On Friday, March 7th, the European Multisports Club Association (EMCA) held its Elective General Assembly in Piraeus, Greece. The meeting gathered representatives from multi-sports clubs across Europe, who actively participated in the proceedings, emphasizing the democratic function of the Association.
Here are the photos from our Assembly:
The Elective Assembly of the European Multisport Club Association (EMCA), hosted at the Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF), was successfully concluded. The two-day Assembly featured both significant strategic discussions on the future of multisport in Europe and special activities that highlighted the strong connection between sports and culture.
The second day focused on discussing three major sports programs in which EMCA and its members participate:
Teq Games: An initiative promoting new sports and increasing participation in multisport events.
STAY Digitalization Project: A project aimed at digitizing sports processes, enhancing accessibility, and improving the organization of sports clubs through modern technologies.
Igiroot: An initiative focusing on the sustainability of sports organizations by strengthening their connection with local communities and environmental protection.
One of the highlights of the second day was the honorary award presented to Olympiacos S.F.P. by EMCA in recognition of the club’s 100-year history and its invaluable contribution to the development of multisport in Europe.
The day concluded with a unique cultural experience, as the delegates visited the Acropolis Museum, where they explored the remarkable exhibits of Greece’s cultural heritage. This visit emphasized the timeless connection between sports, culture, and history.
On the first day, the delegates had the opportunity to visit two iconic sports facilities of Olympiacos S.F.P.:
Karaiskakis Stadium, the historic home of the team.
Renti Training Center, where they were introduced to the club’s modern training facilities and its academy programs.
EMCA continues its dynamic efforts, strengthening collaboration among Europe’s multisport clubs and promoting initiatives that combine innovation, sustainability, and sports development on an international level.
On Friday, March 7th, the European Multi-Sports Club Association (EMCA) held its Elective General Assembly in Piraeus, Greece. The meeting gathered representatives from multi-sports clubs across Europe, who actively participated in the proceedings, emphasizing the democratic function of the Association.
During the assembly, members voted for the election of the new President and the board of directors. Christina Tsiligiri was re-elected as President of EMCA, earning the members’ trust for a second consecutive term. Vanina Milanova was appointed as President of the General Assembly, while Gabriella Bascelli assumed the position of Vice President.
Following the conclusion of the General Assembly, the new EMCA Executive Board is formed as follows:
Additionally, the Advisory Board consists of:
Statement from President Christina Tsiligiri
“It is a great honor to be re-elected as President of EMCA, an organization that continues to grow, evolve, and lead in the field of multi-sports in Europe. The trust shown to me by the members motivates me to work with even greater dedication to strengthen EMCA’s position at the European level, to create more opportunities for collaborations, and to promote the power of sports as a means of unity and development. Together, we continue dynamically towards the future.”
The European Multisport Club Association (EMCA) proudly announces the successful conclusion of its General Assembly, held in Budapest on Saturday, October 5, 2024. Under the leadership of EMCA President, Christina Tsiligkiri, the event marked a significant milestone, celebrating 11 years of promoting and supporting multisport across Europe. EMCA was furthermore honoured to host the esteemed Yves Les Lostecque, previously of the European Commission, and a continuous supporter of sport, to its assembly.
The historic Ferencvárosi Torna Club, a founding member of EMCA, hosted the assembly and EMCA Connect events, as the club celebrates its 125th anniversary of sporting excellence. EMCA extends its sincere gratitude to Balint Maté and the Ferencvárosi team for their outstanding hospitality as well as sharing insight into their international relations and communications departments. The two-day event provided a platform for members, colleagues, and partners, such as representatives from FITEQ and Afrilanthropy, to engage in meaningful discussions, share insights, and deepen collaborations.
On Sunday, October 6, 2024, a series of workshops were conducted to explore and enhance the management of European sporting programs. One of the key workshops focused on Project Management, led by Martijn Looren de Jong, Project Management Director, and Dunja Bračun from HAŠK Mladost. The session offered practical strategies and methods for managing European projects and introduced new proposals from EMCA members. This interactive discussion allowed members to exchange ideas and foster creativity, strengthening the network of cooperation within the Association and beyond.
