It is the first time that the EU has contributed to the European Games, with the funding being provided by the EU’s Erasmus+ programme. The EOC and the EOC EU Office worked alongside the Polish National Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Sport and Tourism in Poland and the Kraków-Małopolska 2023 Organising Committee to help secure the funding.

The project will be focused on promoting volunteering and its benefits in Poland over the next 12 months, and is a response to the problems and challenges related to the volunteering movement across the world. It aims to train volunteers, run promotional campaigns focused on the benefits of volunteering and to highlight the role volunteering and sport can play in promoting social inclusion among people from different backgrounds, starting at the European Games between 21 June and 2 July. Applicants have been received from across Europe for prospective volunteers.

EOC President Spyros Capralos said: “Congratulations to the Polish Olympic Committee and EOC Executive Committee Member Andrzej Krasnicki for their work in leading this project. The motto of this summer’s games is “We Are Unity” and this is fitting following the united work of many stakeholders in securing this funding.

“I am confident that the volunteering project will bring us many long-term benefits and I am convinced that by supporting organisers of future sports events and providing them with valuable resources, we will help increase the participation of volunteers and enhance the impact they have.”

“Volunteers play such a vital role in our sports clubs and at competitions. Major international events like the European Games provide an opportunity for volunteers to add to their skills and to empower sport in promoting social inclusion in Europe.”

This unprecedented step comes after a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the European Commission and the European Olympic Committees (EOC), which is based on the common values that the European Union and the EOC share. This will lay the foundation for collaboration at future events held by the EOC, including the European Youth Olympic Festivals and next European Games.

The Polish Olympic Committee will lead the project in Poland and work closely with the organisers of the European Games to successfully implement ambitious plans ahead of this summer’s event. As well as helping to train volunteers, the project will run promotional campaigns and marketing to increase awareness on the benefits of volunteering, as well as producing a series of handbooks related to volunteering and the management of volunteers.

President of the Polish Olympic Committee Radoslaw Piesiewicz said: “This is a historic programme for European sport. I would like to thank the European Commission, especially Mariya Gabriel, the former European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, for her help securing the funding and for entrusting the Polish Olympic Committee with the role of leading this project.”

 “Together we will promote the idea of volunteering and remind everyone how important it is in the organisation of large sports events, such as the European Games Krakow-Małopolska 2023, and in helping build an inclusive and welcoming society.”

The European Games

The third edition of the European Games will take place between 21 June and 2 July 2023. There will competitions in 26 sports during the games with 18 sports featuring events that are part of the Olympic qualification system for Paris 2024.  More than 7,000 athletes from 48 National Olympic Committees are expected to take part. Kraków will be the main hub of the Games with 11 different towns and cities hosting sports in a variety of different venues.

An opponnent of Radosław Piesiewicz in the election for the President of NOC of Poland was Kewin Rozum, the President of the Polish Sumo Federation. In a secret ballot, Radosław Piesiewicz got 138 votes whereas Kewin Rozum 24 of them.

Radosław Piesiewicz became the 13^th President of the Polish Olympic Committee. The first was Stefan Lubomirski (1919-1923). The next presidents of the NOC of Poland were Kazimierz Lubomirski (1923-1929), Kazimierz Glabisz (1929-1939), Alfred Loth (1946-1952), Włodzimierz Reczek (1953-1973), Bolesław Kapitan (1973-1978), Marian Renke (1978-1986), Aleksander Kwaśniewski (1988-1991), Andrzej Szalewicz (1991-1997), Stanisław Stefan Paszczyk (1997-2005), Piotr Nurowski (2005-2010) and Andrzej Kraśnicki (2010-2023).

NOC of Poland

The Olympic Committees for Dual Career (OCDC), supported by the EU Erasmus+ Sports Program and led by the Polish Olympic Committee, brings together five National Olympic Committees from Türkiye, Slovenia, Lithuania, and Greece, in cooperation with the European Network for Innovation and Knowledge (EUNIK). The main objective of the project is to promote the knowledge and understanding of dual career opportunities among athletes who compete in Olympic sports and National Sports Federations.

