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By:
Arsim Magjera
- March 19 2025 14: 00
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He didn't extend his hand at the first meeting. But in the meantime, he "extended his hand" to tens of thousands of Kosovo athletes.
Besim Hasani, the long-time president of the Kosovo Olympic Committee, considers Thomas Bach's role in the internationalization of Kosovo's sports to be crucial. German Bach has been president of the International Olympic Committee since 2013. His successor will be elected on Thursday, and the 71-year-old will remain in office until June 23. But his term at the helm of the world's leading sports organization is almost over on Thursday.
The last 12 years have been challenging for world sport and consequently for the International Olympic Committee. Bach has faced numerous challenges, but he is credited with successfully overcoming them.
One of the first decisions of the IOC under Thomas Bach was to recognize the Kosovo Olympic Committee. Provisional recognition was granted on October 22, 2014, and full recognition was granted on December 9, 2014.
Recognition by the IOC enabled Kosovo to be accepted into all international sports associations. Before recognition by the IOC, few Kosovar federations were part of the relevant international federations. Most importantly, Kosovar athletes began to appear in all international competitions. Among other things, in the Summer Olympic Games, where they already have five medals, three of them gold.
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"Thomas Bach remains the central figure for the internationalization of Kosovo's sport, especially for the recognition of the Kosovo Olympic Committee in the International Olympic Committee," Besim Hasani, who was head of the KOC from 1996 to 2021, told KOHA on Wednesday. He is now the honorary president of the Kosovo Olympic Committee.
It was 2012, when Hasani received the signal that Bach would be the personality who would enable the recognition of the KOK.
"It was the 'Peace and Sport' conference, which was being held at the UN headquarters. We were together with Memli Krasniqi. We had a short meeting with Jacques Rogge, who was president. Bach was vice president at the time and based on the information I had, he was the main candidate for the next president. I had met him earlier and while we were moving I said 'should we apply immediately?'. He replied 'don't move at all' and I consider this as the signal that Bach was the right one to recognize Kosovo. And so it happened, two years later the Kosovo Olympic Committee was recognized by the International Olympic Committee. Without Thomas Bach this would not have happened," says Hasani.
He says that it would be easier for Bachu and his associates to refuse to recognize Kosovo than to decide for recognition.
"Understanding was needed for the situation of Kosovo athletes, for their functioning in isolation. And this understanding was shared by President Thomas Bach. It is clear that refusal would have been much easier. For admission, the state had to be recognized by the International Community, which everyone interpreted as recognition by the UN. Consequently, refusal would have been easier. Without the right will, Kosovo could still be outside the Olympic family. Therefore, I think that Kosovo owes this man. We need to think of something serious to honor Bach's personality. We owe him. For example, by naming a sports facility, or some appropriate way of honoring him," added Besim Hasani.
He has had dozens of meetings with Bach, who has visited Kosovo twice. Hasan's first meeting with the German Bach was not very pleasant.
"He was extending his hand to me, while I introduced myself as the president of the Kosovo Olympic Committee. He raised his finger and told me that only after we are recognized by the IOC do I have the right to introduce myself as president. He did not extend his hand to me, but in the meantime he extended his hand to two million Kosovo Albanians and that is important. Of course, the other meetings were very friendly. It happened that he greeted others only with a nod, and meanwhile when it was my turn, he hugged me," says Hasani.
Most of the Kosovo sports federations, as well as state institutions, were lobbying for international acceptance, while the pressure on the IOC is considered to have increased with the success of Kosovo athletes, especially judokas. Majlinda Kelmendi was a key figure in this regard. She had won the world title in 2013, while Nora Gjakova and other judokas were also having successes. And the IOC felt the pressure to make a solution for Kosovo athletes.
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But of course, without Bach's will, things would hardly have moved. On his first visit to Kosovo, he had promised to award a medal to Kosovo if one were won at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. And so it happened. Bach handed over the gold to Majlinda Kelmendi.
The President of the Kosovo Olympic Committee, Ismet Krasniqi, also appreciates Bach's contribution.
“The Olympic movement in Kosovo will always be grateful for the major contribution of the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, to the sport of Kosovo. With his vision and commitment to the principles of equality and inclusion in sport, he played a key role in the recognition of the IOC by the IOC in December 2014, opening a new chapter in our Olympic history. This historic decision made the dreams of many generations of our athletes come true, who for decades had dreamed of competing under the flag of Kosovo in the biggest global sporting events. During his visit to our country in December last year, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the recognition of the IOC by the IOC, he stated that Kosovo is one of the success stories of the leadership of the Olympic movement in the world, because our athletes had the opportunity to show their talent, dedication and competitive spirit at the Olympic Games, proving that Kosovo is a small country with a big heart. "Great sports event," Krasniqi told KOHĖNA.
Thomas Bach's successor will be chosen in Costa Navarino, Greece. Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior, Sebastian Coe and Kirsty Coventry are the leading candidates to replace Bach. Each of them will be historic. Samaranch would succeed his father of the same name as president. Coe would be the first British president, while Zimbabwe's Coventry, in addition to being the youngest at 41 years, would be the first female IOC president and the first from Africa.
There are four other candidates for the post of president, but they are considered less likely. Surprises, however, cannot be ruled out. Voting is held behind closed doors and all IOC members who elect the president are required to leave their phones outside the hall. The race is considered very tight.
Financially, the IOC is considered stable. Revenues, especially from the Summer Olympics, are very large. But the geopolitical situation will not be easy for the new president. The next Summer Games are held in Los Angeles in 2028 and a showdown with Donald Trump is expected. A solution must also be found for Russian athletes, while there are other sensitive issues, such as the gender of athletes. The challenge of keeping boxing on the Olympic program is being passed on to Bach's term, although complications are not ruled out.
Bach is reportedly supported by Coventry. She is known as a very successful former swimmer.
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There are 109 members of the IOC who decide on the new president. So not the national Olympic committees or international sports federations, but only the members of the IOC. These are important personalities, with influence in international sport.
Bach said he leaves satisfied, convinced that he did his best. The 2014 decision may not be the most important for international sport, but for Kosovo it remains a historic moment.
