Conclusions of the Eighth EOA General Assembly in Prague

The Eighth General Assembly of the European Olympic Academies (EOA) took place on October 9, 2025, in Prague, marking the conclusion of the Seventh EOA Congress. Hosted at the Grand Majestic Plaza Hotel, the meeting gathered representatives from 26 National Olympic Academies (NOAs), alongside observers from partner organisations including the International Olympic Academy (IOA), the European Fair Play Movement (EFPM) and the Association of African National Olympic Academies (AANOA).

Following welcome addresses by AANOA President Prof. Ridha Layouni and EFPM Vice-President Katarína Ráczová, the Assembly reviewed the organisation’s key activities of the past year. Their remarks complemented the contributions of EOA’s close partners from the IOA, EOC, and ICSSPE, who had already addressed the participants earlier during the Congress, underlining the strong spirit of collaboration across the Olympic movement.

The subsequent reports highlighted the EOA’s active engagement in a wide range of European cooperation initiatives. Among them were the EOC General Assembly in Frankfurt, the EFPM Congress in Olympia, and the World Fair Play Day in Brussels. A selection that reflects the organisation’s growing presence and collaboration across the continent. In addition, the EOA’s expanding involvement in EU-funded programmes, including the Erasmus+ projects SOPROS, BESST 2.0, and Integrity Atlas, further strengthens its commitment to safeguarding, education, and good governance in sport. EOA Treasurer Bernard Hilgers presented a stable financial outlook for 2024 and 2025, while Good Governance Officer Dionyssis Gangas confirmed the EOA’s adherence to high standards of transparency and administration. The Executive Board was discharged unanimously.

EOA Medal of Merit in Gold Awarded to Prof. Agajan Abiyev

A highlight of the Assembly was the presentation of the EOA Medal of Merit in Gold to Prof. Agajan Abiyev, President of the Azerbaijan National Olympic Academy, for his outstanding contributions to the foundation and early development of the EOA. As Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan (1997–2021) and long-time leader of the NOA, Prof. Abiyev played a pivotal role in establishing the European Olympic Academies network, having hosted the Second Conference of NOAs in Baku in 2015, a milestone that paved the way for the EOA’s foundation.

Looking Ahead

The Assembly also looked toward future activities, including preparations for the EOA Congress 2026 and the EOA & ENdAS Regional Seminar in Luxembourg. Closing with the European Anthem, the Assembly reaffirmed the EOA’s commitment to advancing Olympic education, good governance, and international cooperation across Europe.