The highlight on day one (Friday) of the 45th EOC General Assembly was the election of Minsk as host of the second edition of the European Games in 2019.

The candidacy of Minsk was approved by a large majority vote and EOC acting President Janez Kocijančič commented:

“I am delighted that the General Assembly has voted to bring the European Games to Minsk in 2019. Minsk has excellent sports facilities and their initial proposal is to use as much existing infrastructure as possible to create a Games concept suited to their national sports identity. This has the benefit of making the Games more affordable and sustainable for Belarus.”

Minsk has a strong reputation for staging high-level competitions in Olympic sports having hosted the UCI Track Cycling World Championships and the EUBC European Boxing Championships in 2013, the IIHF World Championship in Ice Hockey in 2014, and the ISU European Speed Skating Championships earlier this year.

Day one also saw the confirmation of two other host cities, for the Winter and Summer editions of the European Youth Olympic Festival in 2021.

Vuokatti in Finland was approved as the host of the 2021 Winter EYOF, whilst Košice in Slovakia was awarded the Summer edition.

2016 is the 25th anniversary of the EYOF and to celebrate this milestone a special presentation was made by Chairman of the EYOF Commission Victor Sanchez.

Furthermore two athletes who competed at the European Youth Olympic Festival and went on to become Olympic champions were in attendance: Greek judoka Ilias Iliadis, who won Olympic gold at Athens 2004, and Russian gymnast Elena Zamolodchikova, who won two Olympic gold medals at Sydney 2000.

The Organising Committees of the Winter and Summer editions of the EYOF in 2017: Erzurum, in Turkey, and Gyor, in Hungary, also gave comprehensive progress reports to the General Assembly.

Throughout the day, speakers addressing the EOC membership stated their support for Patrick Hickey and expressed their wish to see him return from Brazil to Ireland as soon as possible.

Acting EOC President Kocijančič spoke passionately about the situation and received unanimous support to his proposal for solidarity across the EOC’s membership in helping Patrick Hickey.

The day began with welcome speeches from the Republic of Belarus and NOC President, Alexander Lukashenko, ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad al Fahad al Sabah, Kocijančič and AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.

Reports were also made by IOC Deputy Director General, Pere Miro, and Deputy Director of Olympic Solidarity, Pamela Vipond. EOC Athletes Commission Chair Jean Michel Saive spoke towards the end of the day and stressed the importance of supporting clean athletes whilst underlining how the entire Olympic Movement must work together if it is to effectively tackle doping in sport.

Finally, delegates cast their votes for the 6th Piotr Nurowski prize for the Best European Young Athlete of the year. The winner was announced at a gala dinner with Greek pole vaulter Emmanouil Karalis taking home first prize from a shortlist of four athletes.