During the first phase of the meeting, TOC Secretary General Neşe Gündoğan delivered the opening speech, which was followed by an update on the current status of the project. The findings of the survey conducted by EUNIK among athletes were discussed, and the implementation of the single point of contact in each partner NOC was reviewed.

In the second phase of the meeting, participants evaluated the online courses that will be created to support the education and business life of athletes. Additionally, future plans for the project were discussed for the upcoming term.
The next meeting of the project is scheduled to take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from October 12-13.

OCDC Project

The OCDC Project aims to provide support to national athletes in managing dual careers and career transitions, both during and after their active sporting lives. Over a two-year period, the project will develop a guide that will increase athletes’ knowledge and awareness of dual career options. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that athletes have the necessary support to pursue successful careers both in and outside of sport.

The third edition of Europe’s premier international multi-sport event will take place between 21 June and 2 July 2023. Just three months before the Opening Ceremony takes place at Henryk Reyman Stadium in Kraków, EOC president Spyros Capralos reiterated his belief that Poland will host an exceptional event.

Speaking at the meeting, President Capralos said: “There are less than 100 days to go to the European Games 2023 and the lighting of the flame of Peace in Rome is just a couple of weeks away. The Organising Committee has achieved significant progress since our last visit in October. I am confident that, with the support of the NOCs and the Sport Federations – the Organisers and the Polish National Olympic Committee will deliver successfully the biggest sport event in Europe in 2023. I would like to express my thanks to the Members of our Coordination Commission and our Polish Organisers for their hard work and dedication in these difficult and turbulent times in Europe.”

Made up of 27 members with a wide range of expertise and experience in delivering European, Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Coordination Commission considered updates from the full range preparation work. With no permanent new venues to build, the LOC has been able to focus on ensuring effective operations during the Games.

Coordination Commission Chair Hasan Arat thanked all those in attendance for their inputs, as well as the LOC for the work it continues to do to make sure that the third edition of the European Games provides the right conditions for athletes to give their best performances. Many of the competitions of Kraków-Małopolska 2023 will also serve as qualification events for Paris 2024.

Arat said: “The second Coordination Commission meeting has proven another important step for everyone involved. I must thank all the members who have joined us both in person and remotely for their comments and expertise. And most of all, the EOC expressed its deep gratitude to our Polish friends for the welcome they are preparing to give to our continent’s leading athletes.”

“Kraków-Małopolska 2023 is on course to be a fantastic event thanks to the continued hard work of all members of the LOC. Our friends are fully aware of the work that remains to be done and of our full support for delivering it.”

The LOC updated the Commission on all areas of preparation for the Games during the meetings including on budget and insurance; sports, medical and antidoping; NOC Services; transport and logistics; communications, commercial and marketing; broadcast; ticketing and accreditation; volunteers; and security.

LOC President Marcin Nowak thanked the Commission members for their time and commended everyone at the Organising Committee for their continued work on the preparations.

He said: “Today has given us another chance to show the EOC Coordination Commission all the progress that we have made as the start of the Games draws closer.

“The hard work by all those involved in the Organising Committee has enabled us to get to this stage and we have a clear sense of being part of a team whose members are coming from all of Europe. This will be the biggest event that Poland has ever hosted, and it is a real opportunity to show our ability and expertise. We will be ready.”

About the European Games

The third edition of the European Games will take place between 21 June and 2 July 2023. There will be 26 sports played during the games with 18 Olympic and eight non-Olympic sports scheduled and more than 7,000 athletes expected to take part. Kraków will be the main hub of the Games with 11 different towns and cities hosting sports in a variety of different venues.

More information can be found on the official event website here https://www.european-games.org/

The third staging of Europe’s premier multi-sport event takes place between 21 June and 2 July in Poland, when thousands of the continent’s top athletes will descend on the region.

