Croatian Olympic Committee

Zagreb, February 27th, 2020 - The 54th session of the Croatian Olympic Committee's Assembly was held at the Zagreb's hotel Panorama, and it began with a solemn act. Croatian Olympic Committee's President Zlatko Mateša presented the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Trophy “Sports and Sustainable Architecture” 2019 to Krešimir Ivaniš, a great contributor to the development and maintenance of sports infrastructure in Croatia. Born in Karlovac, a student and teacher in Zagreb at the Faculty of Architecture left a deep mark on sports construction throughout the Republic of Croatia. He is the founder and long-time leader of the Croatian Olympic Committee's Sports Construction and Environment Commission and for a four-year term he was also a member of the EOCs Commission of the same name.

Zagreb, February 4th, 2020 - Duringthe ceremony held at the Predsjednički dvori (Presidential Palace) at Zagreb's Pantovčak, President of the Republic of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović presented forty recognitions and awards to deserving individuals and institutions from various fields of social and humanistic activities as an expression of gratitude for their exceptional achievements and skills that contributed to the development and reputation of the homeland, including, of course, the "Best Croatian Ambassadors in the World" - its athletes and sports staff.

Zagreb, October 18, 2019 -At the premises of the Croatian Ministry of Defense (CMD) which, in cooperation with the Croatian Olympic Committee (COC), implements the Top Athletes Support Program, ensuring them the status of contractual reservists of Croatian Army (CA), gathered 28 of total 41 beneficiaries of the Program, among them a dozen Olympians for Tokyo 2020. Vice-President of the Croatian Government and Minister of Defense Damir Krstičević, Chief of General Staff Mirko Šundov and Croatian Olympic Committee’s Vice President  Sanda Čorak thanked them on great results in 2019 whereby they promoted both the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian Army.

Zagreb, August 6, 2019 - 27 years ago, at the Barcelona Olympics, the first Olympic medal was won for independent Croatia. The creator of this venture was tennis player Goran Ivanišević who, after a bronze in Singles, brought Croatia soon another bronze in Doubles with Goran Prpić. Until the quarterfinals in which he ensured bronze, Ivanišević celebrated in four matches a five-set victory over Portuguese Bernard Moto, Dutch Paul Haarhuis, Swiss Jakobo Hlasek and then in a four-hour marathon with a Frenchman Fabrice Santoro.

Zagreb, July 31, 2019 - President of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) Zlatko Mateša prepared a reception for three-member-delegation of karate, including President of the World Karate Federation (WKF) Antonio Espinosa, Head of the Croatian Karate Federation (HKS) Davor Cipek and President of the HKS Veterans Committee Vjekoslav Šafranić. They discussed the status of karate at the world and national level, and mostly on the status of karate at large multi-sport events, where the co-speakers mostly commented the IOC's decision on the one-time inclusion of karate in the Olympic sports program exclusively for Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Zagreb, July 28, 2019 – The Croatian Sport Delegation returned on Sunday, in several groups, from the XV European Youth Summer Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Baku. The morning welcome to the golden handball players was followed by greatest shine, happiness and song, enjoyed also by the female and male wrestlers, athletes, tennis players, ... The lobby of the Franjo Tuđman Airport echoed, from time to time, with song and cheerleading of the cadet handball team which, along with the Head Coach Nino Marković and coaching  staff,  has no doubts on confirming its value in the future as well. However, the main individual star was the swimmer Franko Grgić with two gold medals around his neck.

Baku, July 27, 2019 -In the capital of Azerbaijan the XV European Youth Summer Olympic Festival (EYOF) ended. The Closing Ceremony of the Games was held in the crowded Baku’s Crystal Hall, and the entire program was aimed at entertainment and relaxation of European sports youth (between 14 and 18 years) after one-week competition challenges in 10 sports. The host organized a several-hours-long musical spectacle, in which six prestigious musicians participated, and finally the DJ, with whom the Ceremony ended. During the Ceremony, the flag of the European Olympic Committees (EOCs) was handed over to Ján Nosko, the Mayor of the Slovak city of Banská Bystrica, the host of the XVI edition of the Summer EYOF 2021.

