Bucharest, 12 September 2014 The grand gala at the Atheneum Palace was the highlight of the celebrations organised by the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee for its centenary. Before a host of VIP guests, including many Romanian Olympians of all ages, NOC President Alin Petrache welcomed his predecessor Octavian Morariu, today IOC Member in Romania, IOC President Thomas Bach, EOC President and ANOC Senior Vice President Patrick Hickey, and many NOC Presidents from across Europe, as well as political and sports personalities, including the young and dynamic Romanian Minister for Sport and onetime athletics champion Gabriela Szabo .

The event, also attended by the President of Romania, Traian Basescu, evoked the many exciting moments of Romanian Olympism with videos, music and singing. Since the movement was founded in 1914 and Romania attended its first Olympic Games in 1924 Romanian athletes have brought home 301 medals ( 88 gold , 94 silver and 119 bronze).

A century full of highlights brought to the city of Bucharest and the people of Romania by the NOC, marked by the flags and posters, including a huge one on the Arch of Triumph, that adorned the capital of the country, evoking once more the feats of the athletes of this wonderful country.
At the beginning of the week NOC President Alin Petrache and a number of local dignitaries paid homage to the tombs of the founder of the Olympic Movement of Romania and the country’s first IOC Member Prince George Gh. Bibescu, and his son George Valentin Bibescu, who set up the NOC and was its first President.

The centenary was also marked by the Bucharest metro, that changed the names of 51 stations renaming them after Romanian sports celebrities, with Piata Unirii 2 named after the gymnast Nadia Comaneci, whilst Nicholas Teclu has been named after the great athlete Lia Manoliu, someone particularly dear to the NOC as she was a member of its Executive Committee for many years.

A centenary that will not be forgotten and that presages many future successes.
Congratulations dear Romanian friends.