The famous Jan Nowak Jezioranski Square in Kraków, the epicentre of the games, will house the clock, while fans who register for tickets before 3 April will be given a code which entitles them to 25% off four single event tickets.

Priced between 20 Polish Zlotys (€4) and 90 (€20) Polish Zlotys per ticket, the first 10,000 single event tickets sold will be discounted when they go on sale in April.

Full-day tickets and multi-day passes will also be available, while it has been decided that the first three days of the athletics competition and the sports of teqball, padel, muaythai and kickboxing will all be free admission.

EOC Coordination Commission Chair Hasan Arat said: “It is a pleasure to mark 100 days until the start of the European Games Kraków-Małopolska 2023 with a range of promotions and the launch of the ticket sales platform. Preparations continue and we are confident that the Poland will deliver the best and biggest European Games yet thanks to the tremendous hard work of the Organising Committee.

“Today is an important milestone as we look ahead to the summer and it is fantastic to be able to sell 10,000 discounted tickets. I know that the Polish fans will come out in large numbers and by offering free admission to a range of sports, these Games will truly be accessible to everyone.

“I am looking forward to the Games starting with a fantastic Opening Ceremony at the Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium on 21 June.”

Local Organising Committee Chair Marcin Nowak said: “100 days is a symbolic moment for us. It reminds us that we are facing the last days until the biggest sports event in the history of our country begins.

“We are aware that a very hectic period is ahead of us, but I am sure that the Games will kick off in a very good spirit on 21 June 2023, with the Flame of Peace lit in Krakow.”

At the same time, a promotional campaign was also launched on various media platforms in urban spaces, shopping malls, fitness clubs, on the streets and at bus stops. A total of 20,000 LCD screens in many Polish cities are advertising the European Games, while people are also informed about the Games by voice announcements at Krakow Airport.

While the official ticketing campaign will kick off in April, people wanting to volunteer to work at the Games have until the end of March to apply, with all the information available on the European Games official website https://www.european-games.org/.

The third edition of the European Games will take place between 21 June and 2 July 2023. There will be 26 sports during the games with 18 Olympic and eight non-Olympic sports scheduled and more than 7,000 athletes expected to take part. Kraków will be the main hub of the Games with 11 different towns and cities hosting sports in a variety of different venues.

EOC

EOC President Spyros Capralos and Coordination Commission Chair Florin Misca were at the ceremony on 2 March 2023 in Tiblisi as the country was confirmed as the host for the 17th Winter EYOF.

Georgia will become the seventh European country to host both the summer and winter editions of the games, after welcoming Europe’s best young athletes to Tbilisi in 2015.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sport and Youth Ioseb Baghaturia, Mayor of Borjomi Otar Arbolishvili, Executive Director of the Municipal Development Fund of Georgia David Tabidze and Georgia National Olympic Committee president Leri Khabelov were also present at the signing, showing the support and backing of all major stakeholders’ for the Festival.

President Capralos said that the EOC were honoured to be back in the country and reiterated his belief that Georgia will host an excellent edition of the Festival again in two years’ time.

Speaking at the signing, he said: “Today we are very honoured to sign this host city contract. Congratulations and I am sure that Georgia will host an excellent Winter EYOF. In 2015 you hosted an excellent summer edition, so it was only natural to say yes to Georgia.

“The summer and winter EYOFs gather the best European athletes between 14 and 18 years old and some of these athletes, later on in their careers, become Olympic champions. Now this festival has become even more important because the events are transmitted live through the EOC TV channel all around Europe. This gives the opportunity for the athletes to be better known in their own countries, but also for the countries and the cities that host the festival to be seen all around Europe – so it is fantastic for your tourism and to attract visitors.”

Coordination Commission Chair Florin Misca said: “We are looking forward to working closely with the Organising Committee, the Georgian NOC and the local authorities over the next two years in the build-up to the Winter EYOF 2025.

