Dear Colleagues,

Dear Friends,

The crisis in Ukraine remains at the forefront of all our minds and we pray each day that peace imminently returns. I am deeply grateful for the support Europe’s National Olympic Committees (ENOCs) are continuing to provide to the Ukrainian people. Almost every day I hear of new initiatives being organised by the European Olympic family, which make me feel immensely proud. It is crucial now that we maintain and even enhance our efforts to support our friends in Ukraine and show our solidarity in the vital months ahead.

Sport, as the past few months in particular have shown, is a powerful social tool. It brings hope and joy, and helps shape the lives of our future generations. At the EOC, our core focus is on delivering excellence for the athletes of today, and providing a platform that will inspire the athletes of tomorrow.

At the heart of a sustainable sporting future is the European Sport Model, which provides an environment for elite athletes to excel and grassroots sport to thrive. I had the honour of representing the EOC in a meeting of the European Union (EU) Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (EYCS) in Luxembourg, where I outlined the critical importance of the European Sport Model to the future of sport in the continent, as well as how the model enables EU values to be disseminated amongst the next generation.

I look forward to continuing these positive discussions with our friends at the EU and with our continent’s athletes at the European Evening of Sport and European Athletes Forum on 21-22 June in Brussels. Prior to this, the EU Sport Forum in Lille will provide another opportunity to have a wide-ranging discussion on the future outlook of European sport.

As we saw in Vuokatti earlier this year for the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), our young athletes and fans ensure the European Olympic Movement continues to innovate and change for the better. During the Chef de Mission Seminar in Banska Bystrica, the host of this summer’s EYOF, we once again witnessed how this youthful exuberance and dynamism is essential on our journey forward. At the end of May, the Banska Bystrica 2022 Flame Ceremony will take place in Rome, and the countdown to the much-anticipated event will truly begin!

We have much to focus on and look forward to in the weeks and months ahead, including the EOC General Assembly in Skopje in June. I hope the inspiring stories in this month’s newsletter will energise you on our path to a better and brighter European future and I thank you once again for your contributions to our shared goal.

With best EurOlympic greetings,

Spyros Capralos