Additionally, a significant presentation was delivered on the Digiroot program, an initiative supported by the European Commission through Erasmus+. The program aims to support small and medium-sized sports clubs in Europe by adopting digital technologies to enhance their operations, increase efficiency, and secure long-term sustainability. The presentation, led by Malte Kalsbach, Finance Director of EMCA, explored the technological opportunities available and outlined ways to advance this project to address future challenges in sports management. Further insight into how Artificial Intelligence can be used within the sporting sector was provided by our colleagues from Afrilanthropy.
The assembly emphasized the importance of unity, cooperation, and solidarity among EMCA’s members. Extensive discussions were held on the challenges facing the sports sector in Europe today, and strategic plans were formulated to ensure the sustainable development of EMCA’s clubs, with a focus on innovation and growth.
EMCA would like to express its gratitude to all members for their dedication and contributions, which have played a vital role in the success of this assembly. Special thanks go to the Board of Directors, and all those who worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth execution of the event. This includes, in addition to Looren De Jong and Kalsbach referred to above, Bojan Mijatovic (Director of Development and Sustainability), Gabriella Bascelli (Communications Director), as well as EMCA’s Secretary General, Gina Luzzatto. A heartfelt acknowledgment is also extended to Vanina Milanova, President of the General Assembly, for her meticulous management of the proceedings, ensuring everything ran efficiently.
Looking ahead, EMCA is committed to building on the momentum gained during the assembly. The Association aims to strengthen multisport across Europe through innovation, collaboration, and continuous support from its members and partners. EMCA is confident that the progress made will foster new opportunities and growth, paving the way for a more connected and resilient future for sport in Europe.
EMCA remains dedicated to uniting, evolving, and inspiring the next generations of athletes and sports enthusiasts, ensuring that the values of inclusivity, excellence, and solidarity continue to thrive
On Friday the 29th of September, EMCA held it’s bi-annual assembly in which the members actively took part in the election of the new President and board members. Today, we are proud to announce the current percentage of female representatives in EMCA’s executive Board is 57%.
At the General Assembly various administrative issues were addressed, including the extraordinary election for of a new president and some board members were also appointed.
Christina Tsilgikiri was officially appointed the 3rd President of EMCA, with Federico Eichberg being appointed as Honorary President of EMCA. Gabriella Bascelli was elected as the new Director for Marketing and Communication and Menelaos Demetriou appointed as a reserve member of the Auditing Body. Cristian Fabrizi was appointed as a new legal representative in Belgium.
With the new appointments, there is now a majority of female representation in the EMCA’s executive boards, which now stands at 57%. The new EMCA boards now consists of the following individuals:
Christina Tsilgikiri (Olympiacos) – President of EMCA
Vanina Milanova (Levski) – President of the Assembly
Gina Luzzatto – Secretary General
Gabriella Bascelli (Lazio) – Board Director for Marketing and Communication
Bojan Mijatović (HAŠK Mladost) – Board Director for Development
Malte Kalsbach (TSV Bayer) – Board Director for Finances
Martijn Looren de Jong – Board Director for Project Management
Auditing body members are: Kenneth Cortsen (Aalborg), Mile Samardžić (Red Star), Balint Maté (Ferencvaros), with Menelaos Demetriou (Panionios) being the reserve members.
Welcome to our new members
We are delighted to officially welcome our two new members, Budapesti Egyetemi Atlétikai Club from Hungary and NPC Rieti from Italy.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of engagement, FC Budućnost Podgorica was excluded from the membership of EMCA.
During the assembly, the board proudly commemorated the milestone anniversaries of WSC (Austria) which is celebrating 140 years, our new member BEAC (Hungary) 125 years and HAŠK Mladost (Croatia) which is celebrating 120 years anniversary.
EMCA’s 10 years we have celebrated at a Gala dinner hosted in Piraeus Greece. The gala dinner was hosted by Olympiacos SFP, together with municipality partners for all the EMCA members and partners that were in Piraeus. All guests enjoyed an traditional Greek dinner, providing the perfect opportunity for networking between the club representatives and partners.
