About Us
The European Olympic Committee was founded 1975 in Lisbon as a sub organisation of the International Olympic Committee by the name of the „Association of European NOCs“.
Their principle tasks consisted in the preparation of the Olympic Games, the Olympic Solidarity and general marketing issues.
In 1989, the Presidency was entrusted to Dr. Jacques Rogge (Belgium) and the Secretariat was opened in Rome, at the office of Secretary-General Mario Pescante (Italy). The activities of the European NOCs expanded under their leadership.
Starting in 1991, due to the political changes in Europe, 15 more NOCs joined the Association and they amount today to a total of 48. In 1995 AENOC changed its name to become the European Olympic Committees.
In July 2001 during the 112th IOC Session in Moscow, Dr. Jacques Rogge became IOC President. Four months later in Monte-Carlo, the 30th EOC General Assembly elected Mario Pescante as President of the European Olympic Committees while the General Secretariat was entrusted to Patrick Hickey, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland.
Further to Mario Pescante (ITA) resignation, on July 29th 2006 an Extraordinary General Assembly held in Rome, appointed Patrick Hickey (IRL) as President and Raffaele Pagnozzi (ITA) as Secretary General of the EOC.