The two-day meeting was an excellent opportunity to discuss the common agenda, development, projects, policy and upcoming events.&nbsp;We would like to thank ENGSO member organisation Sport and Recreation Alliance for a warm welcome and a wonderful event in London. The Croatian Olympic Committee was represented by Romana Caput-Jogunica (ENGSO Executive Committee Member) and Marija Leskovec (ENGSO Youth Committee Member).

<h1>ENGSO and ENGSO Youth Committee gathered in London, UK, for a spring Committee meeting which took place on 12-13 April 2024 and was hosted by the ENGSO member organisation Sport and Recreation Alliance.</h1>

ENGSO and ENGSO Youth Committee spring meeting hosted by Sport and Recreation Alliance

From 18 to 21 March, the Climate Action Officers from the 18 partner National Olympic Committees (NOC) met in Lausanne&nbsp;to assess the progress made and acknowledge the first successes, one year after the launch&nbsp;of the OCEAN project (Olympic Committees of Europe Approaching Carbon Neutrality).&nbsp;&nbsp; The 18 Climate Action Officers discovered their organisation's carbon footprint after working together with the Öko-Institut on the measurement over the last twelve months. It allowed them to understand their main sources of emissions and to engage in several discussion rounds with the Öko-Institut and Julie Duffus, from the IOC, on how NOCs can move forward in their transition and join the&nbsp;UN Sports for Climate Action Framework.&nbsp;After learning about the main steps of the carbon reduction process, the NOCs’ Climate Action Officers reflected on potential objectives to set and measures to take.&nbsp; Jon Wyatt’s shared experience as Sports Director at the International Hockey Federation (FIH), managing his organisation's sustainability department gave the OCEAN Consortium valuable information to consider on how to manage the process of implementing a carbon reduction strategy. On this basis, Climate Action Officers were fully equipped to start drafting their carbon footprint reduction strategy.&nbsp;&nbsp;The results of the NOCs’ carbon footprint measurement will be shared publicly in the course of this Spring, following which the Online Tool for carbon footprint measurement will be revealed to the public at the end of the year. In the meantime, Climate Action Officers are to finalise their NOC’s carbon footprint reduction strategy. The OCEAN Project will conclude in April 2025. (OCEAN/EOC EU Office)

The 18 Climate Action Officers engaged in the OCEAN Project started to develop their&nbsp;NOC’s carbon footprint reduction strategy,&nbsp;during a 3-day meeting in Lausanne.&nbsp;

18 National Olympic Committees commit to carbon footprint reduction

The meeting convened representatives from key project partners including the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia, NOCs of Poland, Slovenia, Romania, Greece, Lithuania, and North Macedonia. The NOC of Luxembourg was also welcomed on board as an addition to an esteemed team working on this important topic.&nbsp;The session delved into crucial topics aimed at collecting information about the regulatory framework and legal mechanisms within each organization to prevent harassment against children in sport. Participants exchanged insights on the applicable laws in their respective countries, emphasizing the importance of collaboration both internally and externally to create a safe and nurturing environment for children in sports and young athletes.A pivotal outcome of the meeting was the delineation of the proposed structure for the WP2 deliverables, namely D2.1 "Guidance and procedures to safeguard and protect children in sport organizations" and D2.2 "Set of resources for Child Safeguarding Officers (CSOs) in sport organizations". These deliverables are integral to the project's mission of providing comprehensive support and resources to empower CSOs and sports organizations in safeguarding children.The meeting concluded with a roadmap for the timely finalization and approval of the proposed deliverables’ structure, slated for mid-April, with the first draft scheduled for completion in June, adhering to the project's planned timelines.As the GUARD project continues to gain momentum, stakeholders remain dedicated to fostering a culture of safety, inclusivity, and protection for children participating in sports activities.

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Zagreb, March 26, 2024 – The Working Group Meeting of the EU-funded project "Safeguarding Children in Sports" (GUARD) marked a significant milestone with the successful start of its first Work Package 2 (WP2) session, held online. Chaired by Matea Horvat, the Child Safeguarding Officer at NOC Croatia and the designated lead for WP2, the meeting saw active participation from esteemed consortium representatives, contributing to the project's overarching goal of ensuring the safety and protection of children in sports environments.

