Prishtina, 20 July, 2016 – President of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, met today with the President of the Olympic Committee of Kosovo, Besim Hasani.
President Thaçi congratulated the managers of the Olympic Committee of Kosovo for the work they have done for a dignified presentation of our country in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
“We are approaching the historic days when Kosovo will participate for the first time in the Rio Olympic Games. This way also due to the great, persistent job done by President Hasani, and his team, as well as the board of the Olympic Committee of Kosovo, all Kosovar athletes, who made sure such a miracle would happen this year”, President Thaçi said.
He said he was convinced that the Kosovo team composed of eight athletes will return from Rio to Kosovo as winners and with medals. According to him, the participation itself is a miracle for Kosovo as it is happening for the first time in history.
“As president of the country, in all these activities and commitments, not only the Olympic Committee of Kosovo, but all Kosovar sport will have my full support”, President Thaçi said.
President Thaçi said that our participation in Rio is Kosovo’s first Olympic victory.
On the other hand, Besim Hasani, President of the Olympic Committee of Kosovo, thanked President Thaçi for the excellent cooperation that has enabled recognition of Kosovo Olympic Committee by the International Olympic Committee.
“Kosovo will participate with eight athletes at the Olympic Games, two of them having reached the standard entry time, thus ranking us among the top 50 countries, with the most developed sport. Also there are six other athletes, the best athletes that Kosovo has”, Hasani said.
He stressed that Kosovo aims for medal, but adding that, beyond medals, our first participation at the Olympic Games is of exceptional importance.
“I thank you for your willingness, during these days, to jointly carry out the campaign to promote Kosovo’s Olympic team, in coordination with you, with the Prime Minister, the Sports Minister, because this event is of paramount importance for the sport of Kosovo, but, I also believe, for Kosovo in general”, Hasani concluded.