By Amelia Fisher-Starzynski, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands; April 4, 2019: The Faroese Confederation of Sports is celebrating its 80th birthday today.
The occasion was marked by an official event in the capital Tórshavn attended by the Prime Minister Aksel V. Johannesen, Culture and Sports Minister Høgni Hoydal, and Mayor of Tórshavn Annika Olsen, who all spoke at the event alongside FCSOC President, Elin Heðinsdóttir Joensen.
Each speaker has previously represented the Faroe Islands in one or more sports.
Former Presidents of FCSOC and leading sports figures also attended.
An exhibition marking the 80 year history of the FCSOC and the huge progress made in Faroese sport formed part of the birthday event, including:
•Establishment of the Faroese Olympic Committee in 1982
•Athletes success on the international stage in rowing, swimming, gymnastics and football
•A look back at Faroe Islands’ participation in every Paralympic Games since 1984, including winning 13 medals
•Membership of eight International Federations
•The transformation and investment in grass roots and community sport in recent years
Jon Hestoy, Vice President of the Faroese Confederation of Sports and Olympic Committee, said:
“Senior politicians including the Faroese Prime Minister are here today celebrating the 80th birthday of our Sports Confederation and the huge role sport plays in the Faroe Islands.
Our sport’s journey over the last 80 years has been phenomenal and particularly rapid over the past decade.
Faroese Confederation 80th Birthday: We’ve seen international success, major investment in facilities and huge growth in community sport.
We certainly hope that, as our campaign for Olympic recognition continues to gain traction, the future of Faroese sport will be even brighter in the years ahead.”
As a further element of the 80th celebration, sport clubs across the Faroe Islands will open their doors to the public on April 6th – International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
The purpose of this initiative is to offer people, whatever their age and gender, the opportunity to try taster sessions in sports they may not have tried before.
The FCSOC will capture the highlights of the day in a short movie that will screen on social media channels including on @FaroeOlympic.
About the Faroe Islands/Faroese Confederation 80th Birthday
The Faroe Islands, which has a population of 51,000, has been a self-governing region of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1948 and competes in the Olympic Games as Denmark.
Located north-west of Scotland’s Shetland Islands and almost 1,000km from Denmark, the Faroe Islands has been campaigning for more than 40 years for Olympic recognition.
The Faroese Confederation of Sports established in 1939 and its Olympic Committee in 1982.
Sport on the islands is 100% self-funded, including all anti-doping activities [no sport funding comes from Denmark].
18,000 Faroese members of sports clubs which drive and overseen by the FCSOC.
Faroe Islands is a founding member of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and has competed in every Paralympic Summer Games since 1984.
It also recognises in its own right by eight International Federations: archery, badminton, football, handball, judo, swimming, table tennis and volleyball.
A list of sports clubs that will be opening their doors to the public on April 6 can be found on the FCSOC homepage (https://isf.fo/isf-80-ar-felogini-lata-dyrnar-upp/tiltok/). —- Images Credit: Faroe Photo
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