Hellenic Olympians Association (HOA)

THE HELLENIC OLYMPIANS ASSOCIATION FORERUNNERS AND ORIGINATORS

FOUNDATION:

The Hellenic Olympians Association (HOA) was founded in 1987 within the frame of the Hellenic Olympic Committee. Its 1st President was the ever memorable Georgios Vichos, Secretary General of the Helleinic Olympic Committee. The following were among its founding members: Georgios Andreadis, Domna Lanitou – Kavounidou, Kostas Linoxylakis, Faedon Matheou, Nikos Milas, Giorgos Liveris, Alkis Papageorgopoulos, Dimitris Pappos, Giorgos Tsakanikas, Evangelos Depastas, Lambis Manthos, Stefanos Petrakis, Dimitris Skourtis etc.

The world Olympians Association was founded in 1995 and the title «OLYMPIANS» was then universally approved as a title referring to the highest level athletes.

Since 1995, the International Olympic Committee gradually recognized and accepted the OLYMPIANS as its part and Juan Antonio Samarank said that the OLYMPIANS were the fourth Pylon of the IOC.

AIMS:

Today we mainly focus in the functioning of the OLYMPIAN CENTER and the organization of the XXVIII Olympic Games. «ATHENS 2004», without limiting our interest exclusively in that specific matter, as we realize that it is still necessary for the International Olympic Academy to be invigorated, for our Mediterranean Games to be strengthened, for the Olympic Education to be emphasised etc…

Our Association has informed all the competent state organizations as well as the OCOG «ATHENS 2004», that it is placed at the disposal of anybody in charge, to help and assist in any way we can, specifically as far as the Volunteer part is concerned.

More generally and according to our statutes, the Greek OLYMPIANS aim at developing the Olympic Movement and promoting the Olympic Ideals, creating strong bonds of friendship with the OLYMPIANS from all over the world. We also aim at collaborating with the World Olympians Association in order to develop the Olympic Idea and, finally, at keeping the principles of Sports and Olympism through amateur practising and exercising through Sports.

RECOGNIZED BY THE IOC:

Today the IOC recognizes the WOA and the 130 or so national foundations in every country as the only official Associations of its athletes. It has also transmitted a rules draft in which, among others, it is stated that the President of the IOC is, obligatorily, the Honorary President of the WOA, and that, each time. the Honorary Presidents of the IOC and the International Olympic Committee become Honorary Presidents of the National OLYMPIANS Associations.

The first years of Hellenic Olympians Association were extremely hard. In the year 2000, Georgios Andreadis became our President and we were able to reform n restore and re-establish our identity, in Greece and abroad.

We have 600+ members, among which several Olympic medallists, winners of Mediterranean and Balkan Games, World recordmen and others. Also, among the OLYMPIANS there are academicians, economists, writers, physicians, lawyers, journalists, professors, architects, Physical Education teachers, coaches and, generally, socially successful and eminent persons.