PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Estonian Olympic Committee
Country/Region	Estonia
Code	EST
Created	8 December 1923
Recognized	1924 (restored: 18 September 1991)
Continental; Association	EOC
Headquarters	Tallinn, Estonia
President	Kersti Kaljulaid
Website	www.eok.ee

The Estonian Olympic Committee (Estonian: Eesti Olümpiakomitee, EOK) is responsible for Estonia's participation in the Olympic Games.

History

The Estonian Sports Federation (Estonian: Eesti Spordi Liit) decided to form the Estonian Olympic Committee in the First Estonian Sport Congress (Estonian: Eesti I Spordikongress) on 30 November 1919, one and a half years after the proclamation of the independence of Estonia, but it was officially founded on 8 December 1923. The first chairman of the committee dr. Karl Friedrich Akel, was elected on 5 May 1924. An independent Estonian team took part in the Olympic Games over the period of 1920–1936. As Estonia was invaded and occupied in 1940, and reoccupied by the Soviet Union in 1944, the Estonian Olympic athletes competed as part of the USSR delegations at the Olympic Games from 1952 until 1988.

The NOC was renewed on 14 January 1989 when the Estonian Olympic Sports Conference passed the following resolution: "to resume the activity of the Estonian Olympic Committee founded in 1923". The continuity concept became the foundation of the activity of the restored Estonian Olympic Committee since, although it could not act 'de facto' for 50 years, it never ceased its activity 'de jure'. On the same day, the first members of the renewed NOC were elected, Arnold Green and Atko Viru. On 20 August 1991 the independence of the Republic of Estonia was proclaimed and by decision of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee, at the board session in Berlin on 18 September 1991, the EOK was reintegrated into the Olympic Movement on 11 November 1991.^[1]

In 1992 the IOC delegation led by president Juan Antonio Samaranch visited Estonia. Delegation members included Vice President of the IOC and Russian Olympic Committee president – Vitali Smirnov, IOC and Swedish Olympic Committee member – Gunnar Ericsson, President of the EOC – Jacques Rogge and Secretary General of the EOC and Italian National Olympic Committee – Mario Pescante.^[2]

The 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France was the first time since 1936 that the nation had competed as an independent nation at the Olympic Games. In the Games between, the Estonian athletes competed under the flag of the Soviet Union.

Structure

Members

Updated 15 April 2016. Members of the Estonian Olympic Committee are:

102 legal persons under private law:
- 66 National Sports Federations
- 19 Regional Sports Associations
- 17 All-Estonian Sports Associations
19 natural persons:

Mati Alaver, (EOK member since 1999) Jüri Jaanson Gerd Kanter Tõnu Laak, (1989) Andres Lipstok, (1994) Erki Nool Neinar Seli Tiit Nuudi, (1992) Gunnar Paal (:et), (1989) Indrek Pertelson, (2000) Cardo Remmel, (1999) Erika Salumäe, (1997) Mart Siimann, (1999) Kristina Šmigun Jaan Talts, (1989) Mart Tarmak, (1989) Toomas Tõnise, (1992) Jaak Uudmäe, (1989) Andrus Veerpalu, (2000)

Former natural members

Mikk Mikiver (1937–2006) (EOK member 1989–2006)
Aado Slutsk (1918–2006) (EOK member 1989–2006)

Current NOC leadership

Updated 15 April 2016.

President

Urmas Sõõrumaa

Vice President

Secretary General

Siim Sukles

Executive Committee ^[3]

17 members incl. EOK President, 2 Vice Presidents and Secretary General.

