje Visacki will make its first visit to Baku on 10 July 2018 to meet with the local organising committee and check on preparations. The biggest youth event in Europe will take place in the Azerbaijani capital from 20-28 July 2019 and will feature 10 different sports: Artistic gymnastics, Athletics, Basketball, Cycling, Handball, Judo, Swimming, Tennis, Wrestling and Volleyball. A presentation on the competition venues, most of which were used for the inaugural European Games in 2015, was delivered to the 39th EOC Seminar in Belgrade. It was also noted that the Baku 2019 logo, mission, vision and values will be revealed at an upcoming one-year-to-go event this July. The European Youth Olympic Festival, with a history of 25 years, is the top multi-sport event in Europe for athletes aged 14 to 18. Winter and Summer editions of the EYOF are organised every two years. GSSE Montenegro 2019 - The countdown to the Games of the Small States of Europe Montenegro 2019 began on 25 May with

the commemoration of a clock at the entrance to Budva, the centre of Montenegrin tourism on the Adriatic Sea. The clock shows how many days, hours and minutes are left until the start of the Games on 27 May 2019. Athletes from nine European countries with less than a million inhabitants - Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro and San Marino - will participate in the Games. The unveiling of the countdown clock was part of one-year-to-go celebrations held in front of the walls of the Budva Old Town. Welcome addresses were delivered by President of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee Dusan Simonovic, Budva Mayor Dragan Krapovic, Director of Sports Directorate at

the Ministry of Sports Milos Lalevic and Volunteers 2019 representative Jovan Ramovic.

MEDITERRANEAN GAMES

TARRAGONA 2018 - With only a few days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the XVIII Mediterranean Games on 22 June, the 19 European NOCs that participate in the Games are focused on final preparations for Tarragona 2018. The ENOCs have traditionally performed very well at the Mediterranean Games, which feature 26 countries from three continents (Europe, Africa and Asia) in total. New to the Mediterranean Games this year will be triathlon, 3×3 basketball and women’s water polo, while golf and equestrian are back after missing the last edition in Mersin, Turkey. At a recent launch, the medals for the Games were revealed. Similar to roman coins, the medals symbolize Tarragona’s ties to ancient sport competitions. Ticket sales started on 17 May, with prices ranging from 6 to 25 euros for the sport competitions, and from 20 to 80 euros for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

OLYMPIC GAMES

TOKYO 2020 - Early in May, the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games announced that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board had approved its final venue plan for football events. With the achievement of this milestone, all of the venues for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 have been finalised.

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At the end of May, Tokyo organisers held the tenth meeting of their Mascot Selection Panel. The panel members continued their discussions on proposed names for the Tokyo 2020 Games mascots. The names will be revealed during the official Tokyo 2020 Games mascots’ debut event scheduled for late July.

YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES

BUENOS AIRES 2018 - The Olympic Village for the Youth Olympic Games to be held from 6-18 October in Buenos Aires was officially inaugurated on 25 May at a ceremony held in the Villa Soldati neighbourhood of the Argentine capital. Among various events on the day, a commemorative key of the Village was presented to Olympic champions Luis Scola (basketball), Paula Pareto (judo), Madison Walter Perez (cycling) and Sebastian Crismanich (taekwondo). Some 6,286 athletes, coaches and officials will reside in the Olympic Village. In total, there will be 7,016 beds as well as dining facilities with 2,300 seats. After Buenos Aires 2018, the apartments in the Olympic Village will be sold in instalments to the public with low interest rates. The new owners are expected to move in to the facilities in March and April 2019. At the end of May, the local organising committee presented #Pandi (with an initial

hashtag to show its strong digital profile) as the mascot of the Youth Olympic Games. The launch was made through social media networks to underscore its digital profile and to reach out to young people. In the presentation video, #Pandi shows perseverance and festive spirit to achieve different objectives. Buenos Aires 2018 wants the first Olympic event to be held in Argentina to be a source of inspiration for the construction of a better world through sport and wanted its mascot to symbolise this. #Pandi was designed by the Argentine agency Human Full Agency, under the creative direction of Peta Rivero y Hornos. The mascot represents a jaguar, an endangered wildcat species that inhabits areas of northern Argentina.

ANOC

The final sports program for the ANOC World Beach Games San Diego from 10-15 October 2019 was confirmed by ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg in late May after she had given an overview of the Games at the Belgrade EOC Seminar. The program is made up of 15 exciting, youth-centric sports that will feature world-class athletes and captivating entertainment for the event’s inaugural edition. The announcement came after ANOC signed formal participation agreements with all 15 of the participating International Sports Federations. There will be 17 disciplines in total: Triathlon – Aquathlon; Basketball – 3X3 ; Cycling – BMX ; Sports Climbing – Bouldering; Handball – Beach Handball; Karate – Individual Kata; Sailing – Kite-foil Racing; Skateboarding – Park; Football – Beach soccer; Surfing – Shortboard & Longboard; Swimming – Open Water 5km; Tennis – Beach Tennis; Beach Volleyball – 4×4; Water-skiing – Water-ski Jump & Wakeboard; Wrestling – Beach Wrestling. The 15 sports will bring together approximately 1,300 athletes from every Olympic continent across six days of competition. Secretary General Lindberg said: “This sports program demonstrates what the ANOC World Beach Games are all about. At San Diego 2019, we’ll see elite athletes from 15 exciting sports that individually attract huge global youth audiences. Every discipline is dynamic, accessible and fantastic entertainment. By bringing them together for the first time under the ANOC World Beach Games banner, we will connect the NOCs of the world with a new generation of young sports fans.”

WADA

Sébastien Gillot (FRA) has been appointed Director of European Regional Office and International Federation Relations by the World Antidoping Agency. Gillot, who will assume the role in Lausanne, Switzerland on 13 August 2018, is currently Head of Communications for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), a role he has held since 2014.

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The Frenchman holds a Bachelor of Accounting from the ICS Bégué (Paris) as well as a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from the Institut Supérieur des Médias de Paris. Prior to the UCI, he held numerous communications/stakeholder engagement roles in the sports industry. In his new role, Gillot will reinforce WADA’s mission by ensuring that the agency’s objectives are successfully met. Gillot will replace Benjamin Cohen, who is set to become the first Director General of the new International Testing Agency (ITA).

EUROPEAN UNION

Sport as a tool for integration and social inclusion of refugees - Inclusiveness and integration have always been the driving force of Europe, so what better vehicle than sport to help shape these values? In this regard, the European Commission has recently launched a compelling initiative that harnesses the power of sport for the successful integration of refugees. Considering the growing number of refugees aiming to settle in the European Union, there is an increasing need for effective integration and social-inclusion initiatives. Across the European Union at the Member States’ level or within European Union programmes, a wide range of initiatives and innovative projects are already being implemented. “Sport as a Tool for Integration and Social Inclusion of Refugees” is a pilot project aimed at contributing to the efforts of the EU countries to support local sport programmes focused on the integration of refugees. The project will select approximately 25 proposals in total from those submitted via online application by 7 June 2018 (12 noon Brussels’ time). The programmes should involve local sport organisations, encourage both women and men to participate, and involve refugees (especially those up to 30 years old) in mixed sport activities. The total budget is EUR 1.4 million. For further information about the pilot project please visit the following website https://ec.europa.eu/sport/calls/eac-s16-2018-integration-social-inclusion-refugees_en or contact the EU EOC Head Office.

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https://ec.europa.eu/sport/calls/eac-s16-2018-integration-social-inclusion-refugees_en