European Olympic Committees (EOC) Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi has been awarded the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Merit Award in recognition of his services to the Olympic Movement.
Mr Pagnozzi was given the award during the Opening Ceremony of the XVII ANOC General Assembly in Cascais, Portugal, by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and ANOC President Dr Robin Mitchell. EOC President Spyros Capralos was also present.
The Italian official has been EOC Secretary General for 18 years and played an instrumental role in the introduction of the European Games in 2015, as well as guiding the organisation through the Covid-19 Pandemic
Mr Pagnozzi’s career in sport administration spans more than 50 years, having worked for the Italian National Olympic Committee from 1973 until 2013, including 20 years as Secretary General.
He served as Italy’s Chef de Mission at 10 Olympic Games and Olympic Winter Games and as the First Vice-President of the International Committee of the Mediterranean Games.
Mr Pagnozzi was awarded the EOC Order of Merit at the 53rd EOC General Assembly in Bucharest in June of this year, in addition to receiving the highest honour in Italian sport, the Collari D’Oro award, in 2018.