EU Funded Project "GUARD" advances in Safeguarding Children in Sports with Successful Working Group Meeting

The inaugural meeting began with a welcome speech by Olympic champion Otylia Jedrzejczak, President of the Polish Swimming Federation. Her speech emphasised the commitment of Polish sports leaders to promoting responsible management in sports organisations and dual careers among athletes.&nbsp;OLCP is a project with the Polish Olympic Committee as the leader and the National Olympic Committees from 3 European countries, Croatia, Greece, Ukraine, as well as Think Tanks specializing in sports research European Network for Innovation and Knowledge (EUNIK) and Institute of Sport Governance (ISG) as partners.&nbsp;The general outline of the project was presented. In the project's first phase, partners will be obliged to engage 20 people from their countries to participate actively in a pilot program for future leaders. As a result of the discussion, the target group for the pilot program was defined. This includes people already working in sports administration and current and former athletes.Another part of the project will include a smaller group of people in the mentoring program, lasting 3 to 6 months. The mentors will be people who have achieved business success in the areas closest to the trainee. During the meeting, the qualities and framework that each partner should follow in selecting a mentor were defined.The last point of the meeting was the presentation of the project logo, the establishment of schedules, and the presentation of the division of responsibilities between the partner organisations and the upcoming implementation dates. A date was also set for the following meetings, which will be held in Croatia.&nbsp;The results of the Olympic Committees Leadership Program are hoped to make it easier for athletes to find jobs in sports administration after their sports careers and to equalise the gender balance in the structures of sports organisations.

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The Polish Olympic Committee, as a leader, organized the first meeting of partners for the Olympic Committees Leadership Program (OCLP) project on March 11th-13th.

Olympic Committees Leadership Program kick-off meeting

The EOC EU Office is implementing GAMES together with 8 NOCs (Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, North Macedonia and Turkey) and renowned experts in the field of gender equality and good governance, including Professor Emerita Kari Fasting from Equal Rights in Sports and I TRUST Sport. Furthermore, the GAMES project is supported by the International Olympic Committee. The Final Conference, which took place on International Women's Day in Brussels, was moderated by Sukran Albayrak (Turkish Olympic Committee) and Robert Hartnett (Irish Olympic Committee) and it provided a better understanding of the final steps needed to boost gender equality in the leadership of sports organizations and presented the tools the GAMES project has developed for this purpose. Folker Hellmund (Director, EOC EU Office) and Cédric van Branteghem (Secretary General, Belgian Olympic Committee) officially opened the GAMES Final Conference. Accordingly, the relevance of gender equality for sports organizations was underlined whilst showcasing the importance of the GAMES project to support sporting organizations to improve their good governance standards in terms of gender equality. Participating NOCs as well as the IOC, the European Commission were thanked for supporting NOCs on their way to gender equality.&nbsp; In the last part of the Final Conference, speakers presented complementary initiatives and programs for the lasting legacy of GAMES within the Olympic movement. Maja Poljak (EU Funds &amp; International Cooperation Coordinator, Croatian Olympic Committee) described the alignment of the Croatian Olympic Committee with the objectives and values of the GAMES project, using the opportunity to hold the presentation on the Croatian Olympic Committee’s projects and achievements on promoting the gender equality in female sports as well as promoting women in the sports industry. It was a great opportunity to showcase the exemplary achievements of the intense work and dedication of the Gender Equality Commission of NOC Croatia, under the leadership of its president Mrs. Morana Palikovic Gruden once again promoting NOC Croatia as an active player in this topic.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Final Conference concluded with the reiterations of the GAMES project leaving a significant and positive impact on gender equality in sports, especially at the leadership level. The audience as well as the GAMES consortium was thanked for their time and commitment to gender equality in sports governance during and beyond the project; accordingly, were invited to continue boosting gender equality across Europe.For more information on the project click&nbsp;<a href="https://games-project.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;

The GAMES project is a 24-month project co-funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus+ Sport Programme 2021 and coordinated by the EOC EU Office. It promotes integrity and good governance in sports by advocating for structural and cultural changes regarding gender equality in leadership and decision-making positions among NOCs and their member federations.

GAMES PROJECT: Celebrating Progress and Setting the Course for Gender Equality in Sports Leadership

Zagreb, February 20, 2024 – The start of the EU-funded project, "Safeguarding Children in Sports" (GUARD), marked a significant milestone with its inaugural transnational meeting held in Zagreb. The meeting, hosted by the Croatian Olympic Committee (NOC Croatia), convened representatives from partner organizations across Europe.

