ANOC President presented with Kazakhstan's special high award

Astana, Kazakhstan; 17 March 2017: ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah was today presented with a special high award by the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev at a ceremony marking the 25 year anniversary of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad was presented with the honour for the role he played in the creation of the NOC in 1991 and the support he has provided in developing sport in the country.

The ceremony took place in Astana and was attended by senior members of the NOC, including NOC President Timur Kulibayev, as well as members of Kazakhstan government and Kazakh athletes who have competed in international competitions over the last 25 years both for Kazakhstan and the former Soviet Union.

Speaking at the ceremony ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad congratulated President Nazarbayev and the NOC for the excellent progress that has been made over the last 25 years under his leadership. He said:

"It is a great honour to be in this beautiful country and to be presented with this award. Over the last 25 years, I have witnessed the significant development that has taken place here, not just in sport but across all of society. In that time, Kazakhstan has gained excellent experience in hosting world-class events such as the 2017 Winter Universiade and the 2011 Asian Winter Games. There is excellent sporting infrastructure in place with many world-class venues for winter and summer sports. I have no doubt that Kazakhstan would be an excellent host of not just future World Championships but would also be capable of hosting the Olympic Games or Olympic Winter Games."

—ENDS—

Notes to Editors

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The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) was established in June 1979 during the Constitutive General Assembly in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over the last 36 years, the number of National Olympic Committees (NOCs) whose interests ANOC represents has risen to 206.

ANOC is administered from its headquarters in the Olympic Capital, Lausanne, where it has been based since June 2010. When the ANOC President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah was elected in April 2012 his stated objective was to reform, modernise and professionalise the organisation in order to better serve the needs of the world’s NOCs.

Under Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah’s visionary leadership, ANOC has strived to protect and promote the collective interests of the NOCs by delivering an unprecedented level of assistance and support. ANOC also aims to build and strengthen the relationships between the NOCs and the Olympic Family for the benefit of the entire Olympic Movement.

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