From 12. to 17. April 2012 in Moscow were held several conferences important for the Olympic Movement, and central event was the reason for the gathering, at the first place, was XVII ANOC General Assembly. Montenegrin delegation, headed by its President Dušan Simonović also participated. For the event were accredited around 1.200 delegates, and among the present were representatives from all 204 National Olympic Committees, leaders of the International Olympic Committee and International Sports Federations, representatives from Organizational Committees of the Games from the Olympic Program, as well as ministers of sports from more than hundred countries. On 12. April, the first day of the event, were held continental associations meetings. European Olympic Committee (EOC), headed by its President Patrick Hickey, held its extraordinary session with main topic – current progress in preparations for organization of European Games. XVIII ANOC General Assembly was held from 13-15. April. After resignation of the President Mario Vasquez Rana, and following the recommendation of the Executive Board with only one vote against and two withhold, the Assembly elected new President, Sheikh Ahmed Al Fahad Al Sabah, current Vice-President of ANOC from Asia. Sheikh Al Sabah announced improvement in the work of this organization and important changes to be implemented after introduction of necessary amendments of the Statutes. Delegates of the ANOC Assembly listened to reports of all five continental associations, ANOC bodies and commissions on activities from last two years, as well as presentations of other organizations – Olympic Solidarity, World Ant-Doping Association, Court of Arbitration for Sport, etc. They also had opportunity to watch presentations of forthcoming Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games, with inspiring photos, videos and lots of information. Longest and most detailed presentation had Organizational Committee for OG in London 2012,and most of the attentions was drawn to first presentation of the host cities for the Olympic Games 2020: Istanbul, Baku, Doha, Madrid and Tokyo. Lots of space was given to the report of IOC’s Sport Commission, headed by Frank Fredericks, on activities and programs through which this Commission is educating athletes on importance of parallel education, relations with sponsors and managers, including similar issues athletes face during their career. Attention was also drawn to always interesting issues such as fight against doping and irregular betting in sport, engagement of more women in sport… After the end of Assembly, on 15. April was held three hours long meeting of IOCs Executive Board with representatives from National Olympic Committees, where dr Jacques Rogge and other leaders of IOC directly answered to delegates questions. It was obvious that, despite big cultural, economic and other differences, all Olympic Committees have same problems – how to identify talents in sport, follow them and provide conditions for their development, how to provide best possible conditions for top athletes, how to involve state and sport institutions and make efficient long-term system for these processes, and most important of all, how to provide finances. II World Olympic Sport Convention was held on 16 and 17. April, and its aim was to find out ways to establish partnership between states and sport institutions in order to create strategies for improvement of sport and better conditions for athletes. Topics of plenary presentations and discussions were: development and promotion of sport among youth, cooperation between National Olympic Committees and Governments on development of top sport, protection of athletes from growing doping threats and irregular betting… Russian Minister for Sport, Vitaly Mutko held opening speech, and on behalf of the Montenegrin Government, at the conference was present Aleksandar Tičić, Director of the Youth and Sports Authority. Examples of partnership and successful cooperation between state and sport institutions, regarding big sport events, gave Hue Robertson, British Minister for Sport (OG London 2012) and Alexander Zhukov President of the Russian Olympic Committee (OG Sochi 2014). Clear message on this occasion was that autonomy of sports institutions must be respected. Fact is that majority of National Olympic Committees and sport federations mainly depend on state budget and unfortunately, very often some states use this as an excuse to interfere with the work of sport institutions. According to Jacques Rogge, President of MOC, autonomy can be only provided by responsibility to undertaken commitments, tasks and responsibilities, good and transparent management, which is in accordance with the law and the Olympic Charter. Great appreciation was expressed for the exceptional hospitality of the hosts, especially the Olympic Committee of Russia and President Zhukov, and top state officials who have shown how important sport is for the Russian Federation – Prime Minister Vladimir Putin welcomed the gathering on the first day of ANOC session, while President Medvedev organized a reception for all delegates at the Kremlin. MOC delegation had a series of other meetings during the stay in Moscow. With representatives of the IOC Olympic Solidarity topic of the discussion were current projects and expectations of the program prepared for the next four year cycle. At the meeting of the Games of Small States of Europe Association, it was agreed that the next meetings of the Executive Board and the Technical Commission will be held in June in Luxembourg, during the centenary celebrations of the Olympic Committee of Luxembourg, while the next, an informal meeting of the Presidents of NOC from Central and Southeastern European countries is planned after the Olympic Games in London 2012., and most probably will take place in Montenegro.
