The EOC has posthumously awarded its Order of Merit to the organisation’s late President Janez Kocijančič ©EOC

The European Olympic Committees (EOC) has posthumously awarded its Order of Merit to the organisation’s late President Janez Kocijančič.

Kocijančič died at the age of 78 in June following illness.

He becomes the 28th recipient of the EOC Order of Merit, the organisation’s highest honour which was created in 1995.

According to the EOC, the honour is given to an individual who has contributed to the diffusion of the Olympic ideals according to the Olympic Charter.

Individuals will also have promoted cooperation between European National Olympic Committees, illustrated the Olympic ideal through their actions and have achieved remarkable merit in the sporting world, or who has rendered outstanding services to the Olympic cause.

The EOC awarded the Order of Merit at their General Assembly today, held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.

EOC Acting President Niels Nygaard paid tribute to Kocijančič when announcing the honour.

"It is as a true man of sport that we learned to know and appreciate Janez across the many years that he had the mission of promoting Olympism in Europe," Nygaard said.

"A mission he so firmly believed in and worked with such admirable determination to promote.

"The Olympic Movement of Europe has a great debt and wishes to express its most heartfelt gratitude to Janez, among whom the EOC Executive Committee has posthumously awarded its highest honour, the Order of Merit.

"We shall miss him greatly."

Janez Kocijančič was a long-serving official at the EOC ©Getty Images
Janez Kocijančič was a long-serving official at the EOC ©Getty Images

Kocijančič was a long-term official at the EOC, having joined the Executive Board in 2005.

The Slovenian served as EOC vice-president from 2013 to 2016, before taking on the Acting President role following the suspension of Patrick Hickey.

Kocijančič was elected EOC President unopposed in 2017.

His Presidency included the second edition of the European Games, which were held in Belarus' capital Minsk last year, while he also oversaw the awarding of the 2023 European Games to Kraków in Poland.

Kocjančič served as the first President of the Slovenian Olympic Committee after the organisation was founded following the country's independence and held the role from 1991 to 2014.

Kocijančič was heavily involved in skiing, having served from 1974 to 1984 as President of the Ski Association of Slovenia, before holding the same post at the Ski Association of Yugoslavia until 1988.

He had served as an Executive Board member at the International Ski Federation since 1981, becoming vice-president from 2010.