European Olympic Committees Travel to the "Golden City"-On the Scene

(ATR) Prague hosts 50 European NOCs. ATR's Brian Pinelli reports from the Czech capital.

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BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - JUNE 12:  Flagbearers Namig Adullayev of Azerbaijan, Thomas Bimis of Greece, Niccolo Campriani of Italy, Lucie Decosse of France, Krisztina Fazekas Zur of Hungary, Katie Taylor of Ireland, Servet Tazegul of Turkey and Elena Zamolodchikova of Russa carry the flag of the EOC (European Olympic Committees during the Opening Ceremony for the Baku 2015 European Games at the National Stadium on June 12, 2015 in Baku, Azerbaijan.  (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images for BEGOC)
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - JUNE 12: Flagbearers Namig Adullayev of Azerbaijan, Thomas Bimis of Greece, Niccolo Campriani of Italy, Lucie Decosse of France, Krisztina Fazekas Zur of Hungary, Katie Taylor of Ireland, Servet Tazegul of Turkey and Elena Zamolodchikova of Russa carry the flag of the EOC (European Olympic Committees during the Opening Ceremony for the Baku 2015 European Games at the National Stadium on June 12, 2015 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images for BEGOC)

(ATR) The Czech Republic NOC hosts sport leaders from Europe at the 44th European Olympic Committees General Assembly this week in Prague.

The meeting comes at a somber moment for the Olympic Movement in Europe. EOC member Russia faces big challenges to field a track and field team at the Rio Olympics after a scathing report on the country’s anti-doping program was released a week ago. And then the meeting itself will open seven days after Paris - and Europe - was rocked by terrorist attacks. EOC President Patrick Hickey says the tragedy will be recognized as the assembly opens.

Joining Hickey at the two-day meeting, Nov. 21-22, will be International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach and Association of National Olympic Committees leader Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah. The three high profile sport leaders, along with Czech NOC president Jiri Kejval, will deliver welcome speeches as the event gets underway at the Intercontinental Prague on Thursday.

Kejval said it is an honor to host his fellow NOC leaders and other leading Olympic figures.

"It is not a cliché when we say we are extremely proud to not only welcome Europe, but also other leaders like Sheikh Ahmad and presidents and secretaries generals from some of the big sports federations," Kejval said during an interview with Around the Rings. "It will be an exciting time."

Kejval, who has led the Czech Olympic Committee since 2012, said he encourages delegates and guests to find time to enjoy the beauty and charm that the "Golden City" is recognized for.

"We’re very proud of Prague as a city and we’d like to show this to visitors staying here at the InterContinental – it is in the downtown area and next to one of our "Cubist Architecture" buildings," Kejval said. "This architecture is unique to Prague and not seen in other cities around the world."

Kejval advised that Czech Republic president Milos Zeman has invited Bach, Hickey and other guests to a Gala Dinner Friday night at Prague Castle.

Bids for the 2024 Olympic Games, the European Games and fallout from the Russian athletics doping scandal are expected to dominate the talks at the two-day meeting in Prague.

Negotiations have been taking place for some months for Sochi and Kazan to co-host the 2019 European Games. However, if the World Anti Doping Agency deems Russia is not WADA Code compliant, the country's ability to host international sporting events could be called into question.

The International Athletics Association Federations Council suspended Russia from international track and field competition last week in the aftermath of a World Anti Doping Agency report that raises doubts about the integrity of Russian anti-doping efforts.

Hickey said he is confident that Russia can reform in time for Rio 2016 and urged the nation to leave "no stone unturned." The EOC president advised that he will hold talks with Russian Olympic Committee president Alexander Zhukov while in Prague.

The gathering in Prague marks the first time since November 1999 that Prague has hosted the EOC members at a general assembly. Prague also was the setting for the 115th session of the International Olympic Committee in June 2003.

Proceedings will begin on Thursday as the EOC Executive Committee meets in the morning, followed by the Medical and Anti-doping commission as well as the Marketing and Communications commission later that afternoon.

After addresses by Bach and Sheikh Ahmad on Friday morning, a final report on the inaugural 2015 European Games in Baku will be provided.

"Nobody believed in the project at the beginning and I think the first edition definitely shows of the potential," Kejval said of the Baku Games.

IOC Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi will introduce progress reports by Rio 2016 and Beijing 2022 on Saturday. Lillehammer 2016 will also provide updates on its Youth Olympic Games progress, the Norwegian village welcoming the world once again in February.

Kejval also says that the Czech Olympic Committee will once again construct and develop an Olympic Park for the 2016 Olympics, much like two years ago during the Sochi Games. He says the park is meant to promote healthy lifestyles and bring visitors closer to the Olympic experience.

Kejval, who is a member of the IOC and ANOC Marketing Commissions, is hopeful other countries will follow in developing the Olympic Park concept, which offers visitors the chance to try sports, mingle with Olympians and cheer for competitors during live broadcasts of the Games via jumbo TV screens.

Kejval also noted that Chinese NOC president Liu Peng and a delegation from Beijing 2022 will make their way to the Czech Republic to learn about staging major winter sports competitions from the Czechs. The International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships were held here in May.

"We’ll share and transfer our experience from hosting successful hockey and biathlon championships," Kejval said.

Written and reported in Prague byBrian Pinelli

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