The President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, visited the Panathenaic Stadium just before concluding his three-day visit to Greece, accompanied by the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Spyros Capralos. They were escorted by the President of the European Olympic Committees, Patrick Hickey and a delegation of the Hellenic Olympic Winners Association, the President Voula Kozompoli, Voula Zygouri, Angeliki Karapataki and Giorgos Koutsioumpas.
Mr. Bach was offered a tour guide at the stadium, where the Olympic Games were revived in 1896 and attended the programme “I love sports – Kids’ Athletics” which is addressed to primary school students and gives them the opportunity to get acquainted with athletics, basketball and volleyball.
The IOC President spoke to the children of the 46th Primary School of Athens who participated in the program and did not hesitate to test his strength in athletics along with the students.
At the end he was photographed with the children, he offered them all a commemorative gift, a badge with the five Olympic rings and did not hide his enthusiasm:
“It has been a fantastic experience, coming here at the Panathenaic Stadium, where it all started for the Modern Olympic Games. And it has become even better, by sharing this feeling with the next generation of athletes. I saw in their eyes how they felt for sport and the Olympic experience they lived. I wish to thank and congratulate the Hellenic Olympic Committee and President Spyros Capralos for the implementation of the program, which puts the Olympic spirit into action” the IOC President stressed.
The President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, after thanking Thomas Bach for his kind words, added: “It is very important for us to welcome President Bach at the Panathenaic Stadium and present the “I love sport – Kids’ Athletics” program, in which, since 2010, more than 105.000 pupils have participated from over 1500 schools of our country. “For us, at the Hellenic Olympic Committee, what makes us happy is the joy on the children’s faces and their comments on the Stadium’s visitors’ book” Spyros Capralos commented.
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