“I must add that it is a very emotional day for all of us. EMCA’s 10th anniversary marks the dawn of a new era for our association. An era heralded by Federico’s vision and innovative way of thinking. Federico was always one step ahead constantly looking to expand our association, increase its presence in the world of sports and develop its own structure. I am more than sure that – as honorary chairman – he will continue to support our actions and provide advice based on his experience and insight. I want to thank him once again for his offer. I am honored that you have appointed me as president and I promise that I will work hard from day one.
Restructuring EMCA has been our primary focus over the past two years. We have laid the foundations for a new results-oriented EMCA that can effectively develop partnerships with the world of sport. At the same time, our ten-year efforts have contributed to projecting EMCA as a capable participant in a number of European programs.
Today, EMCA can proudly say that it has managed to design and manage several projects. An activity, the essence of which is to strengthen our ranks with the expected profits. EMCA is gradually becoming a reliable partner of the European Union. EMCA’s stakeholder network is constantly expanding. The EMCA brand is now synonymous with success.
….our plan for the coming years….. high priority to our participation – as EMCA and not as individuals – in European programs.
Second, we will present our strategic marketing plan in order to increase our awareness and attract a desired clientele…..
Third, we will focus our efforts on expanding our organization. We invite new members to join us. ….”
For two days, the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus (Greece) was at the center of European sports, where on Saturday September 30, the International Conference on “Multisports & Municipality” was held. With the presence of representatives of EMCA and member clubs, as well as members of the local government, the opening remarks were given by Tomasz Frankowski (European Parliament member) and Yves Le Lostecque (Head of Unit of European Commission). The keynote speech was given by Massimiliano Montonari from ICSS (the International Center for Sport Security). There was an exchange of views on topics such as of the accessibility and inclusion in sports infrastructure, cooperation with local government to create better sports facilities, as well as encouraging participation in sports activities.
At the conference held in the Melina Merkouri hall of the Stadium of Peace and Friendship, the general public were also present, who in fact made the conference even more interactive as they participated with their questions.
In the first part of the conference, there were presentations and an exchange of views around the theme of what multisports means for local governments and how the two parties can help each other. The second part concerned the development of green and inclusive sports facilities. Finally, the third and last part of the conference dealt with the topic relating to the difference that multisports can make to each individual.
Special thanks are given to all speakers and moderators, namely:
Diogo GUIA, Adrianna ZARAKELI, Paolo BERTACCINI, Martijn LOOREN de JONG, Christina TSILIGKIRI, Voula KOZOMPOLI, Balint MATE, Stavroula ANTONAKOU, Dimitris NAKOS, Gabriella BASCELLI, Malte KALSBACH, Jordi ESCRIBA, Denis LAFOUX, Alberto BICHI and Bojan MIJATOVIĆ.
Interesting opinions were heard from both the representatives and audience members, as well as the representatives watching it online. The full conference can be viewed online here.
The conference takes place in Greece in the context of the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the creation of EMCA, since Olympiacos SFP is one of the founding members.
The event is under the auspices of the Municipality of Piraeus, the Region of Attica and the UNESCO Piraeus and Islands Group.
Some of the topics to be discussed at the conference include how local government can ensure easy access to sports facilities, ensure facilities for all citizens and encourage participation in sport for all.
Moderatos of the event are Bojan Mijatovic, from EMCA and HASK Mladost, and Andrianna Zarakeli, Vice Mayor for Extroversion and EU Funding programs.
Some of the speakers will be Dimitris Nakos (General Secretary of Olympiacos), Gabriella Bascelli (Lazio Foundation), Malte Kalsbach (TSV Bayer Leverkusen), Jordi Escriba (B-Link) and Denis Lafoux (FFCO – Federation Francaise des Clubs Omnisports).
The event is open for the public.
The first EMCA general assembly and conference for this year was successfully held in Brussels on 31 January 2023. The occasion also marked the 10-year anniversary since EMCA was formed.
The Executive Committee provided feedback on the work done in the last year for the association and developments made.
