European Young Olympic Ambassadors inspire Bakuriani 2025 athletes to embrace Olympism

The eighth edition of the European Young Olympic Ambassadors (EYOA) programme is proving a success at the Winter European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) thanks to the enthusiasm and innovation of the Ambassadors involved.

Overseen by the European Olympic Committees’ (EOC) Culture and Education Commission and led by its member Nataša Janković, the EYOA programme focuses on introducing young athletes competing at the EYOF to the Olympic Values and helping to equip them with skills for their future careers.

For the first time, the 22 EYOAs are spread across three separate sites, ensuring that the Ice Hockey athletes in Tbilisi and the skating athletes in Batumi also have access to their programmes. Together, they have devised a range of initiatives and games for the athletes to take part in, with the main Bakuriani Fun Zone located next door to the Athletes’ Village.

Romanian Olympian Ebru Bolat competed in sailing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and was inspired to join the programme after struggling to find the right balance between respect and competition as a young athlete.

Bolat said: “When I competed in Paris as an Olympian, I really enjoyed learning about the Olympic values. I think they’re very important, especially when you’re competing — it is so important to respect each other and try to be friends, but also to perform at your best.

When I was younger, I struggled with that and I felt I could teach them given my experiences, so I signed up as it was a good opportunity and I’m very happy I am here.

It’s important to engage the young athletes so that they get to know each other, are not shy and timid, and learn about Olympic Values and what it means to be a professional athlete. It’s been very nice to get to know our Ambassadors, as well as trying to motivate the athletes to learn but in entertaining ways.”

In addition to the support of the EOC Culture and Education Commission, the Ambassadors have been supported also by EYOA Alumni Team throughout their inspirational journey. Six former Ambassadors have signed up to be Alumni members, which means they offer advice and guidance to the new cohort of EYOAs in their preparations and during the EYOF. Clea Papaellina, Vice Chair of the EOC Culture and Education Commission, said: “Before coming to Bakuriani we held many webinars in order to be prepared in the best possible way. We provided EYOAs with important information about Olympism and Olympic values, event organisation, and communication.

“Our Alumni team did a great job in leading and mentoring EYOAs and we are also very grateful for the support of our Chair, Jean Michel Brun, Member of the EOC Executive Committee.”

Eva Prato Luna, who works for the British National Olympic Committee (NOC), signed up to be an Alumni member after being an Ambassador at both Winter and Summer EYOFs in 2023.

She said: “It’s been really good to be involved in the programme again. The Olympics and Olympic Movement are very close to my heart, they have inspired me in many ways, and I wanted to share that with other athletes, with other ambassadors and get as many people involved in the programme as possible.”

On the evolution of the programme, she explained: “This year we have included themes such as dual career, social media preparation and personal brand, sports integrity, sports manipulation and safeguarding. We’re educating athletes on all these themes that are really important for them as they progress through their careers.

Each ambassador has been allocated to a team based on their interests and we’ve spent a few months preparing all the tasks and activities that we’re delivering. I think they’re delivering them really well.

We’ve got ambassadors in Tbilisi and Batumi and that’s been very well received, based on the feedback we have had from athletes and teams at those locations.”

The 22 Ambassadors will all be awarded diplomas by EOC President Spyros Capralos during a ceremony at the end of the Festival, and 20 of the Ambassadors taking part in Bakuriani will also be in Skopje for the Summer EYOF 2025, where they will be joined by a further six new Ambassadors. Mr Capralos strongly supports the programme which focuses on Olympic values, solidarity and friendship and stressed that EYOF is not only a competitive opportunity but also a platform for integration.

Bakuriani 2025 Ambassadors

Michal Cmelik (Slovakia)

Ilayda Yilmaz (Türkiye)

Mathilde Løvschall Mikkelsen (Denmark)

Karolina Pietraszek (Poland)

Elisavet Voulgari (Greece)

Ludvig Fjällström (Sweden)

Zarja Tavčar (Slovenia)

Henning Kunkel (Germany)

Adrian Mateo Orcajada (Spain)

Dominic Taylor (Great Britain)

Katarina Suzović (Serbia)