Georgian NOC news
04 Dec 2023 - Find here the latest news from the National Olympic Committee: events, courses, general assemblies and elections, trophies and much more.
04 december 2023 - The NOC and its Athletes’ Commission recently organised a joint activity to promote and disseminate the spirit of Olympism among regional public schools. On 21 November, Olympic shooting champion Nino Salukvadze, NOC Secretary General Emzar Zenaishvili and NOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Gogita Arkania (double karate world champion) paid a visit to the Lanchkhuti municipality public school in Guria region. Information about the Olympic Movement and the Georgian Olympic Movement was presented to the pupils, who had the opportunity to hear interesting stories from role models Nino and Gogita. The school received from the NOC various items of sports equipment and literature on Olympism. An Olympic quiz was also organised by the NOC. Info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
13 november 2023 - The NOC recently awarded IOC diplomas to the participants of the Advanced Sports Management Courses. In total, 21 participants from 15 different national sports federations and sport organisations completed the requirements of the courses in 2023, thus enriching their knowledge of sports management. The diplomas were presented by the NOC President, Leri Khabelov, and First Vice President Elguja Berishvili and Programme Director Rusudan Aptsiauri. The ceremony was widely covered by Georgian TV and media resources. Info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
30 october 2023 - The new Olympic Museum was inaugurated at the Georgian NOC premises last 6 October, the anniversary of the NOC’s establishment. The Museum of modern design is spread over 300 sqm with the renovated Olympic library. NOC President leri Khabelov was the initiator of the creation of the museum and library, while the concept of exhibitions and projects was directed by First NOC Vice-President Elguja Berishvili. The project was implemented with the financial support of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) and the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth of Georgia among others. Info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
25 april 2023 - On 7 April, the NOC organised an Athletes’ Commission Forum and an Athlete365 Educational Informative Seminar. The event was supported by Olympic Solidarity. The NOC Athletes’ Commission members discussed key topics such as preparations for the upcoming qualification events and Paris 2024. Also on the agenda were educational and informative topics focusing on the resources on the Athlete365 platform. The Seminar was attended by young athletes from 13 National Olympic Sports Federations. Invited experts and speakers covered a range of issues, including clean sport, the Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration, and competition manipulation. An Olympic-themed quiz was also organised, and gifts were awarded to the winners by the NOC President, Leri Khabelov. At the end of the Seminar, athletes and NOC leaders joined the campaign launched by the Peace and Sport organisation and raised a #WhiteCard.
12 December 2022 - On 8th December, the Georgian NOC launched a new publication, “Georgian Olympic Champions”, by Elguja Berishvili (left on photo), the NOC’s First Vice President. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of Georgian athletes’ first participation in the Olympic Games, the NOC has produced a two-volume work on Olympic Champions. The project was supported by Olympic Solidarity. NOC President Leri Khabelov (right on photo), NOC members, Olympic champions and distinguished guests were present at the ceremony. More info at www.geonoc.org.ge. In addition, all the successful participants in the Advanced Sport Management Courses organised with IOC support in 2022 were welcomed to the NOC headquarters. This year, 17 participants out of a total 21 completed the course requirements and obtained Diplomas in Management of Olympic Sport Organisations.
10 October 2022 - The Georgian NOC has announced that Rafael Chimishkyan (photo), the first-ever Olympic champion from Georgia, has died at the age of 93. Chimishkyan made his mark on Georgian Olympic history 70 years ago at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, where he won a gold medal in weightlifting. He also won two world and six European championship titles and broke 11 world records. He was named the Best Georgian Weightlifter of the 20th Century and made an honorary citizen of Tbilisi. More info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
28 june 2022 - The Georgian NOC celebrated Olympic Day by organising various activities, including an Olympic Run. Over 4,000 youngsters from the capital, Tbilisi, and various regions of the country took part. In Tbilisi, the Run started at the Olympic Park, with the participation of Ukrainian refugees along with the local population, NOC President Leri Khabelov and other NOC members. In addition, the first session of the Advanced Sports Management Course started on 15 June at the NOC headquarters, with the support of Olympic Solidarity. Participants were welcomed by NOC First Vice-President Elguja Berishvili and by Olympic champion in shooting Nino Salukvadze, who has competed in nine Games editions. Sports experts covered all the key issues related to the management of Olympic sports organisations. More info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
14 june 2022 - Thirty years ago in 1992 the “Peace Torch” monument created by sculptor Giorgi Shkhatsabaia was erected in Olympia (Greece), a significant event in the cultural relationship between Greece and Georgia. On 7 June 2022, the Georgian NOC organised a festive gathering at the NOC headquarters to celebrate this anniversary. The ceremony was attended by the sculptor, the NOC authorities, the Deputy Head of the Mission of the Embassy of the Hellenic Republic in Georgia, the First Deputy Minister of Culture, Sport and Youth of Georgia and other important figures from Georgian sport. A photo exhibition and video presentation were also organised. Info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
14 January 2022 - The Georgian NOC has announced the death of its Honorary President, Jansug Bagrationi (photo). Throughout his life, he was actively involved in sport, whether as a handball player, coach or sports leader. Bagrationi held leading positions for over 20 years as the Chair of the Tbilisi City Sport Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Sports Department of Georgia, 1st NOC Vice-President and then NOC President from 1996 to 2004. During his presidency, the NOC took part in three Olympic Games editions (Atlanta, Sydney and Athens) as an independent team. Bagrationi greatly contributed to disseminating the Olympic ideals in his country, which earned him the Olympic Order in 1999, the European Olympic Committees Laurel award and Georgia’s Medal of Honour.
