SLOVAK OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PROVIDED PREPARATION OF YOUNG UKRAINIANS FOR EYOF

The current situation in Ukraine does not leave the Slovak Olympic Committee (SOŠV) careless and, within its possibilities, it tries to help the sports and olympic community in this sorely tried country. SOŠV has currently provided the final concentration training for young Ukrainian athletes before the  XVI. summer European Youth Olympic Festival Banská Bystrica in July.

Thanks to the initiative of the Slovak Olympic Committee, more than 60 members of the Ukrainian team are preparing before the start of the youth sports festival at the x-bionic sphere Olympic training center in Šamorín. They have everything they need for training and preparation so they can fully prepare for the event in central Slovakia, which will take place from June 24 to 30.

„In these times, it was natural for SOŠV to offer help to Ukrainian friends. Shortly after the outbreak of the conflict, we approached the president of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee and our personal friend Sergey Bubka with an offer to help. We believe that in Šamorín, young athletes from Ukraine will prepare well for the EYOF, and at the same time, thanks to Slovakian hospitality, they will forget the troubles they experience at home,“ said Jozef Liba, the general secretary of SOŠV.

SOŠV has already been involved in other aid projects for Ukraine in the previous weeks. At the request of the international Olympic community, it provided the transfer of humanitarian materials from the Olympic Solidarity Fund, established by the International Olympic Committee, to areas affected by the war conflict.

„Today, the entire Olympic movement faces the trauma of not being able to fully fulfill its mission of uniting the world in peaceful competition. Today, the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, often reminds us that our Olympic mission is not political, but humanitarian. In this spirit, SOŠV also takes all steps. The Slovak sports community has been trying to help Ukraine since the beginning of the war conflict. Already in its first days, sports entities opened their premises for Ukrainians who left their homes. At the same time, they help this country materially and financially,“ added Jozef Liba.

On Friday, gymnasts, athletes and swimmers set off from the Koncha-Zaspa sports complex in Kyiv on a 1.450 km bus journey to Šamorín, and they will be joined by judokas and cyclists at the Danube. Badminton players will arrive directly in Banská Bystrica. Ukrainians will occupy six out of ten sports at EYOF 2022.

Source: SLOVAK OLYMPIC COMMITTEE