Baku, July 25, 2019 – Croatian judoka Katarina Krišto won a silver medal in the category -63 kg at the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival (EYOF), held in Baku (Azerbaijan) from July 21st to 27th. This is the second Croatian judoka’s medal, a day after Ana Viktorija Puljiz won a gold medal. In the round of 8 Krišto was better than the Hungarian Nikolett Nyiri, having her beaten by ippon, as well as she did in the quarterfinals with the Polish Martyna Glubiak and in the semifinals with the Ukrainian Julia Kurchenko. Ippon (after 42 seconds of the fight) was decisive in the final fight as well, but in favor of the overall winner, the Dutch Joanne van Lieshout.  

Baku, July 23, 2019 -Young Croatian swimmer Franko Grgić won the second gold medal at the XV European Youth Summer Olympic Festival (EYOF) in just two days. The European Youth Summer Olympic Festival (EYOF), held from July 21st to 27th in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku. After yesterday's triumph at 400 meters, the Split’s swimming gem convincingly celebrated in 1500 meters Freestyle as well, breaking for as many as 20 seconds the EYOF record. So far it was 15:24.02, and from now on, with the name of the record holder Franko Grgić stands the time 15:04.75. The second was the Hungarian David Bethlehem (15:15.60), and the third German Silas Beth (15:20.58).

Baku, July 21, 2019 - At the Olympic Stadium in Baku the XV European Youth Summer Olympic Festival (EYOF) was solemnly opened, which will feature around 3600 young female and male athletes from 50 countries of the old continent during seven competing days. Among them, there will be 54 Croatian representatives in nine (out of ten) sports. The spectacle marked by song, dance, light effects, fireworks and folklore tradition of Azerbaijan was participated by around forty Croatian female and male athletes, coaches and accompanying staff, led in the solemn parade by the flag bearer, judoka Ana Viktorija Puljiz.

Zagreb, July 5, 2019 - Secretary General of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) Josip Čop and Assistant Secretary General for Olympic Program Damir Šegota prepared a reception for a four-day delegation of the Japanese city of Kagawa, that is, the Japanese prefecture of the same name. Thereafter, HOO was visited by the members of the leading body of Kagawa Prefecture (from the government departments for promotion, planning and marketing): Shinike Shinji, Ishihara Yoichi and Hiroshi Hayashi and Kono Saki from the Prefecture Promotion Department . Since the subject of the talks was the stay of Croatian athletes in Kagawa for preparations before the Tokyo Olympics in Tokyo, the delegation was accompanied by the Coach Licensing Secretary of the Croatian Athletic Federation (HAS) Bruno Erent.

Zagreb, June 18, 2019 - As part of the seeing off the Croatian female and male athletes to the 2nd European Games in Minsk (June 21 to 30, 2019) the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) and the long-time partner of the International Olympic Committee, Toyota, presented the "Start Your Impossible" campaign at the Zagreb hotel Westin. The prominent Japanese company is once again a partner of Croatian Olympians in the mobility segment and will also be at the service to the Croatian Paralympians, welcomed by President of the Croatian Paralympic Committee Ratko Kovačić.

Zagreb, June 13, 2019 - President of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) Zlatko Mateša received a three-member delegation of the Japanese Embassy in the Republic of Croatia, led by the new Ambassador H.E. Misako Kaji, at the premises of the National Olympic Association in Zagreb. The main topic of the talks were the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and continuation of sports cooperation between Croatian athletes and their Japanese friends, primarily from the city of Tokamachi.

Zagreb, June 7, 2019 - The world premiere of the documentary movie "Croatian Sports Legends - 120 years of Croatian Sports" was held in Cinestar’s completely full hall at Zagreb shopping mall Branimir Center. The famous Croatian director Jakov Sedlar with his associates, screenwriter Nina Škrabe and producer Anton Kikaše, summed up in this film our trophy and glorious sports history - from Olympic bronze of swordsman Milan Neralić at the Paris Olympics 1900 to last year's spectacular world silver of Croatian football players and our tennis players – winners of the World Champions title.

