Sport of Kosovo recognised by the whole world

Hundreds of athletes and heads of sports federations, sports associations have participated tonight in an event organised by the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi in honour of admission of Kosovo Olympic Committee into the International Olympic Committee. Present also were the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Memli Krasniqi and the President of Kosovo Olympic Committee, Besim Hasani.

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi said that membership of Kosovo in the International Olympic Committee is a recognition of Kosovo by the whole world.

“Kosovo has been recognised by 110 most powerful countries of the world, but Kosovo Olympic Committee membership into International Olympic Committee is in one way a membership of Kosovo in the United Nations Organisation. Because the Kosovar sport has been recognised by the whole world”, he said.

“This recognition is as important as recognition from United Nations Organisation”, he said while he was congratulating every athlete, head of federation and other workers in sports field for their engagement towards reaching this goal.

He said that athletes will have full support from him as a prime minister on their trip towards Summer Olympic Games ‘Rio 2016’.

“Two years ago, in 2012, we were together with the President Jahjaga in the Olympiad London 2012, where present was the Kosovar and Albanian Olympic symbol, Majlinda Kelmendi.

At that time Majlinda was a symbol of the state of Kosovo, she was the anthem and the flag of Kosovo. At that time we had discussed for our further steps.

I had promised to Majlinda and I promise you tonight, to all of you, that we will jointly have the honour to be again as in London 2012, also in Rio 2016”, prime minister declared.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Memli Krasniqi said that recognition of Kosovo Olympic Committee by the International Olympic Committee is a long run effort of many people. He expressed the moments from lobbying in International Olympic Committee.

“In February 2012, Thomas Bach was Deputy Head of International Olympic Committee. As a personality who was expected to come on the top of the Olympic Movement, and there was quite long we have been meeting with him and as we wanted for some of our engagements to remain confidential, we met at his private office, near his house in the small town of his birth, in Tauberbischofsheim. Beginning of the meeting was not easy, as for our request there was not yet understanding in the Olympic family. We talked quite long and I requested from him to decide for our athletes based on the justice and principles of Olympics. When we ended the meeting, he seemed to be much more understanding than at the beginning. With a lot of trust and care he said to me that justice will be decided for Kosovo, but for this to be done we must be patient, although we had already waited over two decades. Only a year has passed since Mr. Bach has become the President of International Olympic Committee and under his leadership Kosovo and our athletes have the large doors open to the largest sports organisation in the world”, he said.

He said that this achievement that was always a right of ours does not have meaning without the success of Majlinda Kelmendi, her coach Driton Kuka and all other athletes who marked culminant success in international competitions. Minister Krasniqi said that recognition from International Olympic Committee will help a lot the other sports federations of Kosovo in their engagements for international admittance. “Of course challenges remain for the big federations such as football and basketball, but our efforts now will only be more powerful. Starting from the next week, we are going to have meetings of the highest level to advance the process of internationalisation in these sports”, he said, while he also stressed that the support from MCYS for the athletes will increase.

Whereas the President of Kosovo Olympic Committee, Besim Hasani said that admitting into International Olympic Committee is an extraordinary news for the whole sport in Kosovo. He said that it has been a long term effort and a difficult one for two decades already.

Hasani said that now the whole sports community is headed to a new era, of dedication for internal development of sports and achievement of successes in the international arena.