Lithuanian National Olympic Committee

The Lithuanian National Olympic Committee (Lithuanian: Lietuvos tautinis olimpinis komitetas, LTOK) is the National Olympic Committee representing Lithuania.

Lithuanian National Olympic Committee
Lithuanian National Olympic Committee logo
Country/Region Lithuania
CodeLTU
Created1924
Recognized1924 (officially restored: November 1991)
Continental
Association		EOC
HeadquartersVilnius, Lithuania
PresidentDaina Gudzinevičiūtė
Secretary GeneralValentinas Paketūras
Websitewww.ltok.lt
Lithuanian National Olympic Committee

History

Lithuania's national Olympic committee was established and recognized in 1924. In the same year LTOK sent its first delegation to the 1924 Summer Olympics. During Soviet Union occupation time LTOK was disestablished. At 1988 movement for freedom times there was offered to restore national committee. On October 10, 1988 LSSR physical education and sport organization created a special group to reestablish National Olympic Committee of Lithuania. Group chairman become Artūras Poviliūnas. At same year December 11 in Vilnius was held delegates session in which LTOK was restored, and Artūras Poviliūnas was elected its president. LTOK delegates on February 15, 1990, in Lausanne met IOC spokesman. Following the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania on March 11, the republic withdrew its athletes from all Soviet national competitions.[1] Lithuania attempted to first compete on its own at the 1990 Goodwill Games that would be contested from July to August, but the request was rejected and an attempt to make the athletes carry the republic's flag during welcoming ceremonies and wear patches on their Soviet uniforms bearing the Lithuanian insignia was not accepted by the LTOK.[2] Only four Lithuanian athletes accepted to play for the USSR at the Goodwill Games.[3]

In a 1991 IOC meeting at Berlin, the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania was officially recognized. Lithuania was along with Baltic neighbors Latvia and Estonia one of the first parts of the former USSR to participate as an independent country.

Participating incidents
  • In the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Lithuania did not participate due to economic difficulties and political controversies surrounding the National Olympic Committee.
  • In the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Lithuania was not invited by Nazi Germany due to the Klaipėda/Memelland region controversy.
  • On 19 November 2021, a group of 17 members of Lithuanian national parliament Seimas released an official letter encouraging Lithuania to withdraw from the 2022 Winter Olympics due to human rights violations in China.[4] Daina Gudzinevičiūtė, president of National Olympic Committee of Lithuania, released a statement that Olympic games should be politically neutral and confirmed that committee has no plans to boycott the games.[5][6] On 3 December 2021, Lithuania was the first nation to announce a diplomatic boycott of the games.[7]

Current NOC Leadership

President
Daina Gudzinevičiūtė, president of NOC since 2012

Vice presidents

Secretary General
  • Valentinas Paketūras

Members

LTOK has 40 full time members, 3 approved observers and 12 Olympic-friendly unions:[8]

Full time members (40)
Approved observers (3)
Olympic-friendly unions (12)

Olympic sport federations not part of LTOK: Lithuanian Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, Lithuanian Luge Federation, Lithuanian Softball Federation

See also

References
  1. OLYMPICS; Lithuanians Want Sports Independence
  2. Lithuanians Won't Play With Soviets -- Marciulionis, Sabonis Just Say No
  3. Soviets Whip U.s. Without Lithuanians
  4. "Grupė Lietuvos parlamentarų ragina boikotuoti Pekino žiemos olimpines žaidynes" (in Lithuanian). 19 November 2021. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  5. "LTOK pozicija dėl siūlymo sportininkams boikotuoti Pekino žiemos olimpines žaidynes". Lietuvos tautinis olimpinis komitetas (in Lithuanian). 23 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  6. "Po Seimo narių prašymo boikotuoti Pekino olimpinės žaidynes – griežtas LTOK atsakas" (in Lithuanian). 23 November 2021. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  7. "Lithuania confirms diplomatic boycott of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics". ANI News. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  8. LTOK nariai


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