“Borjomi-Bakuriani is a beautiful part of the country of Georgia and we know they will host a fantastic Festival for all the young athletes to compete in when they visit in two years’ time.”

For Paris 2024, this new generation of Phryges will write history. Led by one Olympic and one Paralympic Phrygian, the tribe of mascots will be central to Paris 2024’s vision to change lives by leading a revolution through sport.

Their mission is to demonstrate to the world that sport can change everything and that it deserves to have a central role in society. The Phryges will strive to bring sport into everyday life – all sports, and every way of experiencing sport – whether through participation or as fans.

To mark the launch of the mascots, the Organising Committee announced that Phryges and other mascot merchandise can now be purchased both online and in stores. More information can be found on the Paris 2024 website.

Speaking about the launch, Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet said: “We wanted mascots that would embody our vision and be able to share it with the French people and the world. Rather than an animal, our mascots represent an ideal. The Phrygian cap is a symbol of liberty. Since it is familiar to us and appears on our stamps and the pediments of our town halls, it also represents French identity and spirit.”

He continued: “As well as embodying our Games, our mascots will carry them forward, showcasing the ambition of the Games, which is truly revolutionary.”

The Phrygian cap

An international symbol of liberty that appears on many different emblems in North and South America, the Phrygian cap, also known as the “liberty cap”, has become one of the symbols of the French Republic. 

Today, it represents a common reference point for French people: in art (as a metaphor for freedom), within French institutions, and even featuring on everyday objects such as coins and stamps.

More details about how the Phrygian caps were brought to life through these mascots, the design process and other influences in their creation can be found on the Paris 2024 website.

The Olympic Games in 2024 will be held from 26 July until 11 August, while the Paralympic Games will take place between 28 August and 8 September.

The IOC

The best female and male athletes, as well as the best female, male and mixed teams were honoured, whilst an outstanding sporting career was announced. Finally, there were awards for the outstanding National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Beijing 2022 and for individual contribution to the Olympic Movement.

The ANOC Awards winners for 2022 are:

Best Male Team of Beijing 2022: Sweden Men’s Curling Team (represented by Daniel Wilhelm Magnusson)
Best Female Team of Beijing 2022: Canada’s Women’s Ice Hockey Team (represented by Ann-Renée Desbiens)
Best Mixed Team of Beijing 2022: Nick Baumgartner and Lindsay Jacobellis
Best Male Athlete of Beijing 2022: Daeheon Hwang
Best Female Athlete of Beijing 2022: Eileen Gu
Outstanding Athlete Performance: Sven Kramer
Outstanding NOC of Beijing 2022: Chinese Olympic Committee
Contribution to the Olympic Movement: Sir Craig Reedie

The awards were attended by representatives from more than 180 NOCs as well as many other Olympic Movement stakeholders. Athletes, NOCs and International Federations were all actively engaged in the ANOC Awards across all social media platforms throughout the evening, as the global celebration demonstrated how shared sporting values continue to unite different countries and cultures.

The ceremony was broadcast live on the ANOC YouTube channel.

The winners of each award were selected by the ANOC Jury, comprised of representatives from each of the Continental Associations, the ANOC Athletes’ Commission Chair, AIOWF President and ANOC Secretary General.

ANOC

On Friday 14 October it was announced that “Krakusek” the dragon would be the only mascot for the Games, however, after a period of deliberation, the Organising Committee jury agreed that the outstanding illustration of the salamander should join the dragon as the official mascots for the Games.

The initiative, which received over 2,400 entries, was open to young people aged 5-15 across the continent. The exceptional dragon design by 15-year-old Katarzyna Biśta from Libiąż, Poland, perfectly encapsulates the local culture and history of Kraków. Complimenting Krakusek, the creation of the black and gold salamander by 10-year-old Gloria Goryl from Wojnicz, Poland, brilliantly portrays a real creature that calls south Poland its home.

