Volleyball will be part of EYOF 2021 Banská Bystrica

Slovak sports associations and federations will participate in the material, technical and organizational support of the 16th European Youth Olympic Festival 2021 Banská Bystrica. There has been a change in the EYOF program in recent weeks, volleyball will be played in the arenas in Central region of Slovakia, the beach volleyball tournament will not take place.

Preparations for the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) are underway. The reconstruction of the SNP Stadium in area  Štiavničky started a few weeks ago. Today, the modernization of the Ice Hockey stadium is being prepared.

“A few days ago, we commemorated 500 days to the start of EYOF. And very soon, on the first competition day of Olympic Games in Tokyo, July 25, we will start counting down the year until the opening ceremony of EYOF 2021 Banská Bystrica. Even in this difficult time we are working hard to prepare the event. Coronavirus has also influenced our intentions and plans. We had to cancel a joint meeting with the representatives of Slovak sports associations and the visit of the Control Committee of the European Olympic Committees will not take place at the original date,” said Peter Korčok, Executive Director of EYOF 2021 Banská Bystrica.

The organizers also wanted to sign Agreement of Cooperation with the representatives of eleven associations whose sports would be represented in the program of the event. After the meeting is canceled, the agreement is signed by each union at its headquarters and sent by e-mail or post. “Every sport on EYOF 2021 will be coordinated by a national sports association coordinator. We have cooperated so far, after signing the Agreements our contacts have also become official. The national federations will help us in terms of personal and material and technical support,” said Peter Korčok.

The individual competitions at EYOF will be managed by technical delegates nominated by international sports federations. After a few weeks they will come to Banská Bystrica and will control the conditions for organizing competitions with national coordinators and Peter Hamaj, sports director of EYOF 2021 Banská Bystrica.

In the original candidacy of Slovakia to organize the EYOF 2021 figured a volleyball. After last year’s change, from Košice to Banská Bystrica, there was idea of a beach volleyball, but at last there will be tournaments in the classic volleyball under the roof. “After consultation with the Slovak Volleyball Federation and the European Volleyball Confederation CEV we returned to the original idea. It will be played in the halls in Slovenská Ľupča and Zvolen, which have received the necessary certificates for the organization of international matches,” said Peter Hamaj.