Urmas Sõõrumaa – EOK President
Jüri Tamm – Vice President
Tõnu Tõniste – Vice President
Urmas Paet – President of the Estonian Paralympic Committee
Anne Rei – General Secretary of the Estonian Football Association
Karol Kovanen – President of the Estonian Badminton Federation and Estonian Swimming Federation
Oliver Kruuda – President of the Estonian Handball Association
Toomas Tõnise – Vice-President 2012–2016, General Secretary 2000-2012 of the Estonian Olympic Committee
Marko Kaljuveer – President of the Estonian Golf Association
Riho Terras – Commander-in-Chief of the Estonian Defence Forces
Reet Hääl – Member of the Board of the Estonian Ski Association and Estonian Tennis Association
Hanno Pevkur – President of the Estonian Volleyball Federation
Mati Alaver – Member of the Board of the Estonian Trainers' Association
Helir-Valdor Seeder – President of the Estonian Sports Association Jõud and member of the Board Estonian Handball Association
Mihhail Kõlvart – President of the Estonian Taekwondo Federation and Estonian Fighting Sports Association (Estonian: Eesti Võitlusspordi Ühendus)
Erki Nool – President of the Estonian Olympic Champions Network
Kristjan Järvi – Conductor and pianist. Advisor to the Kammerorchester Basel and the conductor and founder of the Baltic Youth Philharmonic. Since 2011 chief conductor of the MDR Symphony Orchestra
Gerd Kanter – Leader of the Estonian Athletes' Commission

List of presidents

Karl Friedrich Akel (1924–1931) – EOK Chairman
Johan Laidoner (1931–1934) – EOK Cochairman
Johan Laidoner (1934–1940) – EOK Chairman
Arnold Green (1989–1997) – EOK President
Tiit Nuudi (1997–2001) – EOK President
Mart Siimann (2001-2012) – EOK President
Neinar Seli (2012–2016) - EOK President
Urmas Sõõrumaa (2016–present) - EOK President

IOC members

Karl Friedrich Akel (1927–1932)
Joakim Puhk (1936–1942)

Honorary members

Arnold Green – Honorary president, former EOK member (1989–1999) and President of the EOK (1989–1997)^[4]
Tiit Nuudi – Honorary president, former EOK member (1992– ) and President of the EOK (1997–2001)
August Englas – sportwrestling world champion 1953 & 1954
Svetlana Tširkova-Lozovaja – Olympic champion 1968
Aavo Pikkuus – Olympic champion 1976
Mait Riisman – Olympic champion 1980
Erika Salumäe – Olympic champion 1988 & 1992
Oleg Sapožnin – former EOK member (1992–2001) and member of the Executive Committee
Heino Sisask – former EOK member (1992–1999)
Tiit Sokk – Olympic champion 1988
Ivar Stukolkin – Olympic champion 1980
Jaan Talts – Olympic champion 1972
Jüri Tarmak – Olympic champion 1972
Jaak Uudmäe – Olympic champion 1980
Lembit Vahesaar – former EOK member (1992–2000)
Sven Kolga [et] – former EOK member (1992–2016)
Rein Haljand – former EOK member (1992–2000)

Former honorary members^[5]

Johannes Kotkas (1915–1998)
Heino Lipp (1922–2006)
Ruudi Toomsalu (1913–2002)
Bruno Junk (1929–1995)
Heino Lind (1931–2008) – former EOK member (1992–2001 ) and member of the Executive Committee
Viljar Loor (1953-2011), Olympic champion 1980
Ants Antson (1938-2015), Olympic champion 1964

Other notable members^[6]

Juhan Aare 1992–1997, Are Eller 1992–1993, Peeter Mardna 1992–2001, Mati Mark 1992–2001, Even Tudeberg 2000–2001, Ants Veetõusme 1992–2001, Priit Vilba 1994–2000, Atko Viru 1989–2007

References

^ Slutsk, Aado (1992). Albertville ja nüüd Barcelona (in Estonian). Tallinn: Eesti Olümpiainfo. pp. 11–12.
^ Slutsk, Aado (1992). Albertville ja nüüd Barcelona (in Estonian). Tallinn: Eesti Olümpiainfo. p. 19.
^ "EOK Executive Committee". Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2008.
^ "EOK honorary members". Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2008.
^ "EOK members as october 1996". Archived from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2008.
^ "EOK members since 1989". Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2008.