Dear Colleagues,
Dear Friends,
We hope that, despite your many commitments taking place this summer, it has been at least a brief opportunity for many of you to have a slower month. But important work has continued behind the scenes, and big decisions have been taken across the Olympic Movement.
On 7 July, the IOC Executive Board took the decision to provisionally lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee. I recognise this is a sensitive topic on which opinions across our membership differ. As you know, the EOC has long believed in the autonomy of sport and in the right of athletes to compete, and we should try to work to break down barriers to competition, not build them up. While I understand this issue will not be viewed the same way by everyone, I believe the autonomy of sport remains the right foundation on which to base such decisions. The EOC continues to stand in full solidarity with the Olympic community of Ukraine, and we are proud that a number of NOCs continue to host Ukrainian athletes for their training.
On 13 July, I met with European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, at the EOC EU Office in Brussels. The meeting reaffirmed our shared commitment, through the Agreement of Cooperation between the EOC and the European Commission, to open and constructive dialogue on complex and sensitive issues, and both sides underlined the importance of continued cooperation to ensure sport remains a force for unity, solidarity and cohesion across Europe.
It was also a great honour to present Michele Kang with the IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Award for Europe at the IWG Women & Sport Global Summit in Birmingham on 9 July, recognising her transformative work in women’s football and female athlete health through Kynisca Sports International and the Kang Women’s Institute.
Elsewhere, we marked one year to go until the return of the Summer European Youth Olympic Festival to Lignano Sabbiadoro, taking place from 24 July to 1 August 2027. Lignano Sabbiadoro will become the first city to host the summer EYOF twice, having first done so in 2005, with preparations progressing well following the reveal of official mascot Doro the lizard earlier this year.
As we look towards the remainder of 2026 and beyond, the EOC’s agenda remains as full and exciting as ever, with Istanbul 2027, our two EYOFs and the Games of the Small States of Europe all firmly on the horizon. Many thanks to you all for your continued dedication and support of the EOC’s activities.
With EurOlympic regards,
Spyros Capralos EOC President