Zagreb, June 7, 2019 - In cooperation of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) and the Croatian Sports Journalists Association (HZSN), the Communications Seminary with very interesting topics was held at the headquarters of the Croatian NOC. The Seminary was attended by fifteen representatives of the national sports federations and associations and staff of the CNOC PR & Multimedia Department. Following the greeting words of the CNOC President Zlatko Mateša and HZSN President Jura Ozmec, experienced Hina’s (Croatian News Agency) photojournalist and official cameraman of the Croatian Athletes at the European Games in Minsk and at the Tokyo Olympics Damir Senčar talked about digital photography (its design and application).

Lucerne, June 2, 2019 - At the European Rowing Championships (senior level) in Lucerne, the Golden Croatian Olympians in Double Sculls in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Martin and Valent Sinković, won a gold medal in Men’s  Coxless Pairs (M2-), while Luka Radonić (Lightweight Single Sculls) and Damir Martin (Classic Men’s Single Sculls) participated in the A finals but not fast enough to step onto the winning pedestal. In a rarely seen dominance and demonstration of rowing quality, the brothers Sinković had the race under control from the beginning to the end and triumphed with 6:22.460 minutes, ahead of Rumania with 6.24.530 and Spaniards with 6:26.310 minutes. Luka Radonić took the fourth place in Lightweight Single Sculls finals with a time of 7:06.490 minutes, which is more than four seconds behind for third-placed Italian Goretti.

Zagreb, May 26, 2019 – The elections for President, members of the FIBA Europe Board and Treasurer were held on Sunday at the headquarters of the European basketball umbrella organization in Munich and the President of the Croatian Basketball Federation (HKS) Stojko Vranković was elected a member of the FIBA Europe Board. On the eve of the Munich elections, the Croatian Basketball Federation emphasized the candidacy of its Head for membership in FIBA Europe Board and the candidacy was accepted by majority of the Assembly's votes. Turkey’s Turgay Demirel was elected the President of FIBA Europe.

Zagreb, May 23, 2019 - A five-member delegation from South Korea visited the Croatian Olympic Committee for the purpose of promoting taekwondo, as well as strengthening the cooperation with the fans of this sport in Croatia. The delegation was led by Shin Kinam, Special Envoy of the Korean Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports. Guests from Korea were received by the President of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) Zlatko Mateša, accompanied by the leader of the Korean-Croatian Business Club Zoran Horvat and former taekwondoka, coach and prominent taekwondo officer Tamara Pradegan. The Croatian ambassador to South Korea Damir Kušen assisted in the realization of this meeting and the main motive of the meeting is the wish of the World Taekwondo Federation (World Taekwondo) from Seoul for sports presentation in Rijeka – next year’s European Capital of Culture. Namely, since a cooperation agreement between World Taekwondo and the University of Rijeka was signed three years ago, the Korean government wants to use this prestigious status of the Croatian city in 2020 for a stronger promotion of taekwondo at the European level. The President of the Croatian Olympic Committee Mateša supported this Korean initiative and promised to help them in fulfilling another great wish – hosting Dalić's electees in the near future. Shin Kinam announced that this is a logical sequence given the popularity of Croatian football players in South Korea.   Of course, in addition to sports, Croatia is interested in cooperation in many other areas in South Korea. This is also confirmed by the composition of the delegation visiting our beautiful homeland. Shin Kinama was accompanied by the film producer Baek Hak Gi, professor of music at Na Jungyoon, official translator Redden Soonyoung and UPI reporter Lee Sang Bong. (cnoc/vk)

Zagreb, May 19, 2019 – The Croatian National Taekwondo Team brings from the World Championships in Manchester (UK) a record number of medals won at world events. After Doris Pole (+73 kg) and Kristina Tomić (49 kg) won bronze in the past couple of days, on the last day of competing at the World Championships 20-year-old Bruna Vuletić (62 kg) and 19-year-old Ivan Šapina (87 kg) won two more bronze medals. On the way to the finals and the brighter medal Vuletić and Šapina were defeated by Brazilian representatives Caroline Santos and Miguel Martins Soares.

