Czech NOC Relishes Chance to Host 2017 ANOC Assembly

(ATR) The Czech Republic National Olympic Committee says it is thrilled to welcome all fellow NOCs for the first time in late 2017.

Preparations and planning are moving forward as the Czech NOC readies to host the 2017 Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly in Prague, Oct. 30 to Nov. 3.

ANOC secretary general Gunilla Lindberg and coordination commission members will meet with Czech NOC president Jiri Kejval during an initial inspection visit to the Czech capital in January.

Kejval tells Around the Rings that he was somewhat surprised when ANOC officials approached him about hosting the flagship event, an opportunity that the Czechs quickly took advantage of.

"When we had the European Olympic Committees session here, we invited President Bach and Sheikh Ahmad also visited and I think they were impressed by Prague," Kejval said, referring to the EOC General Assembly in November 2015.

"When we do something, we do it with heart and I think people see that," Kejval added. "It is the biggest Olympic event and to have 206 representatives of the Olympic movement here is a dream."

The 22nd ANOC General Assembly – which will be held at the Hilton Atrium hotel and convention center – will mark the first time that the Czech Republic will host the gathering. More than 1,200 delegates are expected, presumably making it larger than the 2003 IOC session held in Prague.

"When I got the confirmation, I immediately wrote an SMS to our Prime Minister and to the minister of education and they immediately replied congratulations," Kejval said. "We’re excited, all of us – not just us and the athletes, but also the members of our government."

The general assembly will also entail the fourth edition of the ANOC Gala Dinner and Awards, which will take place at the Forum Karlin in Prague.

"We’ll try to reach another level," Kejval said. "It will be something really special."

Czech NOC President’s Second Term

Kejval, who is an avid rower and cross-country skier, began his second four-year term as Czech NOC president in October, standing for the position unopposed.

At the Rio 2016 Games, the Czech Republic attained 10 medals, including just one gold medal by Lukas Krpalek in Judo. It is a total that Kejval says should be improved upon with the right focus, funding and sport development in the years leading up to Tokyo 2020. Expectations are also lofty for PyeongChang 2018 as elite female athletes will lead the chase for medals in biathlon, speed skating and snowboarding.

"We’re totally dependent on women," Kejval admitted, referring to the Czech Republic’s Olympic medal hopes in PyeongChang 2018.

The Czech Republic’s once mighty national ice hockey team, which has relied on stars like Jaromir Jagr and Dominik Hasek, has not won an Olympic medal since bronze in Torino 2006.

Kejval said that there are three primary goals that he will focus upon to strengthen and improve the Czech NOC over the upcoming years.

They include focusing on top level sports within the country, including concentrating on team sports, enhancing corporate social responsibility to the level of other European nations and further developing the NOC’s digital and social media platforms to promote the nation’s athletes.

He noted that government funding for Czech sport has been increased substantially from 2.2 billion Czech Koruna ($85 million) to six billion ($232 million) in 2016.

"This is a significant achievement that we persuaded the government – this is the money for the next generation and that is essentially important," Kejval said. "Now we need to persuade the private sector."

On the digital side, the Czech team seeks to continue to inform and entertain through a variety of videos and fun segments on its dedicated YouTube channel.

"We’re putting great energy and money into it and we have great expectations," Kejval said, noting that he was influenced by a presentation by sports marketing consultant Martin Sorrell at the 2015 IOC session in Kuala Lumpur.

Kejval is currently serving on the IOC Marketing Commission, ANOC Marketing and New Sources of Finance Commission and was also appointed as an ANOC representative to the World Anti-Doping Agency Executive Committee for 2017.

Written by Brian Pinelli in Prague.

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