Furthermore, Olympic champion Viktor Saneev died on 2 January at the age of 76 in Sydney, where he had lived since the 1990s. He won three Olympic gold medals (1968, 1972 and 1976) and one silver medal (1980) in the triple jump. Also a triple jump world record-holder, he was named Georgia’s best athlete of the 20th century. His accomplishments and contribution to sport were honoured with the Olympic Order in 1983, as well as Georgia’s Medal of Honour and the Presidential Order of Excellence. More info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
02 July 2021 - The Georgian NOC recently hosted Sports Administrators Courses within the framework of the current management programmes under the Olympic Solidarity 2021-2024 quadrennial plan. The participants were sports specialists, administrators and volunteers from Georgian sporting society, National Sports Federations, and students from the State Learning University of Physical Education and Sport. Experienced sports experts from the NOC and invited lecturers shared their knowledge on the Olympic Movement, gender issues, COVID-19 challenges, sports marketing, athletes’ nutrition and human resources. Participants were awarded with IOC certificates. More info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
28 june 2021 - The Georgian NOC organised at its headquarters the final stage of the “Olympism at Schools” Project, with the support of Olympic Solidarity and in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the National Association of Sport, Fitness and Physical Education. Held from 18 April to 18 June 2021, the project involved about 600 public schools in 11 regions of Georgia. Its aim was to promote Olympism and the Olympic Movement, as well as the importance of a healthy lifestyle. A sports quiz, a painting/drawing contest on Olympism and other activities were on the programme. Medals, certificates and commemorative gifts were given to the regional school winners. More info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
16 April 2021 - Despite pandemic challenges and restrictions, the Georgian NOC disseminated the spirit of the IDSP on 6 April among Olympic champions and NOC Athletes’ Commission members. The NOC Executive Board members also joined the campaign (photo), which was widely covered by the Georgian media. Info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
29 june 2020 - On Olympic Day, the Georgian NOC organised an Executive Board meeting, with the main topic being preparations for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in the reality of COVID-19. The NOC devoted several campaigns to Olympic Day with the active involvement of Olympic athletes and children. With the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, the NOC launched an online “Art and Sport” contest for children. Up to 1,000 students from public schools in Tbilisi and other regions took part in the contest. On 23 June, the NOC announced the winners and awarded them gifts and prizes (photo). A special tribute was paid to the veteran athletes and Olympic champions who have created the Olympic history of Georgia. More info at www.geonoc.org.ge
22 October 2019 - On 6 October, the Georgian NOC celebrated its 30th anniversary. Founding members, Olympic champions, representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, leaders of National Sports Federations, sports fans and the media gathered at the NOC headquarters, where NOC President Leri Khabelov, and the first President of the NOC and current Honorary President, Nona Gaprindashvili, gave speeches. In attendance was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Georgia, Tadaharu Uehara. This 30th anniversary was devoted to Legacy Project, the first publication of the Georgian Olympic Encyclopaedia, written by E. Berishvili, the NOC’s First Vice-President, and created with the support of Olympic Solidarity. Before the celebrations, a commemorative monument was inaugurated at the entrance of the Tbilisi Chess Palace, as this building hosted the NOC’s Founding Conference on 6 October 1989. More info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
15 January 2019 - At its Annual Session on 21 December, the Georgian NOC presented the various activities carried out in 2018, and the main sporting successes, to leaders of national federations and associations, Olympic champions, Ministry of Culture, Sport and Education representatives, and the media. At this Session, the Best Athlete of 2018 award was presented to weightlifter Lasha Talakhadze (right in photo), an Olympic, world and European champion who also received the special “Olympic Flame” award from NOC President Leri Khabelov (left in photo). In addition, 23 Olympic champions were awarded the Presidential Order of Excellence, presented by the President of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili. Info at www.geonoc.org.ge.
2 July 2018 - On 23 June, at the initiative of the Georgian NOC, all generations of Georgian Olympians gathered at the Rustaveli Theatre in Tblisi. In addition to the Olympians and their families, the NOC invited representatives from the European Olympic Committees (EOC), the World Olympians Association (WOA), the International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) and other NOCs. The Mayor of Tblisi, Kakha Kaladze, the Minister for Sport and Culture, Mikheil Giorgadze, and Members of Parliament were in attendance, along with the NOC President, Leri Khabelov. A video message from the IOC President was shown at the event. To mark Olympic Day, a run was organised in Tblisi and in other big cities throughout the country. Over 3,000 people took part in the run and in the other Olympic Day activities. More info here.