Zagreb, May 18, 2019 - Our representatives in wildwater kayaking and canoeing once again confirmed Croatia's world power status in the non-Olympic discipline of sprint. At the newly completed ECA Wildwater Canoeing European Championships on the river Soča, between Kobarid and Bovec in the neighboring Slovenia, we have won three medals – Singles’ gold and two team bronze medals. The beginning was marked by Emil Milihram, a golden canoeist in  Single (C1), who triumphed for its sixth European Champion title.

Plovdiv, May 12, 2019 - The best Croatian rowers have proven to be very competitive at the premiere this season’s competition of the world rowing elite. At the first World Cup regatta in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, the Single Scull rower Damir Martin got back into the winning groove, the brothers Martin and Valent Sinković took second place in Coxless Pair, while the Lightweight Single Scull rower Luka Radonić was the first to step on the winning pedestal – in Saturday's program he won a bronze medal. Olympic Vice-Champion from Rio de Janeiro, Damir Martin, convincingly won the first place by being six and a half seconds better than the runner-up Belarusian Pilip Pavoukou, while the third was the Finnish Robert Ven.

Zagreb -April 30'th, 2019. – CoSport, the Official Hospitality Provider of the Croatian Olympic Committee, was formally announced as the Tokyo 2020 Authorised Ticket Reseller for Croatia. In this important role CoSport will work closely with the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee and Croatian Olympic Committee to help welcome fans to the next Olympic Games with a wide variety of ticket and package options. Demand for tickets is expected to be strong. The highly anticipated Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will take place less than 15 months from now, from July 24 to August 9, 2020.

Zagreb, April 6, 2019 - Croatian Sports Journalists Association (HZSN) celebrated the 70th anniversary of its operation at the Westin hotel in Zagreb and on that occasion presented awards for particularly valuable achievements in the past year. Among the laureates was the Head of the Croatian NOC’s Publishing, Public Relations and Web Department Radica Jurkin, who was presented the HZSN Award for Promoting Sports in Publishing After creating and bringing to life the news service Sportska Hrvatska back in 2012 and received for this project, together with Željko Erceg, the HZSN award, during 2018 Radica finished – with the Croatian NOC’s full support - a new capital project of Sports Library or officially the Croatian NOC’s Library.

Zagreb, March 20, 2019 - For the purpose of preserving the tangible heritage from the rich history of the Croatian sports, the Croatian NOC's Library was officially opened in Zagreb. It took a year and a half from the idea to the realization of the project, with national sports federations, county sports communities, city sports associations and numerous individuals as donators of books, magazines and valuable documents, along with the Croatian NOC. On the day of official opening, the Library counts 1882 copies of sports books, 1030 unique titles, 919 copies of serial publications, 255 own editions of the Croatian NOC, 81 copies of sports biographies and numerous authors’ works.

Rijeka, March 17, 2019 - At the Team State Championships in Rijeka, sixteen-year-old swimmer from Split’s club Adriatic Franko Grgić reached the Olympic standard for performance at the Tokyo Olympics next year. In addition, by winning in 1500 M Freestyle Grgić improved the Croatian record (with 14: 56.55), as well as the best personal result to date. At the same time, he is the first Croat to swim the said route in less than 15 minutes. The result of the career and achieved Olympic standard at the age of 17 will certainly be a new "wind in the back" to the perspective Split’s swimmer.

Vienna, 6 March 2019. - The SportsEconAustria Institute for Sport Economy hosted the workshop for researchers participating in the development of the study on the economic impact of an investment in sport. The study is carried out within the project entitled "Investments in sport" (iSport), which was co-funded by the Erasmus+: Sport Programme of the European Union.

Zagreb, 8 February 2019. - Yesterday the Croatian Olympic Committee has successfully completed the first meeting of partner organisations working together on the implementation of the European project entitled “Investments in Sport” (iSport). The kick-off meeting was held on 6-7 February 2018 at the headquarters of the Croatian Olympic Committee in Zagreb, Croatia. The Croatian Olympic Committee was represented by the NOC Vice President Sanda Čorak, and the NOC Coordinator for EU Funds and Programmes Alma Papić, who led the meeting as the iSport Project Manager.

