26 March 2012

Rome , 26th March - Following Mario Vazquez Rana's decision to resign as President of the worldwide association of NOCs, 4 continental presidents (Patrick Hickey (EOC), Lassana Palenfo (ANOCA), Robin Mitchell (ONOC), President Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah) and ten members of the ANOC Executive Council met in Bangkok last 18th March to discuss the situation.

As per article 5.5 of the ANOC Statutes, the group adopted a resolution aimed at ensuring continuity in the world association's presidency just a few weeks before the Moscow General Assembly next 13th April.

The resolution, which was adopted by the whole of the ANOC Executive Council, appointed Sheik Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah the world association's interim President.

25 March 2012

Athens, 29th March – The Hellenic NOC have announced details of the Greek leg of the London 2012 Torch Relay, which wil start at Ancien Olympia on Thursday 10th of May and finish in Athens at the Panathenaic Stadium on 17th May.The Lighting Ceremony will be held in Ancient Olympia at noon in the presence of IOC President Dr. Jacques Rogge, LOCOG dignitaries, gouvernment and sports aothorities, among them the EOC Executive Committee led by President patrick Hickey. The Flame will be handed over to the British delegation on the following Thursday at 19:00.

The suggestion for the first torchbearer is the World Champion of swimming Spyros Gianniotis, while the next plenary session of the HOC will also decide for the last torchbearer, who will light the altar at the Panathenaic Stadium.

The Greek leg of the Torch relay presentation was attended by the President of the International Olympic Academy Mr. Isidoros Kouvelos, the Chairman of the Olympic Preparation Commission of the HOC Mr. Giannis Vassiliadis, the member of the HOC, various delegates from the NOC and their sponsors.

In his address, the President of the HOC, Mr. Spyros Capralos, said among other things: "The Torch Relay this year, despite the extremely difficult economic conditions experienced by our country, includes several innovations. You will of course wonder how it is possible, in times of crisis and spending cuts, to prepare a Torch relay that travels across the biggest part of the country, and, of course, entails a significant cost.

The answer is simple. From the first time, our efforts were focused on how not to burden the Greek state with any costs and on how not to spend money coming from taxes paid by Greeks, who suffer so much. And we're really proud because our goal has been achieved. The costs of travel of the Flame came from donations and offers of local municipalities and individuals, who contributed greatly to making this dream trip.

But more important for us is the particular symbolism of the torch relay and its messages. Messages, more timely than ever. We believe that in times not only of economic crisis, but rather a crisis of human and social values, the ideals of Olympism and sport, peace, cooperation, fair play, participation, friendship, concord and harmonious coexistence of different cultures and mentalities, are ideals that can give us hope again for a better future and more importantly the strength to fight for it.

The Flame symbolizes all these ideas and ideals and that is why we wanted the Flame to go everywhere in Greece. Its birth and journey is a great opportunity to remember that it all started from here. The culture, the arts, democracy, respect for human existence, were the legacy of Hellenism to all humanity and still are the main reasons that the modern Greeks should feel proud and use this legacy as an answer to those who try to discredit the country.

Closing, I would like to point out once again that without private initiative neither the Torch Relay nor many of HOC's events would be possible, "concluded Mr. Capralos

The Torch Relay was presented by the Chairman of the Torch Relay Commission Mr Spiros Zannias, noting that the Flame will cover approximately 3000 km on Greek soil, passing through 43 cities in the hands of approximately 500 torchbearers.

The event was attended by the High Priestess Ino Menegaki who said: "It's a great honor for me to be High Priestess in the Lighting Ceremony of the Olympic Flame and I promise to always try to be worthy of this honor."