History
The Estonian Sports Federation (Estonian: Eesti Spordi Liit) decided to form the Estonian Olympic Committee in the First Estonian Sport Congress (Estonian: Eesti I Spordikongress) on 30 November 1919, one and a half years after the proclamation of the independence of Estonia, but it was officially founded on 8 December 1923. The first chairman of the committee dr. Karl Friedrich Akel, was elected on 5 May 1924. An independent Estonian team took part in the Olympic Games over the period of 1920–36. After the nation was invaded by the Soviet Union in 1940, Estonian athletes competed at the Olympic Games as part of the USSR delegations.
The NOC was renewed on 14 January 1989 when the Estonian Olympic Sports Conference passed the following resolution: "to resume the activity of the Estonian Olympic Committee founded in 1923". The continuity concept became the foundation of the activity of the restored Estonian Olympic Committee since, although it could not act 'de facto' for 50 years, it never ceased its activity 'de jure'. On the same day, the first members of the renewed NOC were elected, Arnold Green and Atko Viru. On 20 August 1991 the independence of the Republic of Estonia was proclaimed and by decision of the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee, at the board session in Berlin on 18 September 1991, the EOK was reintegrated into the Olympic Movement on 11 November 1991.
In 1992 the IOC delegation led by IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch visited Estonia. Delegation members included Vice President of the IOC and Russian Olympic Committee president – Vitali Smirnov, IOC and Swedish Olympic Committee member – Gunnar Ericsson, President of the EOC – Jacques Rogge and Secretary General of the EOC and Italian National Olympic Committee – Mario Pescante.
The 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France was the first time since 1936 that the nation had competed as an independent nation at the Olympic Games.
On 11 November 2004, Mart Siimann and Toomas Tõnise were re-elected respectively President and Secretary General of the Estonian Olympic Committee.
On 10 November 2008, Mart Siimann and Toomas Tõnise were re-elected respectively President and Secretary General of the Estonian Olympic Committee and Toomas Savi and Neinar Seli, Vice Presidents for next 4 years.
Read more about this topic: Estonian Olympic Committee
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“We have need of history in its entirety, not to fall back into it, but to see if we can escape from it.”
—José Ortega Y Gasset (1883–1955)