Sarajevo, 1 April as part of a programme of regular visits to European NOCs that IOC Olympic Solidarity conducts each year, a delegation from the Lausanne and the Rome office has just spent four days in Sarajevo investigating the local situation so as to be able to better plan aid to the NOC of Bosnia Herzegovina.

From 28 till 31 March, OS deputy director Pamela Vipond, Gianluca De Angelis from the OS Continental Office in Rome and Nils Holmegaard, from the IOC NOC relations department had meetings with NOC president Izet Radzo, vice- presidents Marijan Kvesic and Sinisa Kisic, the NOCs executive committee, and also the representatives of the various commissions, as well as the heads of the national federations and some Bosnian athletes, at which issues of concern to the NOC and OS aid programmes were discussed in depth.

Whilst there, the OS representatives also visited some local sports venues, including the Zetra sports centre, where the opening and closing ceremonies, and the skating and ice hockey competitions for the Sarajevo 1984 winter Games took place. Renovated after the war, it has since been renamed in memory of Juan Antonio Samaranch.

The OS team was also able to witness the NOCs efforts at recreating sport infrastructure, a very tough challenge as funds are short.

Thanks to the commitment of its leaders, the NOC has also started restoring the old Olympic museum, a pride and joy for the city that had been seriously damaged during conflict.

The Sarajevo visit ended with a visit to the University of Sport, the rector of which is the president of the NOC.

“A small but well organised committee, which is working really hard and enthusiastically to make a new start following a difficult period,” commented the OS team at the end of the visit.

Photo- from left to right: Nils Holmegaard, from the IOC NOC relations department, NOC president Dr. Izet Radzo, IOC OS deputy director Pamela Vipond, NOC vice president Marijan Kvesic, Gianluca De Angelis from the European OS office, and NOC vice president Sinisa Kisic.