1. Sport in Kosova
The contribution of sport
to the international projection of a country
1st International Sport Countries Conference
Barcelona, April 2003

2. General information
? Kosova is a small country.
? In 10.887 Km2 live about 2.3
million people.
? In terms of structure of
population, Kosova is ranked
in first place with young
population.
? Over 50% of population are
under 19 years old.
? About 92% of them are
Albanian and other 8% are
Serbs, Moslems, Gypsies,
Turks, Ashkalij, etc.

3. Sport in Kosova from 1945 to 1999
? After II World War: Kosovars Albanian compite for
Yugoslavia. Achievement of high sports results in
different international competitions.
? 1989 to 1999: the Autonomy of Kosova is
abrogated. The Kosovars Albanian created a
parallel system, also in sport. Creation of Kosova
Olympic Committee (1992) and other sport
organisations.
? From 1999: UN established their mission in Kosova
that is going on jet (UNMIK) The Department of
Sports is established by decision of UNMIK.

4. Kosova Olympic Committee (KOC)
? Its Assembly founded KOC on May 27, 1992
? The members of Kosova Olympic Committee are
representatives of each Olympic Federation as well
as representatives of other sport organizations or
institutions that are devoted to promote Olympic
cause.

5. Sport in Kosova in 2003
? Each sports federations should fulfill a few criteria
to become affiliated in KOC and Department of
Sports.
? At this moment, there are 22 sports federations,
along 1.014 sport clubs above 200.000 people
involved at sports. Among of them 40.000 active
athletes and nearly 30% are women.
? The development of Kosova sport is the result of
the initiatives of innumerable people. This sports
model is entirely dependent on the voluntary
support of leaders and their financial support.

6. International cooperation
? Since Kosova is administrated by UNMIK, they
encouraged to establish Sports Institutions based
on international standards.
? For the sake of this progress done in Kosovar
society, a lot of sportsmen and women were
allowed to participate in international area.
? WSKF World Championship, European
Championship, different tournaments in Balkan and
Europe.

7. International recognition
? Every Kosova Sport Federations have made
requests for affiliation at respective international
federations.
? The most often reply was that Kosovar sport
federations should wait for final statute of Kosova
or another answer that firstly Kosova Olympic
Committee should be accepted at IOC and
afterwards all other Kosova sports federations will
become member of international federations.

8. Kosova as a sport country
? Kosova is administrated by UN;
? Kosova is not administrated by exYugoslavia;
? Kosova has its own president, assembly,
government and the other governmental
authorities;
? Kosova has its own organized sport system ruled by
Ministry of Sports and Kosova Olympic Committee;
? Kosova has its own Olympic Committee, its statute
is in harmony with Olympic Charter;
? All sports federations in Kosova develop sports
activities based on statute and in conformity with
normative local and international acts.

9. The contribution of sport
? “Pending the final political settlement, ways need
to be developed to continue the process of
stabilization of sports structures, which can
ultimately contribute to the maintainance of peace
in Kosovo” (UNMIK, 2002)
? “Sport is not only an essential component of the
welfare of individuals, groups and socities but it is
also a mean of demonstrating the diversity of
people’s social, historical and cultural specificities,
internally as well as internationally” (Project of
declaration for the 1st International Sport Countries
Conference)

10. Cooperation and exchanges
? “Training and competing in an isolated is not
sufficient for reaching the peak of one’s potential in
a given sport. The competitions within Kosovo are
also not sufficient. Though the athletes from
Kosovo are being invited to some competitions,
which are not recognised by international
federations, there is a serious grievance of the
sports community for their current inaccesibility to
the international arena”
? “The international community needs to find a
solution in the interest of the sports person of this
generation”