Zagreb, January 28, 2018 - In ten days, Sarajevo and Eastern Sarajevo are hosting the 14th edition of the Winter EYOF, that is, the Winter European Youth Olympics Festival (9-16 February 2019), which will feature ten Croatian female and male athletes aged 14 to 18 years. In the Alpine skiing, our star-of-hope-representative is Tvrtko Ljutić and in the Nordic version Marko Skender (cross-country skiing) and Karlo Kunštek (biathlon). Maja Ivandić and Stribor Suman will compete in short track speed skating, while Hana Cvijanović will be our only representative in figure skating. The most numerous Croatian aces are in curling - Irena Grgić and Katarina Čar and Marin Kaspret and Sven Prinčić.

Zagreb, January 8, 2018 - The 9th IOC International Athletes' Forum, i.e. - the meeting of representatives of the NOC  Athletes’ Commissions from around the world will be held in Lausanne from April 13 to 15, 2019. The organizer is the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the main topic of the Forum will be the exchange of experiences and preparatory activities for the implementation of the IOC Athletes’ Commission Work Strategy, adopted last year.

Zagreb, November 28th, 2018 - Most of 200 young coaches and sports workers who applied for participation, attended the two-day Annual Congress of Coaches organized by the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) at the Zagreb hotel Panorama.

Zagreb, November 16, 2018 - The celebrated Split sailor, 34-year-old Olympian Ivan Kljaković Gašpić, was elected as Croatian representative for a prestigious international educational program – the New Leaders Sport Leadership Programme.

Zagreb, November 5, 2018 - The Romanian delegation, led by the Custodian of the Romanian Crown, Her Majesty Princess Margareta and her husband, His Royal Highness Prince Radu, attended the reception at the Croatian Olympic Committee (COC), held on Monday, November 5, 2018. In conversation with the President of the Croatian Olympic Committee, Zlatko Mateša, the topics on the organization and status of sports in the two countries were prevalent, as well as on the cooperation of the two National Olympic Committees, which was specified in the Contract closed in 2009.

Zagreb, October 23, 2018 - The overall Croatian women's sports should be provided with better conditions – states a brief conclusion of the members of Croatian Olympic Committee’s Council at its 20th session, held in Zagreb under the chairmanship of the COC’s Head, Zlatko Mateša. The reason for this conclusion was the agenda’s point on the new Croatian Olympic Committee’s Development program with the task of encouraging the rather deficient female team sports of younger age categories.

Zagreb, October 19, 2018 – The Croats are particularly fond of Summer Olympics, held in Ciudad de Mexico in 1968, because they brought us two Olympic medals won by the swimmer Đurđica Bjedov, the popular Đuke. The first was the most shiny one– gold medal, won on October 19, 1968. So, on this date, exactly fifty years ago, we have won the first Croatian single Olympic gold.

Lausanne, August 8, 2018 - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Wednesday the news on composition of the IOC commissions for 2018. The emphasis is on progress in the fight for gender equality.

Zagreb, August 4, 2018 - Shooter Anton Glasnović, winner of silver in Trap at the European Championships in Austrian city of Leobersdorf, gave us a great overture into a successful weekend of Croatian athletes.European Vice-Champion hit in the finals 44 out of 50 goals, two less than the winner, Slovenian Boštjan Maček (46/50). Czech Jiri Liptak took the third place. This is the first European medal for Anton Glasnović, World Vice-Champion in 2013.

Lausanne, July 20, 2018 – The Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO) received nice news came from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne. Taekwondoka Nikita Glasnović, who decided to change her sports citizenship last year and - after her native Sweden - to perform for Croatia, officially gained the right to perform for Our Beautiful Homeland at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.

Zagreb, June 23, 2018 – On June 23, the Croatian Olympic Family celebrated the International Olympic Day, which celebrates this year its 70th anniversary, through a series of sports matches and events throughout Croatia.