The EOC Executive Committee (ExCom) met today in Skopje, North Macedonia, ahead of the Opening Ceremony of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF).
The EOC ExCom discussed final preparations for the EYOF, which will run until 26 July and bring together more than 4,000 athletes and officials from 50 delegations, including the EOC Refugee Team and athletes representing the Belarusian Olympic Committee.
The ExCom underlined the importance of the EYOF in uniting talented athletes aged 14 to 18 from across Europe, providing invaluable experience of international multi-sport events and introducing them to the Olympic Values.
The ExCom also confirmed the EOC’s commitment to working in collaboration with the Organising Committee and the participating delegations to ensure a successful EYOF Skopje 2025 for the athletes.
EOC President Spyros Capralos provided a comprehensive report to the ExCom, in which he praised the role of EOC consultants in supporting the Skopje 2025 Organising Committee in preparation for the EYOF.
President Capralos also reflected on the success of the Games of the Small States of Europe in Andorra from 26-31 May, which saw 112,000 viewers on EOC TV as it was streamed live for the first time.
Updates were heard from EOC Secretary General Carlo Mornati, EOC Treasurer Peter Mennel, EOC CEO Jan Lehmann, ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg, and EOC EU Office Director Folker Hellmund.
Discussions covered a range of important topics, including preparations for the 2027 European Games in Istanbul, Türkiye, and the composition of EOC Commissions and Working Groups which has been finalised with the input of the respective Chairs appointed at the previous EOC ExCom meeting in Rome, Italy on 12 May.
The ExCom looked ahead to EOC events in the remainder of the year, including the EOC Seminar in St Paul’s Bay, Malta from 3-4 October, the European Athletes’ Forum and General Assembly in London, Great Britain from 12-13 November, and the European Evening of Sport on 17 November.
The ExCom also expressed the EOC’s gratitude to the European Union for its role in promoting sport across the continent, and looked forward to further developing relations.
Following the EOC ExCom meeting, President Capralos looked forward to the EYOF Skopje 2025.
“The EYOF is a very important and unique event for Europe’s young athletes, and I am grateful for a productive EOC ExCom meeting ahead of the Opening Ceremony in Skopje later today,” President Capralos said.
“We are looking forward to seeing those young athletes take centre stage over the next week. For many, this will be their first experience of a multi-sport event, and the EYOF also provides an important introduction to the Olympic Values and the beauty of Olympism.”
All sport competition and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at Skopje 2025 can be streamed live or watched on demand through EOC TV.