EU Funded Project "GUARD" Kicks Off with Transnational Meeting in Zagreb 

The workshop was led by Ivana Pranjić, consultant, specialized in sports diplomacy, EU funds, sustainability and protection in sport, as well as advising legal entities in the sports system. Below is a summary of the workshop conclusions.Major issues such as climate change, economic inequality and social injustice affect people around the world. Climate change is becoming more and more pronounced and affects most countries, causing many natural disasters and damages and leading to disruptions in the economy, but also in the whole society, including sport. Solving problems of this type encompasses a wide range of social, ecological and economic activities, and it is also imperative for the sports community, both for the management of its daily affairs and for responsibility towards young people and future generations.Twenty representatives of the sports system expressed interest in this issue, participating in the education about climate change, which is also a problem for sport. The topics were - carbon footprint and carbon footprint measurement, a UN initiative together with the International Olympic Committee (UN Sport for Climate Action framework), examples of good practice from Croatia and the world were presented, as well as recommendations on climate change in sport and the contribution of sport to sustainability and climate change.After the discussions, the participants supported the initiative, expressing hope for greater interest and support in further education, so that as many people as possible become familiar with the impact of climate change in sport. If more people become aware of the gravity of the situation, it will be possible to influence it sooner. Sport is obliged to participate in the sustainable development of our country and thereby actively participate in solving the climate crisis. COC as an umbrella organization can be a good example and provide support for potential future projects related to sustainability.For example, the Croatian Olympic Committee is a partner in the European Commission's OCEAN project. The European Olympic Committees' Towards Carbon Neutrality (OCEAN) project is designed to empower National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to acquire relevant knowledge for measuring their own carbon footprint and developing tailored carbon dioxide reduction strategies, all in order to reduce their own carbon emissions and strengthen good governance in the field of climate action.The project is coordinated by the EOC EU Office in Brussels, brings together 21 organizations, including 18 European National Olympic Committees and Öko Institut (scientific institute with expertise in climate action), as well as the International Olympic Committee and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) as associate partners.&nbsp; <a href="https://dev.hoo.hr/dokumenti/Sustainability-in-sport.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PDF Sustainability in sport</a>

Zagreb, 8 December 2023 - Since sustainability is one of the most important challenges of the contemporary&nbsp;time,&nbsp;the workshop on Sustainability in sport - recommendations for members of the Croatian Olympic Committee was held at the premises of the Croatian Olympic Committee (COC).

The workshop Sustainability in sport - recommendations for the Croatian Olympic Committee members was held at the COC premises

At the helm of this significant initiative is the NOC of Croatia, serving as the project's coordinator. Joining forces with NOC of Croatia are partners from across Europe, including the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Croatia and esteemed NOCs of Greece, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania and Slovenia. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to ensuring the well-being and safety of children participating in sports activities.During the first video call, the partners engaged in productive discussions surrounding the initial administrative tasks essential for the smooth launch of the "Safeguarding Children in Sports" project. The atmosphere was characterized by enthusiasm, as all stakeholders demonstrated a remarkable team spirit from the outset.What sets this consortium apart is not just its diversity but the palpable sense of unity and respect among its members. Participants expressed a deep reverence for the gravity of the project's overarching goal—protecting children in the realm of sports.Looking ahead, the consortium has laid out plans for its first in-person meeting, scheduled to take place in February 2024 in the city of Zagreb, Croatia. This face-to-face gathering is anticipated to further solidify the collaborative framework and set the stage for the comprehensive work that lies ahead.The commitment displayed by all partners during the initial video call has injected a sense of optimism into the project's trajectory. With a collective determination to tackle the multifaceted challenges associated with safeguarding children in sports, the consortium appears well structured to make a meaningful impact.The "Safeguarding children in sports" project stands as a testament to the power of international collaboration and collective action. The journey has yet to begin, and with this dedicated consortium steering the way, the future holds the path to a safer and more secure environments for young athletes across Europe.

The consortium that will deliver the "Safeguarding Children in Sports" project convened for its inaugural video call. The project, set to officially commence in January 2024 and extend until December 2026, brings together a diverse array of partners committed to addressing the crucial issue of child safety in the realm of sports.

