Covid-19: ANOC General Assembly moved from Seoul to Athens

The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) has moved its General Assembly in October from Seoul to Athens.

The decision was confirmed following a meeting of the ANOC Executive Committee here during the Olympics and where it was revealed that it had accepted an offer from the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) and the Greek Sports Ministry to stage the event.

Athens is scheduled to host the key meeting of the 206 National Olympic Committees from October 23 to 25, brought forward from the initial planned dates in Seoul of October 26 to 27.

It had been expected the event, postponed from last year because of the pandemic, would be moved from the South Korean capital as the country is grappling with a spike in COVID-19 cases, caused by the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant.

It is the second time that Seoul has been unable to host the event after it was cancelled last year because of coronavirus.

Athens emerged as a possible venue for the meeting after it staged the European Olympic Committees (EOC) General Assembly in June, the largest in-person gathering in the Olympic Movement since the pandemic hit last March.

That General Assembly was memorable for the election of HOC chief Spyros Capralos as EOC President.

The Greek capital had also been due to hold the International Olympic Committee Session earlier this year before it was moved online. 

Athens will instead host the Session in 2025, where the organisation is set to elect Thomas Bach’s successor as IOC President.