One year after Tokyo, Slovakia will welcome EYOF 2022

Exactly one year from now, Banská Bystrica will welcome young athletes from 50 European countries to the international sporting event EYOF 2022. From 24 to 30 July 2022, sports grounds will come alive not only in Banská Bystrica, but also in Zvolen, Detva, Slovenska Ľupča and Badín.

Slovakia will be the host country of a major youth sports event, which has the ambition to draw attention to the importance of youth sport, but is also an opportunity to raise the profile not only of the region of Banská Bystrica and the surrounding area, but also of Slovakia as a whole. Today, the organisers launched the final countdown of 365 days to EOYF 2022 and introduced the mascot of the event, which is the mining gnome Permoník.

The event is under the patronage of the President of the Slovak Republic Zuzana Čaputová, the Minister of Defence Jaroslav Naď has patronage over the security concept of the EYOF and the Minister of the Environment Ján Budaj over the sustainability project, whose principles are supported by the organisers of the event.

The EYOF will start in one year

The clock has been counting down to the start of the event since Saturday evening, which was officially launched in the presence of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Marian Majer, the Mayor of Banská Bystrica and the President of the Organising Committee Jan Nosek, the President of the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee Anton Siekel and the Executive Director of the Organising Committee Petr Hamaj at Banská Bystrica’s SNP Square.

The countdown clock will be placed in the Europa SC shopping centre in Banská Bystrica over the next twelve months. A year before the event, the EYOF was presented during a Saturday afternoon in the centre of the host city. Hundreds of visitors were able to listen to concerts by Hex, Fíha Tralal or the Ministry of the Interior Brass Band, try out various sports disciplines, have fun with a number of activities and above all spend a pleasant afternoon and early evening finished with a fireworks display.

“The EYOF will be a beautiful celebration of sport in Slovakia. I am very glad that the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic is also financially involved in the modernisation and reconstruction of the sports grounds at the venue of the event, which can later serve the future Olympians who will be brought up in Banská Bystrica,” said Marian Majer, State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence.

“If a new coronavirus had not appeared in the world, instead of commemorating one year to the beginning, today we would have a day to the beginning of the event,” recalled the original date of the EYOF (25-31 July 2021) the mayor of Banská Bystrica and the president of the organising committee Ján Nosko. “The pandemic has caused the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics and our event. We were ready to host the EYOF already this year, but the postponement has helped us to focus on the details and prepare an event with a higher emphasis on quality, safety and sustainable concept. We look forward to seeing the European Youth Olympic Family in Banská Bystrica next year.”

Several Olympians started at the EYOF

Slovakia and the whole sporting world are currently living the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo. The Olympic Games are the culmination of the efforts of all athletes, the European Youth Olympic Festivals are the first big event for young athletes on their way to the top. From Slovakia, current Olympians such as Emma Zapletalová, Gabriela Gajanová, Barbora Mokošová and Barbora Balážová have competed at the EYOF in the past.

“In the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee we also pay a lot of attention to young athletes and their participation in youth festivals. We have created the Junior Olympic Team project, which included several successful EYOF participants,” said Anton Siekel, President of the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee.

The mascot is associated with Banská Bystrica

The town of Banská Bystrica and the surrounding region are associated with tales of permoniks, which is why the mining gnome will also be the mascot of the EYOF. According to legends, the Permonites were the ancient guardians and protectors of minerals and treasures in the vicinity of mining tunnels, they guarded and dug ore with precious minerals, helped miners in their work and warned them of danger.The image of the mascot was decided by an expert jury composed of experts in fine arts and Olympism. The winning design by Milan Prekop from Bratislava came from 1102 entries.

“We were delighted and pleasantly surprised by the public interest in the art competition. The jury did not have an easy task, but we are convinced that they have chosen a mascot that will be unmissable at the sports venues, its face and appearance are easy to remember and will please every visitor to the EYOF. The Permonik will gradually appear at other events associated with the EYOF and the city of Banská Bystrica,” said Peter Hamaj, Executive Director of the EYOF 2022 Banská Bystrica Organising Committee.

The Organising Committee continues to recruit volunteers who, like the mascot, will be one of the faces of EYOF 2022 Banská Bystrica.