Project consortium holds inaugural video call to kickstart "Safeguarding children in sports" project

After the introduction and discussion on cooperation modalities, the Agreement was signed by the Chinese Olympic Committee President, also the Minister of Sports, Gao Zhidan and the Croatian Olympic Committee President, Zlatko Mateša.Both signatories expressed their satisfaction with the formalization of long-standing friendly relations between the two National Olympic Committees. They also recalled the examples of great sports cooperation from previous period, the highlight of which was Zagreb's hosting of handball players from Beijing Sports University for participation in the Central European Handball League in 2019. The Croatian football players and sports legends such as Dražen Petrović and Dragutin Šurbek were also an inevitable topic.General Affairs Department Director General Xu Xianghong, Deputy Secretary General and Acting Secretary General Wu Jian, Chief Director of the Communications Department Gao Chao, Director of the Secretariat Wang Kan and Su Donghao as the President’s personal assistant attended the event as representatives of the Chinese Olympic Committee.&nbsp;The signing of the Cooperation Agreement with the Croatian Olympic Committee was also supported by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Zagreb, headed by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of Croatia, H. E. Qi Qianjin, and the meeting was attended by the Director of the Embassy's Political Department Zhao Chen and attaché Fu Yuyao.In addition to the COC leader Mateša, the Croatian delegation included the COC Council member Damir Knjaz, the former Olympic attaché from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Igor Merlin, President of the Croatian Wushu Federation Zoran Barac, Secretary General of the Croatian Wushu Federation and the European Wushu Kungfu Federation Petar Turković and Director of the COC Office for International Cooperation and Corporate Communications Mia Baćić.The COC President presented the distinguished guest with the jersey of the legendary Dražen Petrović, a gold coin and a sound carrier - a double LP with the acclaimed Lennon opera composed by the former Croatian President Ivo Josipović. The leader of Olympism in the most populous country in the world, Gao Zhidan, presented Zlatka Mateša with a collection of Chinese postage stamps with sports motifs, a rare special edition published on the occasion of this year's Asian Games.

The Croatian Olympic Committee (COC) signed an agreement on cooperation with the Chinese Olympic Committee at the Sheraton Hotel in Zagreb on Friday.

The Croatian Olympic Committee signed the Memorandum of Understanding on sports cooperation with the Chinese Olympic Committee in Zagreb

The documents were signed by the Vice-President of the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Davor Božinović, Ph.D., Minister of Tourism and Sport, Nikolina Brnjac, Ph.D. and the Croatian Olympic Committee President, Zlatko Mateša, Ph.D. Minister Božinović was accompanied by State Secretary and Co-Chair of the Croatian IHRA Presidency Terezija Gras while the Ministry of Tourism and Sport was represented by State Secretary for Sports Josip Pavić. On behalf of the Croatian Olympic Committee, the event was also attended by its Secretary General, Siniša Krajač. The signatories emphasized the importance of adopting the IHRA Working Definitions and recommended to the Croatian Olympic Committee as well as the individuals in sport to implement the working definitions in all areas of human activity, especially in sport, that brings together people of all races and nations at competitions on all continents.

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Zagreb, 14 November 2023 - The signing of the documents of the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (IHRA) was held at the premises of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOC) in Zagreb, whereby the HOC adopted legally non-binding Working Definitions of Anti-Semitism, the Holocaust Denial and Distortion and the definition of anti-Roma racism and discrimination.

Vice-President of the Government Božinović, Minister Brnjac and Croatian Olympic Committee President Mateša signed the adoption of the Working Definitions of the IHRA

