The Estonian Olympic Committee (, EOK) is responsible for

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

's participation in the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...

History

The Estonian Sports Federation () decided to form the Estonian Olympic Committee in the First Estonian Sport Congress () 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 1920–1936. As Estonia was invaded and occupied in 1940, and reoccupied by the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

in 1944, the Estonian Olympic athletes competed as part of the USSR delegations at the Olympic Games from 1952 until 1988. 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 The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based i ...

, at the board session in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

on 18 September 1991, the EOK was reintegrated into the Olympic Movement on 11 November 1991. In 1992 the IOC delegation led by 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 The Italian National Olympic Committee (, CONI), founded in 1914 and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is responsible for the development and management of sports activity in ItalyWithin Italy, CONI recognizes 48 national ...

– Mario Pescante. The

1992 Winter Olympics The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Albertville '92 (Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Arbèrtvile '92''), were a winter multi-sport event held from 8 to 23 February 1992 in and aroun ...

in Albertville,

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was the first time since 1936 that the nation had competed as an independent nation at the Olympic Games. In the Games between, the Estonian athletes competed under the flag of the

Structure

;Members ''Updated 15 April 2016.'' Members of the Estonian Olympic Committee are: *102 legal persons under private law: **66 National Sports Federations **19 Regional Sports Associations **17 All-Estonian Sports Associations *19 natural persons: Mati Alaver (EOK member since 1999), Jüri Jaanson, Gerd Kanter, Tõnu Laak (1989), Andres Lipstok (1994), Erki Nool, Neinar Seli, Tiit Nuudi (1992), Gunnar Paal ( :et) (1989), Indrek Pertelson (2000), Cardo Remmel (1999), Erika Salumäe (1997), Mart Siimann (1999), Kristina Šmigun, Jaan Talts (1989), Mart Tarmak (1989), Toomas Tõnise (1992), Jaak Uudmäe (1989), Andrus Veerpalu (2000). ;Former natural members * Mikk Mikiver (1937–2006) (EOK member 1989–2006) * Aado Slutsk (1918–2006) (EOK member 1989–2006)

Current NOC leadership

''Updated 15 April 2016.'' ; President * Urmas Sõõrumaa ; Vice President * Jüri Tamm * Tõnu Tõniste ; Secretary General * Siim Sukles ; Executive Committee 17 members incl. EOK President, 2 Vice Presidents and Secretary General. * Urmas Sõõrumaa – EOK President * Jüri Tamm – Vice President * Tõnu Tõniste – Vice President * Urmas Paet – President of the

Estonian Paralympic Committee Estonian Paralympic Committee () was founded in April 1991. Members Members (as of 2021): * Eesti Invaspordi Liit * Eesti Pimedate Spordiliit * Eesti Vaimsete Puuetega Inimeste Spordiliit * Estonian Deaf Sport Union () * Eesti Puuetega Inimeste ...

* Anne Rei – General Secretary of the Estonian Football Association * Karol Kovanen – President of the Estonian Badminton Federation and Estonian Swimming Federation * Oliver Kruuda – President of the Estonian Handball Association * Toomas Tõnise – Vice-President 2012–2016, General Secretary 2000-2012 of the Estonian Olympic Committee * Marko Kaljuveer – President of the Estonian Golf Association * Riho Terras – Commander-in-Chief of the Estonian Defence Forces * Reet Hääl – Member of the Board of the Estonian Ski Association and Estonian Tennis Association * Hanno Pevkur – President of the Estonian Volleyball Federation * Mati Alaver – Member of the Board of the Estonian Trainers' Association * Helir-Valdor Seeder – President of the Estonian Sports Association Jõud and member of the Board Estonian Handball Association * Mihhail Kõlvart – President of the Estonian Taekwondo Federation and Estonian Fighting Sports Association () * Erki Nool – President of the Estonian Olympic Champions Network * Kristjan Järvi – Conductor and pianist. Advisor to the

Kammerorchester Basel The chamber orchestra Kammerorchester Basel was founded in Basel, Switzerland, in 1984. In the tradition of Paul Sacher's ''Basler Kammerorchester'', its focus is on both early music and contemporary classical music. The orchestra plays regularly ...

and the conductor and founder of the Baltic Youth Philharmonic. Since 2011 chief conductor of the MDR Symphony Orchestra * Gerd Kanter – Leader of the Estonian Athletes' Commission

List of presidents

* Karl Friedrich Akel (1924–1931) – EOK Chairman * Johan Laidoner (1931–1934) – EOK Cochairman * Johan Laidoner (1934–1940) – EOK Chairman * Arnold Green (1989–1997) – EOK President * Tiit Nuudi (1997–2001) – EOK President * Mart Siimann (2001–2012) – EOK President * Neinar Seli (2012–2016) – EOK President * Urmas Sõõrumaa (2016–2024) – EOK President *

Kersti Kaljulaid Kersti Kaljulaid (; born 30 December 1969) is an Estonia, Estonian politician who served as the fifth president of Estonia between 2016 and 2021, and was its first and only female head of state since the country declared independence in 1918. S ...

(2024–present) – EOK President

IOC members

* Karl Friedrich Akel (1927–1932) * Joakim Puhk (1936–1942)

Honorary members

* Arnold Green – Honorary president, former EOK member (1989–1999) and President of the EOK (1989–1997) * Tiit Nuudi – Honorary president, former EOK member (1992– ) and President of the EOK (1997–2001) * August Englas – sportwrestling world champion 1953 & 1954 * Svetlana Tširkova-Lozovaja – Olympic champion 1968 * Aavo Pikkuus – Olympic champion 1976 * Mait Riisman – Olympic champion 1980 * Erika Salumäe – Olympic champion 1988 & 1992 * Oleg Sapožnin – former EOK member (1992–2001) and member of the Executive Committee * Heino Sisask – former EOK member (1992–1999) * Tiit Sokk – Olympic champion 1988 * Ivar Stukolkin – Olympic champion 1980 * Jaan Talts – Olympic champion 1972 * Jüri Tarmak – Olympic champion 1972 * Jaak Uudmäe – Olympic champion 1980 * Lembit Vahesaar – former EOK member (1992–2000) * – former EOK member (1992–2016) * Rein Haljand – former EOK member (1992–2000) ; Former honorary members * Johannes Kotkas (1915–1998) * Heino Lipp (1922–2006) * Ruudi Toomsalu (1913–2002) * Bruno Junk (1929–1995) * Heino Lind (1931–2008) – former EOK member (1992–2001 ) and member of the Executive Committee * Viljar Loor (1953-2011), Olympic champion 1980 * Ants Antson (1938-2015), Olympic champion 1964 ;Other notable members Juhan Aare 1992–1997, Are Eller 1992–1993, Peeter Mardna 1992–2001, Mati Mark 1992–2001, Even Tudeberg 2000–2001, Ants Veetõusme 1992–2001, Priit Vilba 1994–2000, Atko Viru 1989–2007

References

External links

Estonian Olympic Committee Official SiteIOC-s information page of the NOCEstonian Olympic Academy
{{Authority control National Olympic Committees Olympic Estonia at the Olympics Sports organizations of Estonia 1923 establishments in Estonia Sports organizations established in 1923