EHF mourns passing of EOC President Janez Kocijancic

It is with great sadness that the European Handball Federation has learned of the passing of Janez Kocijancic, the President of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), who died Monday in Ljubljana at age 78.

Highly respected in the European sports community for his enviable wealth of experience and ability from both a sport and a business perspective, Kocijancic served the EOC for over 15 years. His dedication and integrity never went unnoticed whenever and wherever he was representing the EOC.

EHF President Michael Wiederer recalls how he met Kocijancic on numerous occasions at international sports events over the years.

“From those meetings there was always the takeaway of a positive dialogue to sport, which underlined the competence as well as the authentic interest in sport that Janez Kocijancic both possessed and exuded,” Wiederer says.

Kocijancic was the first president of Slovenia’s Olympic Committee upon independence in 1991 and served in the position for 23 years, while he was also a council member of the International Ski Federation (FIS) since 1981.

A director of Slovenia's national airline, Adria Airways, Kocijancic was also active in politics - as a minister in former Yugoslavia and as a member of parliament after Slovenia’s independence.

The thoughts of the EHF are with the EOC family and the EHF sends it heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of President Kocijancic at this very sad time.

Photos: Uros Hocevar / kolektiff