Cyprus Olympic Committee

The Cyprus Olympic Committee is responsible for safeguarding and implementing Olympism and the Olympic ideals in Cyprus. It's also responsible for supporting, entering and overseeing teams for the Olympic Games, European Games, Commonwealth Games, Mediterranean Games, Mediterranean Beach Games, Games of the Small States of Europe and other Junior-level multisport competitions such as the Youth Olympic Games, the Summer and Winter European Youth Olympic Festival and the Youth Commonwealth Games.

The Cyprus Olympic Committee was founded on June 10, 1974 and became a member of the International Olympic Committee in 1979. Prior to that, Cypriot athletes competed in international events representing Greece. Amongst the most well known Cypriots who have represented Greece are Ioannis Frangoudis[2] (triple shooting medalist in Athens 1896), Aristidis Konstantinidis (cycling gold medalist in Athens 1896), Stavros Tziortzis[3] (7th in the 400m hurdles in Munich 1972) and Lakis Georgiou Psimolofitis (8th in skeet shooting in Munich 1972).

Cyprus’ first ever Olympic participation came in the Winter Games of 1980[4] at Lake Placid in United States, while the debut of Cyprus in the Summer Olympics came six months later in Moscow. Since then, Cyprus has been present at every Summer and Winter Olympic Games as well as other multisport events in continental and world level.

Following the scheduled elections for the four-year circle until 2024, in October 2020, George Chrysostomou was elected president, after serving as vice-president in the previous four-year cycle.

Mr George Chrysostomou served as president of the Cyprus Basketball Federation between 2004-2014.

The 2020-2024 committee of the Cyprus NOC is represented by:

• President: George Chrysostomou
• Vice President: Yiotis Ioannides
• Secretary General: Andreas Georgiou
• Treasurer: Alexandros Christoforou
• Members: Andreas Theofylaktou, Sotos Trikomitis, Pavlos Georgiades, George Apostolou, Demetris Leontis, George Papageorgiou, Odysseas Patsalides.

The Cyprus National Federations are the organizations that coordinate all aspects of their individual sports. They are responsible for training, competition and development of their sports. There are currently 29 Olympic Summer and two Winter Sport Federations in Cyprus.

The Olympic House, headquarters of the COC, opened in September 16, 2006 in a ceremony attended by the then President of the Republic of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos and president of the IOC Jacques Rogge. The three-story building houses almost every sporting federations of the island, including sports which aren’t on the Olympic schedule. The Olympic House covers an area of 7500 m2 and cost 5,63 million Cyprus pounds.[8] The Olympic House also houses the Cyprus Olympic Museum, which spans since 2012 on all three floors of the building. More than 400 artifacts are on display in the Olympic Museum, including the suit worn by Pavlos Kontides at London 2012, a medal won by Theofanis Theodotou in the Zappas Olympics in 1888 and sporting gear of the 1946 Boston Marathon winner Stylianos Kyriakides.

In a way of implementing the beliefs and ideals of the Olympic Movement, the COC organizes events which inspire people and the younger generation. The special events vary from year to year and include multisport events as well as local and national events. These are the Olympic Day,[9] Pierre de Coubertin student conference,[10] National Olympic Academy conference, Olympic Education program, Woman in Sport conference,[11] Award Banquets for the best junior athletes,[12] and Fair Play ambassador appointment.[13] The COC also organizes events which target to integrate and introduce sports to persons from sensitive groups such as refugees.[14]

The Cyprus Olympic Committee is supported by a number of sponsors, with the funds assisting the participation of the country in international events and for the organization of various non-sporting events.

OPAP Cyprus are the Long Time Sponsor. RCB Bank,[15] Carbo One and Charalambides Christis are the Major Sponsor. CYTA, Toyota and Metro Supermarkets are the official sponsors.

• Official website