Győr –  The European Olympic Committees (EOC) Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi has stated that this week’s European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) will leave a lasting legacy for the Hungarian city of Győr.

Pagnozzi praised the “perfect” organisation of the event, stating that the exceptional sporting facilities and Athletes’ Village have contributed to this year being the “best Summer EYOF in history”. There has been widespread praise from visiting fans, athletes and EOC members for the event, which Pagnozzi believes will leave a lasting cultural, sporting and emotional legacy in Győr.

The sports facilities have been one of the main highlights of the week, drawing praise from the thousands of athletes and coaches involved in the event. Pagnozzi has stated that the investment in improving existing venues, and building high-quality new ones, will have a profound impact long after the EYOF has finished.

During the festival, competitors have been staying at the outstanding Athletes’ Village, which is split into two separate sites. One is in the district of Győr Városrét, where 500 new flats have been built, and will be sold to residents after the festival. The other is at the Széchenyi István University, where dormitories have been rebuilt and expanded to host 2,000 people. The latter includes a fun zone, where athletes can relax and enjoy fun and interactive activities during the week. Pagnozzi is confident that both sites will contribute greatly to the legacy of the EYOF.

Speaking on day four of competition in Győr, Pagnozzi said:

“Hosting the EYOF will undoubtedly leave a positive legacy in Győr, both in infrastructure and in atmosphere. The amazing facilities developed for the festival, some that are new and some that already existed, will be a massive help to the city. I am sure that we will see an improvement to the already high-standard local youth sports programmes, and I am confident that we will also see many more high-profile sporting events take place here in the near future.

“The EYOF has created an amazing atmosphere throughout the city, with thousands of young people acting as volunteers, and businesses across Győr fully embracing the event. I would like to extend my congratulations to the Organising Committee and Hungarian National Olympic Committee. It has been a pleasure to work with Mayor Zsolt Borkai, who has done an incredible job as Head of the Organising Committee.”

Pagnozzi also stated that the EYOF, which is the EOC’s oldest European Olympic event, is growing in stature and going from strength to strength.

“I have spoken to many athletes, officials and chefs de missions this week and I have only heard positive words about their experience in Győr. There is a trend of the EYOF getting better and better each time, which is wonderful to see. Győr have set the bar for the next hosts very high. I look forward to seeing this wonderful event continue to develop, and watching it provide young athletes with the perfect platform to kick-start their Olympic careers!”

The EYOF is currently on competition day four out of six in Győr. 33 of the 50 competing countries have already won medals. Over 2,500 athletes are taking part in 10 sports this week – athletics, basketball, cycling, gymnastics, handball, judo, kayak-canoe, swimming, tennis and volleyball.