On 22 December 1993, the same day when the Croatian Olympic Committee presented 129 IOC pins to the Croatian Olympic medallists between 1948 and 1992 on behalf of the IOC, Croatian Olympic athletes founded the Croatian Olympians Club at the founding assembly held at today''s Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb.
Zlatko Simenc was elected the first President, Albin Vidovic the Vice-President, and Katica Iles, Vladimir Firm, Zdravko Kovacic, Josip Corak, Miroslav Poljak, Damir Solman and Nikola Plecas were elected Board members. In September 1995, the Croatian Olympians Club became a full member of the Croatian Olympic Committee, with three representatives in its Assembly: Matija Ljubek, Albin Vidovic and Zlatko Simenc.
With water polo player Perica Bukic, two-time gold and one-time silver Olympic medallist, as President, and Olympic boxing bronze medallist Damir Skaro as Secretary General, the Club officially became an association in 2001 and joined the family of 110 national Olympians associations. Since 2005, when it was renamed to the Croatian Olympians Club, it has been led by Stojko Vrankovic, top Croatian basketball player, two-time silver medallist (Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992) and Vice-President of the Croatian Olympic Committee between 2004 and 2008. Since 18 June 2009 the post of the Croatian Olympians Club President has been held by Zoran Primorac, 1988 Olympic table tennis silver medallist from Seoul, who participated in five Olympic Games from Seoul to Beijing.
The Croatian Olympians Club is a co-founder of the Croatian Athletes Foundation and through its numerous sports and charity activities it tries to contribute to the care for the social and professional present and future of Olympic athletes. As ambassadors for the Olympic movement, its members are involved in the work of international fora on sports and ethics, fair play, non-violence, anti-doping measures, prevention of any form of discrimination in sport, or political or commercial abuse of sport and athletes.
Head Office
Trg Kresimira Cosica 11
HR - 10000 Zagreb
Phone +385 1 3650218
Fax +385 1 3091010
www.olimpijci.hr
