Greek president at opening of IOC session in Ancient Olympia: Greece will stand by new IOC president

The opening ceremony for the 144th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session took place in Ancient Olympia, southern Greece, on Tuesday in the presence of Hellenic Republic President Constantine Tassoulas.

The 144th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session will open on Wednesday at Costa Navarino in Messinia and run to Friday (March 19 to 21). The successor of president Thomas Bach to the IOC will be elected on Thursday (March 20).

President Tassoulas welcomed the IOC members to the place of the Olympic Games’ origin, and thanked the outgoing president for his work. He also asserted Greece’s support to the new president to be elected. “This support will remain indubitably, with Greece serving as assistant to his work in maintaining the ideals of the Olympic movement.”

Bach underlined Greece’s standing as birthplace of democracy and of the Olympic Games, while he also referred to the unbreakable ties of the Olympic movement with peace. At times like these, athletes are ambassadors of peace, and the idea of promoting peace through sports clashes with the spirit of the times, he pointed out.

Also addressing the opening ceremony at Ancient Olympia were the president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee Isidoros Kouvelos and IOC member Spyros Kapralos.

Prior to the opening ceremony, Tassoulas, Bach, Kouvelos and Ancient Olympia Mayor Aris Panagiotopoulos symbolically planted an olive tree at the garden of the Old Town Hall in Ancient Olympia. The Greek president then welcomed the IOC president and members at the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Olympia, and held a bilateral meeting with Bach.

Source: AMNA