Following Kuwait and Qatar, the Hungarian Olympic Committee (HOC) signed a bilateral partnership agreement with the Guatemalan Olympic Committee (COG). The two signatories included President Krisztián Kulcsár (HOC) and President Gerardo Rene Aguirre Oestmann (COG).
The idea for a possible co-operation emerged in spring when Attila Ádámfi, President of HOC’s International Relations and Sports Diplomacy Committee and Director-General of the International Weightlifting Federation met the President of the Guatemalan Olympic Committee at the 2019 Pan American Weightlifting Championships in Guatemala City.
“Guatemala opens up possibilities on a new continent in the HOC’s sports diplomacy, as the agreement reached with the Central American country is beneficial to both parties in service of Olympism. Guatemala is an active member of the Olympic Movement. Back in 2007, the 119th IOC Session was held in the capital, where it was decided on the location of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, Sochi, and the organisation of the first ever Youth Olympic Games in 2010, which the Guatemalans applied for as host country,” said President Kulcsár.
Guatemala has a particular interest in developing links in Boxing, Weightlifting, Athletics, Modern Pentathlon and other sports, as well as coach training and applied science exchange.
The previous President of the Guatemalan Olympic Committee, Willi Kaltschmitt Luján, a well-respected sport leader, sits on the IOC’s Executive Board, the Olympic Channels’ Directors Board, contributed to the work of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the International Baseball and Softball, Boxing and Taekwondo Federation. As a politician he served his country as Ambassador to Cuba and Honorary Consul of Greece.
Also present during the signing ceremony were Attila Ádámfi and COG Vice President Juan Carlos Sagastume.
President Kulcsár signed three co-operation agreements in Doha with the Kuwaiti, Qatari and Guatemalan NOCs in quick succession; a great sport diplomatic success for the Hungarian Olympic Committee, while also attending the inaugural edition of the World Beach Games and the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).
Previously, the HOC also struck deals with the Algerian, Australian, Czech, Polish, Taiwanese and Vietnamese NOCs and agreed on a partnership with the Russian Olympic Committee during the 2019 FIE World Fencing Championships held in Budapest.
(HOC)