The ΗΟC President and IOC member Spyros Capralos was an official guest at the 17th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport, which took place from in Antalya, Turkey.

Mr. Capralos was a speaker at the Council in his capacity as a member of the IOC and President of the European Olympic Committees, with the main topic “Reapproaching sport: Showing the way for a healthy and sustainable future”

President Capralos spoke on the challenges facing Europe at this time, including the effects of war, climate change and a global energy and food crisis and the cost-of-living crisis, all of which are having an impact on sport in many ways.
From an EOC perspective he shared the EOC’s efforts in promoting the values of sport and healthy lifestyles across Europe through initiatives organised for the European Week of Sport (EWoS). One such activity was the participation of Members of the EOC Executive Committee in a relay as part of the #BeActive campaign in Ancient Olympia, Greece. The objective was to encourage the continent’s youth to be more active.
President Capralos then spoke about the IOC’s commitment to make the Paris 2024 Games the first fully gender-balanced Games. He also highlighted the European Games taking place next year and said, “I am delighted that the third edition of the European Games next year in Krakow, which will feature many Olympians seeking to secure their place for Paris 2024, will be gender equal for the first time.”
Additionally, President Capralos stressed to representatives the importance of Sustainable Development – which is one of the Key Strategic Priorities for the EOC – in building a better future for the next generation and explained innovative approaches that could be activated to utilise sport as a driver for long-term sustainability. He informed participants of the EOC’s intention to become a signatory of the UN Sport and Climate Action framework, which would see the organisation adhere to a set of five principles that will be incorporated into the EOC’s strategies, policies and procedures for the foreseeable future.