Katarzyna’s illustration won a popular vote on Facebook after reaching the final shortlist featuring the top three designs, which included the salamander. „Krakusek” and „Sandra” will now be reimagined by graphic designers and will become a prominent presence in the build-up to and during the 3rd edition of the European Games.

The two mascots, one male and one female, will strengthen the message behind the slogan of the Games „We are unity” and will help to promote the importance of gender equality in society. The dragon and the salamander will unite the worlds of mythology and reality and will bring people from different backgrounds together, in a similar way to sport.

– The slogan of the Games is „We are unity”. So, we decided that our dragon would need some company – said Marcin Nowak, President of the European Games 2023 Organising Committee. – In the past, I have participated in many large-scale sports events where there have been two or even three mascots, and this solution has always worked well. The mascots can interact with each other, and I have the impression that if there are more of them, it will be easier to attract a wider audience – he added.

Dragons hold a special place in the hearts of the people in Kraków, since the Wawel dragon is a symbol of the city. Stories about the legend of the beast that inhabited the cave under the royal castle on the Wawel Hill was passed down from generation to generation, which included anecdotes of the fearsome dragon terrorising the city established by King Krak.

In addition to being the creative force behind the key symbols of this major sporting event, Katarzyna and Gloria will now be invited to both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies with their families, where they will enjoy VIP treatment at the Municipal Stadium in Krakow. They will also receive a personalised mascot inspired by their designs and a package of official European Games 2023 merchandise.

The European Games takes place from 21 June – 2 July 2023, where the continent’s elite level athletes will compete in 25 sports.

The European Games Kraków-Małopolska 2023 is right around the corner, with only eight months until the Opening Ceremony. The volunteer programme is the best way to become part of the largest sporting event to ever take place in Poland.

“I’ve met volunteers as a competitive athlete, then as a couch, to finally work with them as the Chef de Mission of the Polish Team,” said President of the Organizing Committee for the European Games 2023 Marcin Nowak.

“So I am fully aware that their role cannot be taken for granted. We place high emphasis on this project. After all, we deeply care about anyone who’s coming to Kraków, we want them to feel good, and we’ll do whatever we can to solve any issue that might occur along the way.”

“The volunteers will be very much needed during each and every step of the Games – even before the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. They will help us to keep in touch with fans and athletes from all around Europe. They will help journalists, referees and coaches. Working during Games will provide them with many opportunities to meet different people and make valuable friendships.”

An inclusive environment

Who are the organisers looking for? The main requirement is age: volunteers must be sixteen or over by the time the Games start in June, and there’s no such thing as “too old”. Volunteers can be students, workers, or even senior citizens. Fluent communication in English is required, and volunteers must be available for at least eight days during the event period from December to April 2023.

We are looking for people who are active, willing to help, open minded and have a passion for the Olympic Movement. No previous volunteering experience is needed; volunteers will learn everything along the way. Working with us is a great opportunity to observe and participate in all the behind the scenes action of one of the world’s biggest sporting events. “I can assure you, this a once in a lifetime adventure” – said Nowak.

Starter pack and insurance

Every volunteer will be given a starter pack, which includes clothing and gadgets. The Organising Committee will also provide: food while at work, free public transport, the NNW insurance, the necessary training and a certificate. For anyone outside of the Lesser Poland region, accommodation will be provided.

To become a volunteer, candidates need to successfully complete a two-stage recruitment process. The first step will require you to register on the Volunteer Website and fill out the form. The link is available here: www.ie2023.pl/wolontariat. The second stage is an online interview for selected applicants. The registration form will be available until 15 January 2023, and interviews will take place between December 2022 to April 2023.

Thirteen incredible days of sporting memories

The event will take place from 21 June to 2 July 2023. Kraków and Śląsk are the official hosts of the Games. Both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will take place at the City Stadium in Kraków. The twelve days of action at the European Games will deliver sporting competition of the highest standard. Athletes will compete in Kraków, Krynica Zdrój, Tarnów, Zakopane, Chorzów and Wrocław.