The European Olympic Committees (EOC) Executive Committee (EC) held its third meeting of the year in the Azeri capital of Baku yesterday, with the key focus on finalising preparations for the important upcoming events before the end of the year.

The EC’s meeting, which coincided with the Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee’s (NOC) 25th anniversary celebrations, was led by EOC Acting President Janez Kocijančič. The EC discussed important matters such as the mid-October Athletes’ Forum and Assembly in Monaco, where a new Athletes’ Commission will be elected, as well as the 2017 EOC General Assembly in Zagreb (24-25 November), where the EOC’s new EC will be elected for the 2017-2021 term.

Special attention was also paid to the comprehensive report by Minsk 2019 Coordination Commission Chair Spyros Capralos, on the first CoCom meeting held in Minsk earlier this month, in preparation of the second European Games. On reflection of the report, Kocijančič, who joined the CoCom on their visit to Minsk thanked them for their “excellent work.” Updated information was also offered to the EC members on possible sponsorship contracts, and also on past and future European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) plans.

Prior to the meeting, the EOC delegation met with HE Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and President of the NOC, as he hosted the 25th anniversary celebrations. The EOC EC and many NOC presidents and secretary generals attended the official lunch hosted by President Aliyev at the Heydar Aliyev Centre, Baku’s iconic cultural centre.

While in Baku this week, Kocijančič also attended the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Forum for the leaders of the NOCs of Georgia, the Community of the Independent States (CIS), and Baltic States, and invited the participants, (almost all members of the European Association), to bring back concrete proposals following the discussion.