Olympic Committee of Kosovo

Olympic Committee of Kosovo
Olympic Committee of Kosovo logo
Country/Region Kosovo
CodeKOS
Created1992
Recognized9 December 2014
Continental
Association		EOC
HeadquartersPristina
PresidentIsmet Krasniqi[1]
Secretary GeneralBesim Aliti
Websitenoc-kosovo.org/

The Olympic Committee of Kosovo (Albanian: Komiteti Olimpik i Kosovës, Serbian: Олимпијски комитет Косова, romanized: Olimpijski komitet Kosova) is the National Olympic Committee representing Kosovo. Officially established in 1992,[2] the OCK became a full member of the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Movement on 9 December 2014.[3] It is responsible for Kosovo's participation at the Olympic Games.

History

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See also: Kosovo at the Olympics
Logo of the Kosovo Olympic Committee used prior to 2008

The Olympic Committee of Kosovo (OCK) was officially established in 1992[4] and acknowledged as the highest sports institution in Kosovo in 2003 by the Law on Sports (Law No. 2003/24) passed by the Assembly of Kosovo.[5][6] The United Nations-led administration in Kosovo previously established a working group to engage with the IOC to allow athletes to participate in the Olympic Games. Due to its status, Kosovar athletes were not allowed to compete under the flag of Kosovo, until the recognition in 2014. Therefore, during the 2012 Summer Olympics, Kosovar judoka and world champion, Majlinda Kelmendi had to compete for Albania instead.[7] Kosovar athletes of Serbian ethnicity participated as part of Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia.

In April 2013, the Brussels Agreement was concluded between the Serbian and Kosovar governments. In October 2014 the International Olympic Committee provisionally recognised the Olympic Committee of Kosovo and gave it full membership on 9 December 2014.[8][9] At that time, Kosovo was not a member or observer state of the United Nations, but it has gained diplomatic recognition as a sovereign state by 114 out of 193 UN member states.

Kosovo's first ever participation in any Olympic competition was when they participated at the European Games 2015 in Baku. In which Nora Gjakova won the first medal in the history for Kosovo, at the European Games in Judo at the 2015 European Games – Women's 57 kg. In which she could won Bronze.[10] Kosovo participated for the first time in the Rio de Janeiro games of the 2016 Summer Olympics.[11] Kosovo won their first Olympic gold medal in their first participation in any Olympic Games, in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The medal has been won in judo by Mailinda Kelmendi in the category of -52 kg. Kosovo participated in the following European Games 2019 in Minsk. They won all three Medals in Judo at the 2019 European Games. Majlinda Kelmendi won Gold in the 52 kg category. Nora Gjakova won Silver in the Women's 57 kg and Loriana Kuka won Bronze in the Women's 78 kg.[12] Kosovo participate for the second time in their Olympic history at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokio. Kosovo won two Gold medals by Distria Krasniqi and Nora Gjakova in Judo. They would finish the Summer Olympics in the 42 place. So far their best result as an Olympic Nation.[13] [14]

Kosovo participated at the 2015 European Games in Baku and participated at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Nora Kelmendi won bronze in the Women's 57kg category in Judo. Judoka Majlinda Kelmendi became the first Kosovar athlete to win a medal of any colour when she won gold in the women's 52kg weight division at the Games.[15] The committee was represented for the first time at the Winter Olympics at PyeongChang 2018 by skier Albin Tahiri.[16][17]

Kosovo competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics held in Beijing. Its Olympic team consisted of two athletes, one male and one female. Albin Tahiri competed in four alpine ski events. Kiana Kryeziu became the first woman in the history of Kosovo to compete at the Winter Olympics, in the women's slalom.[18] In 2022 Albin Tahiri achieved the best result for Kosovo at the Winter Olympics in alpine skiing in the men's combined event, with a 15th-place finish.[19] His second best finish came in the Men's giant slalom where he finished 30th.[20]

Prior to the IOC recognition, Kosovo athletes have taken part in the Special Olympics from 2003.[21][22] A body known as the Special Olympics Kosovo was established to provide support for these athletes.[23] Athletes from Kosovo participated at the 4th World Dwarf Games in Rambouillet, France in 2005.,[24] in the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia, in the 2015 IHF Emerging Nations Championship, also in the European Games, and Mediterranean Games etc. A Paralympic committee was also formed[25][26] which gained provisional membership of the International Paralympic Committee in July 2022 and full membership in September 2023.[27]

Presidents

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Chairperson Period Time in office
Veton Surroi 27 May 1992 – 26 May 1996 3 years, 365 days
Besim Hasani 26 May 1996 – 25 March 2021 24 years, 303 days
Ismet Krasniqi 25 March 2021 – Present 3 years, 239 days

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Fillimi Archived 2008-09-19 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "The loneliness of the long-distance lobbyer – Hasani's Kosovo vision is golden". May 2022.
  3. ^ "127th IOC Session comes to close in Monaco". International Olympic Committee. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2016. A day after unanimously approving Olympic Agenda 2020, the 127th IOC Session got straight back to business today in Monaco by granting full recognition to the National Olympic Committee of Kosovo.
  4. ^ "The NOC of Kosovo was established in 1992 and has more than 30 affiliated National Federations (NFs)." Olympic.org. Olympic Games.
  5. ^ https://unmik.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/regulations/02english/E2004regs/RE2004_26.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  6. ^ https://unmik.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/regulations/02english/E2004regs/RE2004_26_ALE2003_24.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  7. ^ Brajshori, Muhamet (2012-07-24). "Kosovo disappointed about Olympics snub". SETimes.com. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  8. ^ Olympics: IOC has no concerns over Kosovo recognition
  9. ^ "Kosovo to compete at Rio 2016 Olympics after recognition from IOC", Associated Press, 9 December 2014.
  10. ^ "Baku 2015 - Kosovo joins swimming world body FINA, can participate at Baku 2015". www.baku2015.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ^ Kosovo given go-ahead by IOC to take part in 2016 Olympics
  12. ^ "Xhudistet kosovare zbresin në vendlindje me medalje". 25 June 2019.
  13. ^ "Kosovo makes its golden name at Olympics through judo".
  14. ^ "Kosovo: Ceremony for the athletes who participated in Tokyo Olympics". 28 December 2021.
  15. ^ MacPhail, Cameron (7 August 2016). "Majlinda Kelmendi makes history with victory in women's judo as Kosovo wins first ever gold medal". rio2016.com. Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  16. ^ GazetaExpress (2018-02-05). "Kosovo participating Winter Olympics for the first time". Archived from the original on 2018-02-16. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  17. ^ "Kosovo granted provisional Olympic recognition by IOC". Reuters. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  18. ^ "Olympic dreams come true for Kosovo skier Kiana Kryeziu". Associated Press. 24 January 2022.
  19. ^ "Albin Tahiri i 15-ti, arrin rezultatin më të mirë në histori të Kosovës në Lojërat Olimpike Dimërore". Archived from the original on 2022-10-02. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
  20. ^ "Albin Tahiri: Jam i lumtur që hyra sërish në top 30".
  21. ^ "Team Kosovo". Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  22. ^ 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games > EE.SO Kosovo Archived 2008-09-19 at the Wayback Machine
  23. ^ "Kosovo". Archived from the original on 2008-11-01. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  24. ^ Little People of Kosova Archived 2008-04-10 at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ "Exclusive: Kosovo now targeting Paralympic membership following Olympics acceptance". Inside The Games. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  26. ^ "Exclusive: Kosovo hopes to join International Paralympic Committee this year". May 2022.
  27. ^ "Kosovo becomes provisional member of International Paralympic Committee". 19 July 2022.
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