European Games | 26 Nov 2018
30 Game Changers selected for the EOC New Leaders Programme
More than 50 highly qualified and motivated sports professionals applied to the New Leaders Sport Leadership Education Programme. All corners of Europe were represented with applications from 28 countries.
All together 30 game changers from 26 countries have been selected and the names were announced at the recent European Olympic Committees General Assembly in Marbella. The EOC Gender Equality Commission accepted the participants.
The European Table Tennis Union is pleased to announce that Galia DVORAK, member of ITTF Athletes Commission and chair of ETTU Athletes Commission, and Pierre KASS, ETTU Deputy Secretary General, have been selected as game changers.
ETTU President Ronald KRAMER said that he was delighted when hearing that the two candidates from European table tennis passed the selection. He had immediately congratulated the two table tennis 'Game Changers', when he was informed.
"On one hand it reflects the ambition of ETTU to invest in the professional quality of our people by initiating support for their eagerness to learn. On the other hand it is a recognition of the quality of the applicants and of their leadership skills and ambitions. I wish Galia and Pierre a lot of pleasure, success and good luck in this unique learning experience," President KRAMER stated.
Motivation to enhance personal leadership skills and enthusiasm to have a wider impact on the sport movement were at the heart of the applications. The call to implement the IOC Gender Equality Recommendations into action was warmly welcomed and the participants are eager to start the work in their own organisations.
"I feel honoured to be accepted in the programme and am striving to create change. Improving leadership skills is of major value and I focus on achieving gender equality in our sport," said ETTU Deputy Secretary General KASS.
Chair of ETTU Athletes Commission share the same feeling.
"I felt very happy and honored when I found out that I was accepted in the programme. I think it will be a good oportunity to learn and to improve my leadership skills, always having in mind to apply this knowledge in our sport and helping the athletes," said Galia DVORAK.
Mentoring Champions sharing their wisdom
One of the goals in the New Leaders programme is that no new leader is left without a support from an experienced mentor.
Ms Daina GUDZINEVIČIŪTĖ, newly awarded IOC Women and Sport World Trophy winner, IOC Member, Lithuania NOC President and EOC Executive Board member expressed her passion to become a mentor.
“I am sure that the New Leaders Programme will help the participants to acquire knowledge, develop skills and enhance self-confidence. I am very happy to join this project and as a mentor I will support participants and share my experience.”
New Leaders is a legacy project of Ms Birgitta Kervinen, 2017 IOC Women and Sport World Trophy Winner. The educational programme is a joint effort coordinated by the NOC of Finland together with the IOC, EOC, NOC of Lithuania, NOC of Ireland and NOC of Azerbaijan.
The programme encourages people to dream, speak up and act as game changers shaping the future of sport. Topics of strategic leadership, communications, public speaking, lobbying and conflict management will be viewed through the lenses of equality, sustainability, human rights and ethics. Participants will design concrete action plans on a personal and organisational level implementing the IOC Gender Equality Recommendations into action.
