Ján Nosko: Setting the bar high for other organizers

Ján Nosko, the Mayor of the hosting town of Banská Bystrica, is the President of the Organizing Committee of the European Youth Olympic Festival 2022. The goal of all organizational units, however, remains to join forces, work to the fullest and prepare an unforgettable sports festival for young athletes, sports enthusiasts, local residents and visitors to the city.

 What is the Organizing Committee’s ambition?

“Our ambition is to prepare a compact international multisport event for athletes aged 14-18. EYOF 2022 should provide an opportunity to organize a multisport event in smaller cities and regions rather than in large cities, also in view of the international Agenda 2020 promoted by Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee. Banská Bystrica will show that it can be done with a low budget and set the bar for other organizers in this respect.”

How is EYOF funded?

“The event is financed exclusively from the government budget, participation fees and contributions by partners. It gives a clear message that the residents of Banská Bystrica will not pay for EYOF at the expense of other priorities.”

What will EYOF bring to Banská Bystrica?

“EYOF will bring additional added value on top of enhancing and modernizing the sports infrastructure. Banská Bystrica will become even more visible on the sports map of Europe, plus, thanks to visitors from abroad, EYOF will also bring economic benefits. The European Youth Olympic Festival has more than an urban character and will be a celebration of sports and Olympism throughout our region. It will help promote and support healthy lifestyle, develop sports and improve the quality of life of children, young people and adults. I believe that the event can make people even more active.”

What is the state of EYOF 2022 Banská Bystrica preparations?

“We were not able to place all sports in Banská Bystrica. Therefore, we will also be using the arenas in Zvolen, Detva, Slovenská Ľupča and Badín. The center of EYOF will be the new Sports Park located in Štiavničky, Banská Bystrica. At its heart will lie the Stadium of the Slovak National Uprising, which is currently reconstructing by the Ministry of Defense and the National Athletic Stadium will be established, too. We are preparing selected sports grounds for EYOF as they have to undergo modifications to meet international standards. It will not involve major reconstruction work. However, the sports infrastructure that has been neglected for years will be given a new look and after the EYOF will serve the residents of Banská Bystrica, who will feel more comfortable at the new sports grounds. The Organizing Committee has been working since autumn 2019 and the number of its members is gradually growing. We have to find accommodation for 3,600 participants and members of the implementation teams, a thousand referees, officials and official guests, several hundred fans from abroad and hundreds of volunteers in Banská Bystrica. With the aid of the Banská Bystrica self-governing region and Matej Bel University we can use high school and university dormitories respectively. We are also preparing an educational program for secondary school teachers and starting in September 2020 we will launch an Olympic Culture and Education Programme (OCEP) in the region. Fifty regional schools will exchange information and present their cities with partner schools in the participating countries. We still have a lot of work to do, but I believe that we will prepare a grand event in our city next summer.”

Can city residents also contribute to the success of the event?

“We are launching a volunteer program in March. We want to attract mainly the residents of Banská Bystrica. Residents of all ages are sports enthusiasts therefore I believe they will want to be involved as much as possible. We are also inspired by international events, where volunteers are a great asset. In addition to helping us, they can gain a lot of new experiences, meet new people and get to know a new country. The EYOF’s success depends on them, too. I believe that the EYOF will awaken volunteering among Slovaks as well.”