Ljubljana, April 18, 2016 – NOC President Bogdan Gabrovec welcomed on Friday President Thomas Bach for a visit to Slovenia. The highlight of the visit was Inaugurating the Slovenian Olympic Training Centre and its news Olympic Museam.

The new site serves as an Olympic Education Centre and shows the rich history of Slovenian sport. President Bach was welcomed by a number of Olympians, including Slovenia’s two-time Olympic champion gymnast Miroslav Cerar. Led by two-time Olympian Mitja Petkovšek, a group of young athletes six years old and under carried the Olympic flag, and expressed their strong desire to become Olympians one day as well.

In its official website the NOC of Slovenia noted its pride for Bach presence and words. “The Slovenian NOC has taken a leading role, if not the leading role, among the NOCs of the world to break Olympic Agenda 2020 down from the international level to the national level, to put the athletes at the heart of all its efforts,” President Bach, said. “Sport is always about people, it is always about the ones who are practising sport. Sport is always in the middle of society and has a social responsibility to make sports development more sustainable.”

The IOC President called Slovenia “a country that loves sport and lives sport. The athletes get the support and the attention they deserve, because they are the best ambassadors of Slovenia. Sport plays an important role in society. Not only elite sport, but also sport for all and in education. The President of Slovenia and the Prime Minister expressed their strong support for this role.”

Bach also attended the unveiling of the Slovenian team uniforms for the Olympic Games Rio 2016, at which he spoke with a number of Olympians about their expectations and dreams for Rio de Janeiro. He told them: “You will find excellent sports facilities and a wonderful Olympic Village. You can look very much forward to Olympic Games full of passion for sport.”

President Bach met Slovenian President Borut Pahor, Prime Minister Miro Cerar, and Education and Sport Minister Maja Makovec Brencic to discuss the role of sport in Slovenian society.

The visit concluded with participation in a gala event, which was broadcast live on national TV, to raise money to support athletes from underprivileged families.

Commenting the IOC visit, Slovenia NOC president said:”I think that the visit of Thomas Bach, is the greatest prize to the Slovenian sport. I am confident that we will fully adopt the Agenda 2020, I believe that our strategy guarantees even brighter future already successful Slovenian sport.”