SARAJEVO, SEPTEMBER 24 (ONASA) – On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the admission of the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the International Olympic Committee, a formal academy was held last night in Sarajevo, which brought together the leaders of the European Olympic Committees, national Olympic committees from the surrounding area, a large number of deserving athletes, and representative of the public and political life of our country.
President of the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina, academician prof. Dr. Izet Rađo, addressing the audience, recalled the three-decade long journey.
On this solemn occasion, he announced that OC BiH is launching a candidacy for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
“The Olympic Committee believes in the commitment of the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina to support us in this extraordinary idea, with our gratitude and wish that everyone tonight keeps this belief in themselves and strengthens this belief in the days ahead,” he said.
The guests had the opportunity to watch a short film about the journey of the Olympic Committee, from its very beginnings to today.
On the occasion of this jubilee, Minister Dubravka Bošnjak spoke in front of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
She sent a warm letter and sincere congratulations through which she expressed her deep gratitude to OC BiH for everything he did for sports in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In a video message, the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, spoke, who emphasized that, in these 30 years, our athletes have firmly placed Bosnia and Herzegovina on the world sports map.
The President of the European Olympic Committees, Spyros Capralos, also addressed the audience, who referred to the importance of EYOF 2019, which demonstrated the power of sport for peace and unity, gathered young athletes from all European countries and enabled them to experience many different cultures for the first time.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina helped us convey that strong message to the world,” he said.
Nađa Avdibašić Vukadinović spoke on behalf of the previous presidents of OK BiH, who emphasized several things in her excellent speech.
“This Olympic Committee can be an inspiration and stimulus to the institutions of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, how can, when there is a clear vision, without any backup options, what has been planned and started in the broader Euro-Atlantic integrations be done, as one of the essential keys to solving the many ambiguities that exist today in BiH society. With such a vision, this Olympic Committee developed and continues to develop energy over the course of three decades, which, perhaps, sometimes declined, but new creative solutions were always coming with which to respond to new challenges and new achievements,” she said.
The President of the Founding Assembly of OC BiH, Ahmed Karabegović, expressed his satisfaction with the fact that he was among the sports workers who initiated the idea of forming an umbrella organization of sports in Bosnia and Herzegovina and formed the Olympic Committee of BiH.
On the occasion of this jubilee, the Olympic Committee presented Plaques to deserving individuals for their contribution to the development of sports and Olympic values.
So far, 55 Bosnians and Herzegovinians have won 64 Olympic medals. Tonight, the inimitable basketball player Razija Mujanović and soccer player Mirsad Baljić were present.
Along with our Olympians, the winners of the first gold medals for Bosnia and Herzegovina were also joined, among whom the boxer Almedin Fetahović and the already mentioned basketball player Razija Mujanović were present.
Lana Pudar, Elvedina Muzaferia, Hamza Alić, Nedžad Husić and Amel Tuka proudly joined them.
Our best athlete, Olympian Amel Tuka, thanked the Olympic Committee for all the unreserved support for the athletes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and pointed out that the athletes must fight for a systemic solution, for a law that will solve the issue of financing representative sports and all of our national teams. (end)