As it is the case every pre-Olympic year, the Croatian Olympic Committee is intensely working on preparations for the participation of Croatian athletes in the world's largest sports event. As a part of this effort, a media campaign has been launched to draw the attention of the Croatian public to what awaits us in the Olympic year. Addressing the audience, Croatian Olympic Committee President Zlatko Mateša specifically welcomed three Olympians - Matea Parlov Koštro and Nika Fleiss, the latter being among the journalists present, and Damir Martin, for whom he asserted that he would bring us a medal from Paris.&nbsp;Through this campaign, the Croatian Olympic Committee aims to bring the forthcoming Olympic Games in Paris closer to the Croatian public as a sporting event and promote the spirit of Olympism, which encourages greater collaboration and better understanding among nations. Despite the conflicts among states and nations in the world, the spirit of sport and Olympism requires us all to seek paths to peace together. During the campaign, we will highlight all the connections between Croatia and France in sport, culture, and the arts, as, beyond sport, the Olympic movement has much more that truly connects us. The goal is for you, our dedicated media followers, to understand the essence of this campaign and support our project - said Mateša.&nbsp;The campaign's manager, Croatian Olympic Committee Marketing Director Ranko Ćetković, explained that this campaign will have breadth and several waves of intensity in various forms. It will not only focus on the sporting aspects of the Olympic Games but also tell the stories of Croatian Olympians and showcase that Croatia and France have had much in common today and throughout the history.&nbsp;The campaign's author, renowned Croatian designer and communication expert Boris Malešević, shared the ideas that led him in creating the campaign, which began appearing on billboards throughout Croatia about ten days ago.In the world of the social spectacle and the attention economy, as beautifully coined by Jonathan Beller, everyone must find their place under the public spotlight. He defined media attention as a commodity, claiming it is more valuable than oil. According to Beller, those who lack media attention are destined to fail. We are fortunate that the International Olympic Committee owns the Olympic Games, the most-watched event in the world. About three billion people watched the last Games, and it is crucial that they happen in "real time" in a media sense. By emphasizing simultaneity, we wanted to convey that today's modern technology enables us to be in our homes, on an outing, or anywhere in the world and simultaneously be in Paris at the Olympic stadium with the athletes. Simultaneity is the reality of our world, especially when we talk about mutual links - said Boris Malešević, who is also a member of the NOC's Marketing Commission.The word "simultaneity" was precisely the guiding principle for Malešević to highlight the essence of the campaign:Simultaneity is also a word that can describe the athletes who, in addition to being successful athletes, are individuals with other qualities, just like all of us - educated, artistically gifted, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers... We can simultaneously enjoy the best French and Croatian wines because it is another connection between our countries. Many other things connect us, from the caricatures of Croatian artist Davor Štambuk, who spent a significant part of his life in Paris, to Tereza Kesovija and her performances at the Olympia... And our „štrukli“ can stand side by side with French croissants... Malešević concluded that the NOC's campaign aims to tell a story of the strength of Olympism, athletes, and friendship.&nbsp;The strength of Croatian Olympism lies in athletes who have achieved remarkable success for the size of their country and the people they represent. Two elite athletes present and hopefuls for Paris - marathon runner Matea Parlov Koštro and rower Damir Martin - portrayed the current preparation phase and ambitions for Paris.The marathon is a discipline in which it is challenging to stand out due to the increasing number of African runners. I finished 21st at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, which is the best result for a Croatian marathon runner at the Olympics, and I will be more than satisfied with any result in Paris better than that. All the races I have run this season are preparations for Paris, and in two weeks, I will run the marathon in Frankfurt. Since the marathon at the Olympic Games will be very challenging, with hilly terrain and during hot summer, we will have the proper preparations in some hilly and undulating areas that we are still looking for...Damir Martin often refers to the Games in Paris as his "last dance," alluding to a potential farewell Olympic appearance, but with medals won in both Rio and Tokyo, he still has such ambitions:Since I lost or won medals in Rio and Tokyo due to centimeters, I will try to have a less tense performance in Paris, without any tension, so that I am ahead of all competitors and watch them during the race. Until then, as every year, we have three World Cups and the European Championship, and those are warm-up regattas for the most brilliant performance. I believe that I will bring my body to the top form and manage to disrupt the plans of the Germans, Dutch, and New Zealanders, who have somewhat muddied the waters in world rowing.&nbsp;The Olympic Games in Paris will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024, and the NOC's campaign will last for full ten months leading up to them.&nbsp;

Zagreb, October 17, 2024 - A press conference was held at The Westin hotel in Zagreb, where the Croatian Olympic Committee introduced its campaign for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024.

The Croatian Olympic Committee's campaign for Paris, "A Story of Olympic Strength and Friendship," was presented to the media

