It is with great sadness that RIOU has learned of the death of European Olympic Committees (EOC) President Janez Kocijančič at the age 78, following a battle against a severe disease. His passing is a great loss for the Olympic Movement and the global sports community.
Janez Kocijančič joined the EOC Executive Committee in 2005, acting as Vice President for four years before he was elected to the top post in 2017.
Kocijančič previously served as President of the Slovenian Olympic Committee (1991-2014) and Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) for Europe (2017-2020). He was also a member of the FIS Council and served as the organisation’s Vice President since 2010.
EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi paid tribute to Kocijančič by saying: “He has left a huge void in the heart of the Olympic Movement of Europe. He will be remembered for his professionalism and wise vision in profoundly understanding the diversity between the European countries. His cultural and historical knowledge was of great benefit to the sport movement in Europe and helped lead it to a prominent position globally.”
A man of outstanding ability and energy, Kocijančič was wholeheartedly committed to the Olympic values and had an unwavering belief in their power to promote education and peace. With his support, the EOC sent nominees from five European countries to study on RIOU’s Master of Sport Administration (MSA) course.
As a lawyer and honorary vice president of the International Association of Sports Law (IASL), Kocijančič provided invaluable assistance in building RIOU’s research capacity in the area of sports law.
The Russian International Olympic University expresses its deepest sympathies to Mr. Kocijančič’s family, friends and colleagues.
