The 26th Congress of the European Fair Play Movement EFPM in Vienna ended with the election of Belgian Philippe Housiaux as the new president of the Fair Play Movement. Housiaux succeeds Austrian ASKÖ and CSIT ExCom member Christian Hinterberger, who had held the position most successfully since his election in 2012. 42 EU and non-EU countries attended the EFPM Congress, bidding farewell to the outgoing President with standing ovations and wishing the new President the best for his tenure.
Philipp Housiaux was a talented Belgian sprinter and long jumper in the 1970s who pursued the idea that good practices and adherence to the rules of Shakespeare's philosophy of fair play must be exported to all sectors of civil society so that they can be realized. This implies a real ethical turnaround as a necessary condition for all other sectors as well, including energy and digital technology.
Housiaux holds a doctorate in law and was himself an Olympian, holding the Belgian national records in the 100 m, 200 m and long jump. He has been president of Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles since 2003. His other high-ranking posts include co-president of the Royal Belgian Athletics Federation and vice-president of the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee. The new vice-president of EFPM is Baiba Veisa from Latvia together with Biserka Vrbek from Croatia.
The election was presided over by CNIFP President Ruggero Alcanterini, EFPM Honorary Member Manfred Lammer and ENGSO President Carlos Cardoso. The new EFPM Executive Committee is composed of Donuk Bilge (Turkey), Isayev Khazar (Azerbaijan), Robert Perc (Slovenia), Ioannis Psilopoulos (Greece), Karatina Raczova (Slovakia), Baiba Vesia (Latvia), Biserka Urbek (Croatia) and Hanna Wawrowska (Poland).
Founded in 1994, EFPM is Europe's recognized organization for the promotion of fair play and Olympic values. The movement works closely with sports organizations across the continent, including the European Olympic Committee, the various National Olympic Committees in Europe and the various Fair Play Committees.
Find below the new EFPM Executive Committee as it resulted from the relevant elections of September 25, 2021 in Vienna.
President: Philippe Housiaux (BEL)
Vice Presidents: Baiba Veisa (LAT) and Biserka Vrbek (CRO)
General Secretary: Ioannis Psilopoulos (GRE)
Treasurer: Katarina Raczova (SLV)
E.C. Members: Bilge Donuk (TUR), Khazar Isayev (AZE), Hanna Wawrowska (POL), Robert Perc (SLO)
