European sports leaders will gather in Istanbul on 6 and 7 October for the European Olympic Committees’ 52nd General Assembly with more than 300 representatives of the sporting community present.

Ahead of a critical period for European sport, underlined by the forthcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024, the delegatesfrom the IOC, European National Olympic Committees (NOCs), future Olympic and Olympic Winter Games Organising Committees and others will gather in Türkiye to reflect on the successes of 2023 and to consider how best to take advantage of having Paris 2024 followed by the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

IOC President Thomas Bach and EOC President Spyros Capralos will be present as European NOCs consider one of the busiest years in the history of the EOC, which featured the third edition of the European Games, a winter and summer European Youth Olympic Festival and a Games of the Small States of Europe.

Day one of the GA will see reports from the EOC, IOC, Association of National Olympic Committees and a focus on the two EYOFs held in 2023 and the two scheduled to take place in 2025. The EOC Laurel Awards will be presented on day one, while the winner of the summer Piotr Nurowski Prize for the best young European athlete will also be voted on and then awarded at the Gala Dinner that evening, alongside the IOC Climate Awards and the EOC Order of Merit.

Following an address from IOC President Bach on the second morning, an extended session will then look at the European Games, which will include separate panel discussions on the experiences of athletes, NOCs and European Federations, as well as a fourth discussion focusing on communication and media, as the EOC looks to carry on the momentum built during the European Games in Poland.

President Capralos emphasised the importance of the GA for the European Olympic Movement, especially the session around the European Games, the successes and lessons to be learned from the third edition in Poland.

Speaking prior to travelling to Istanbul, the President said: “It will be an honour for me to address the entire European Olympic family and many distinguished sports leaders during such an important year for the EOC. We look forward to hearing from IOC President Thomas Bach as European NOCs work to provide their athletes with the best possible chances for success in Paris. The General Assembly gives us all a chance to reflect on the past nine months, including both the European Youth Olympic Festivals, the Games of the Small States of Europe and, most importantly, the European Games. I am interested to hear the feedback from the panellists and know that it will help shape our approach to future editions.

“In the coming years, the Olympic Games and Olympic Winter Games will both return to our continent. This is an exciting opportunity for all of us. Europe has been the most successful continent at both the modern Olympic Games and Olympic Winter Games with 12,438 medals won by our athletes, including 3949 gold medals. We are proud of the incredible achievements of all of our athletes and look forward to seeing our members continue that in France next summer and Italy in 2026.

“As we look forward to welcoming cultures from all over the world to Paris and then Milano-Cortina, it is a further reminder of the role that sport can play in bringing together different cultures and promoting peaceful unity. It is vitally important that the European Olympic Family remembers this whenever we take decisions.” 

The GA in Istanbul will be preceded by the fifth EOC Executive Committee meeting of the year on 5 October with the venue for the 53rd EOC GA in 2024 also set to be confirmed.