International Olympic Committee group visits Georgia

A group representing the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are in Georgia to discuss how the country will host the European Youth Olympic Festival next year, in which more than 4,000 athletes from 49 countries are expected to participate.

IOC president Thomas Bach was invited to Georgia on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Georgian National Olympic Committee, which was marked in February, 2014.

Tbilisi will host the 13th European Youth Olympic Festival in July 2015. The EYOF is a biennial multi-sport event for youth athletes from 48 member countries who are part of European Olympic Committees.

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met Bach and discussed the Georgian Olympic Movement and the role of Georgian Sport in the International Olympic Movement.

The meeting focused on next year’s European Youth Olympic Festival and the preparatory work that was already underway.

Garibashvili was proud Tbilisi was the first post-Soviet country to host the festival. He said by offering Tbilisi his honour, it showed a great deal of confidence from the European Olympic Committee.

He thanked the guests for their support and attending a special event regarding the 25th anniversary of the Georgian National Olympic Committee.

We see it as a respect and appreciation to the Georgian Olympic Team, to our honoured sportsmen, as well as your support for the Olympic Movement in Georgia,”Garibashvili said.

After the meeting, head of the Georgian Olympic Committee Leri Khabelov presented the Prime Minister an anniversary commemorative medal and souvenir of the Georgian National Committee’s 25th anniversary.

The meeting was attended by the European Olympic Committee President Patrick Hickey and Sport and Youth Affairs Minister of Georgia Levan Kipiani.

Later, PM Garibashvili opened a sculpture exhibition titled Ode to Olympic Champions, which was dedicated to famous Georgian athletes at the National Olympic Committee of Georgia.

Garibashvili thanked the Georgian athletes who had repeatedly glorified the homeland and brought much joy to those in their homeland.

Georgians really have something we can be proud of. Since 1952 we have had 34 Olympic champions. They brought us 37 Olympic gold, 28 silver and 53 bronze medals, he said.

We are very happy that our Olympians performed under the independent flag of Georgia and the national anthem of our country has sound in Olympic cities.

An earlier decision by the 39th General Assembly of European Olympic Committees revealed Tbilisi would host the 13th European Youth Olympic Festival in July 2015.

The EYOF program will include nine sports: judo, tennis, artistic gymnastics, cycle racing, track and field athletics, swimming, volleyball, handball and basketball.

More than 4,000 athletes from 49 European countries will descend on Tbilisi to participate in the Youth Olympic Festival next July.