The event began with opening speeches from esteemed individuals, including Mr. Luka Burilović, President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Zlatko Mateša, President of the Croatian Olympic Committee, Mrs. Višnja Ljubičić, Ombudsperson for Gender Equality of the Republic of Croatia, and Mrs. Nikolina Brnjac, Minister of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia.Keynote speakers included Mrs. Annamarie Phelps, President of the EOC GEDI Commission, Mrs. Morana Paliković Gruden, Vice-President of the Croatian Olympic Committee and Gender Equality Commission President, and Mrs. Mirjana Čagalj, Vice-President for Construction and Transport at the Croatian Chamber of Economy. These prominent figures set the tone for discussions on the intersection of sports and professional success. The heart of the conference featured former female athletes who successfully transitioned into their second careers, leveraging skills and characteristics developed through sports. Notable panelists included:<ul><li>Mrs. Iva Olivari, former tennis player and current Team Manager of the Croatian Football National Team.</li><li>Mrs. Martina Zubčić Dušak, former taekwondo athlete and now Operations Manager at Project 3 Mobility.</li><li>Mrs. Maša Vidić, former karate athlete and Regulatory Affairs Specialist at Medical Intertrade d.o.o. Sveta Nedjelja.</li><li>Mrs. Ana Jelušić Black, former alpine ski athlete and Founder of Black Peak Consulting.</li><li>Mrs. Sanda Dubravčić Šimunjak, former figure ice skater and current Head of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Clinical Hospital "Sveti Duh."</li><li>Mrs. Petra Starčević, former biathlon athlete and Head of the Legal Department at Mlinar.</li></ul> These great former athletes shared their experiences and how the qualities they gained through sports helped them excel in their second careers. Their stories served as an inspiring testament to the value that female athletes can bring to the working environment.A key takeaway from the conference is the promotion of female athletes as a valuable asset in the professional world. The event aimed to inspire and motivate employers and business owners to provide opportunities to female athletes in their organizations, recognizing the unique skills and attributes they can offer.As the conference concluded, it left a powerful message resonating in the hearts of attendees, reinforcing the belief that success in sports can indeed translate to success at work, and that female athletes have a unique and impactful role to play in the business world.

ZAGREB, October 13, 2023 - In a significant event organized by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the Croatian Olympic Committee, the "Successful in Sports, Successful at Work" conference took place at the Hotel Westin in Zagreb. The conference aimed to shed light on the qualities and experiences of former female athletes and how these attributes can translate into success in the business world.

Conference Highlights the Value of Female Athletes in the Workplace

The NOC of Croatia coordinates the implementation of the project in cooperation with 7 partner organisations: Ministry of Tourism and Sport, Hellenic Olympic Committee, National Olympic Committee of Lithuania, Olympic Committee of North Macedonia, Polish Olympic Committee, Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, and Olympic Committee of Slovenia Association of Sports Federations. The project will be implemented in the period from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026.The project was designed with the objective to implement the guidelines for child safeguarding in sport (2022). Its main aim is to develop effective national system of child safeguarding in sport. Primarily, to appoint and educate child safeguarding officers in National Federations, helping them to acquire necessary knowledge and skills that enables further transfer of knowledge to child safeguarding officers in sport clubs. A total of 140 child safeguarding officers in National Federations will participate in the Training of Trainers as the building block in the process of developing the system of child safeguarding in sport at all levels.To establish effective system of child safeguarding in sport, sport stakeholder awareness will be raised through dissemination activities aimed at increasing the understanding of their role and responsibility in creating a sport environment that makes children feel safe and, indeed, is safe from all forms of violence against children. To that aim, there needs to be a system in place with procedures for reporting violence or suspicion of violence against children in sport organisations, as well as a case response and case management system for responding to concerns of violence against children in sport. Child safeguarding officers in National Federations will be given a set of tools and resources for use in their future work. They will, of course, get the opportunity to gain necessary knowledge and skills through training organised for them during the project implementation. It will bring them clarity about their role and improve their understanding of how to transfer knowledge to child safeguarding officers in sport clubs, thus establishing the protection system which has the potential to continue growing and strengthening after the end of the project.Dissemination activities will have an important role in the awareness raising activities targeted at individuals and organisations in the sport system, especially in relation to individual and organisational responsibility.Project Manager Alma Papić (contact: alma.papic@hoo.hr) is available for more information about the project. For inquiries non-related to the project, but related to the cases of violence against children in sport, NOC Child Safeguarding Officer Matea Horvat receives and manages case reports (matea.horvat@hoo.hr). The NOC of Croatia also has the ‘Committee for Safeguarding Children in Sport’ as the NOC body active in the respective field of work. (NOC of Croatia)

Zagreb, 10 October 2023 – Based on the grant agreement signed between the European Commission and the Croatian Olympic Committee (NOC of Croatia), beneficiaries of the project 'Safeguarding children in sport' (GUARD) were awarded a grant in the amount of 400,000 euros.

