Croatian Sports Candidate: 'We Cannot Be Hostages to Ignorance of International Rules'

Josip Varvodić, a candidate for the presidency of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO), has voiced strong criticism regarding the management of international sports regulations. He stated that Croatian sports must not be compromised by a failure to comprehend global sporting rules and institutional procedures.

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The latest stance of the European Olympic Committees, in which they expressed regret over the public release of the letter from their Medical and Anti-Doping Commission, best summarizes my motivation to be a candidate for the president of the Croatian Olympic Committee.

Varvodić's remarks followed a statement from the European Olympic Committees (EOC) expressing regret over the public release of a letter from their Medical and Anti-Doping Commission, which had supported a rival candidate, Dragan Primorac. Varvodić sees this incident as a clear example of why the HOO requires leadership knowledgeable about the international sports system, the autonomy of sport, and the importance of maintaining Croatia's sporting credibility.

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Mr. Primorac and his team have shown by this move that they do not understand how international sports institutions function and how seriously they protect the autonomy of sport, integrity, and credibility.

"The latest stance of the European Olympic Committees, in which they expressed regret over the public release of the letter from their Medical and Anti-Doping Commission, best summarizes my motivation to be a candidate for the president of the Croatian Olympic Committee," Varvodić stated. He believes that Croatian sports should not be placed in situations that contradict Olympic values or are unworthy of an institution like the HOO.

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I will insist on these values as the future president of the Croatian Olympic Committee.

Drawing on his extensive experience, including roles as first vice-president of the European Aquatics Federation and a member of the World Aquatics Federation Bureau, Varvodić highlighted the high value placed on sports autonomy, integrity, honesty, and fair play in the global sports arena. He considers it unacceptable that Croatian sports have reached a point where European sports institutions feel compelled to issue public statements regarding an internal election campaign, thereby damaging the reputation of both the campaign and Croatian sports.

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It is completely unacceptable to bring Croatian sports into a situation where European sports institutions have to publicly comment due to events in the election campaign for the president of the HOO.