Signed agreement with the European Commission for the grant award to the project 'Safeguarding children in sport'

At the European Games in Krakow, where most of the Olympic sports represented Olympic qualifications, only the silver boxer Gabrijel Veočić qualified for the Olympic Games. However, Croatian sports stars have shown that even summer can be used for reaping, but it is always more fruitful as autumn approaches. The Croatian shot put record holder Filip Mihaljević,&nbsp;in mid-July strengthened athletics on the list of qualified athletes. At the meeting of the Diamond League in Chorzow (Poland) at the same runway at which three weeks earlier his throw was worthy of a silver medal at the European Games, Mihaljević threw the shot to the limit of his best result of the season (21.63 m) and - the Olympic quota.And then in the middle of August, there was a sailing wave of qualifications at the World Championship in the Hague.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Reaping started by the experienced Olympians Šime and Mihovil Fantela in the 49er class, followed by debutants - Palma Čargo in windsurfing and Martin Dolenc in kitesurfing. In addition to the three mentioned, the Olympic norm is also ensured in the single class ILCA 7 (former Laser), and owing to it, the&nbsp;two-time silver Olympian Tonči Stipanović could start pursuing his third Olympic medal... Or Filip Jurišić his first!? We will find out after the criterium regattas in January or April next year.It seemed that the August "harvest" was completed by two gold Olympians from London in 2012. The best Croatian athlete Sandra Perković did not manage to get on the podium at the World Championships in Budapest. She was fifth in discus throw, but already in the qualifications she made a shot worthy of the Olympic norm for Paris (65.62 m). By winning the title of world champion in trap at the World Championship in Baku, a 40-year-old Croatian shooter Giovanni Cernogoraz qualified for Paris. In addition to the Olympic gold from London, this is his biggest achievement in his successful career.At the beginning of September, kayaker Anamarija Govorčinović, who was 10th overall in the 500-meter single-seater kayak discipline at the World Championship in Germany, found out about the accomplished August norm. Thus, seven out of the current 11 Croatian quotas were filled in during August.At the World Rowing Championship in Belgrade (Serbia), Croatian rowers filled in 3 Olympic quotas for Paris. The third participation at the Olympic Games was ensured by Valent and Martin Sinković who will compete in Paris again in&nbsp;men's double sculls after Tokyo where they won gold in men’s&nbsp;double.Croatia will have a representative in men's double next year, too. Lončarić brothers, Anton and Patrik, are Olympic debutants in Paris 2024. Damir Martin also ensured his third participation at the Olympic Games. After having won a bronze medal in Tokyo, he will compete in men's single sculls again and try to win his fourth Olympic medal.Matija Mlinarić won the World Championship in Lee Valley (United Kingdom) and placed 17th in the semi-final and therefore qualified for his second Olympic Games in canoe slalom (C-1). Croatia currently has 18 athletes qualified for the Olympic Games (15 quotas) - from athletics (4), boxing (1), sailing (5), kayaking and canoeing (2), shooting (1) and rowing (5).

Zagreb, September 22, 2023 - The Croatian Olympic Committee began 2023 with only one Olympic qualification, that of marathoner Bojana Bjeljac. In the beginning of the year, the athlete from Dinamo-Zrinjevac was alone on the list of athletes qualified for Paris. In spring, she was joined by another marathon runner - Matea Parlov Koštro, so that the Croatian Olympic Committee would in mid 2023 be faced with a rare situation in the world of sport – have only two confirmed Olympic athletes for the upcoming Games, from the same sport and the same discipline.

Fifteen Olympic Quotas filled in for Paris 2024

President of the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina, academician prof. dr. Izet Rađo, addressed the audience, recalling the three-decade long journey. On the occasion he announced that the NOC of Bosnia and Herzegovina is committed to work on developing the idea of candidacy of Sarajevo for one of the future editions of Winter Youth Olympic Games.&nbsp; During the festive occasion, Messrs Mateša and Krajač presented a commemorative charter to the NOC of Bosnia and Herzegovina leaders.Guests had the opportunity to watch a short film about the journey of the NOC of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from its very beginnings until today.&nbsp;(EOC/NOC CRO)

On 23rd of September a solemn academy was held in Sarajevo on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the admission of the NOC of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the International Olympic Family. The academy gathered the leaders of the European Olympic Committees, NOCs from the region, a large number of athletes and sports offficials, as well as representatives of the public and political life in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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