The 2nd Ordinary General Assembly of NOC Montenegro was held today at the University Sports and Cultural Centre in Podgorica, with 37 of the organisation’s 59 delegates in attendance. The delegates adopted the new NOC Montenegro Statute, the NOC Montenegro Strategy for the period 2026–2030 and the Code of Ethics, together with a number of other strategic documents that will determine the direction of the Montenegrin Olympic Movement in the years ahead.
The Assembly was held on a symbolic date – exactly 19 years since NOC Montenegro, on 7 July 2007 at the 119th Session of the International Olympic Committee in Guatemala City, was admitted as the IOC’s 204th member and officially became part of the global Olympic family.
“The Olympic Movement is built on trust – the trust of athletes in their umbrella organisation, the trust of federations in the rules under which we operate, and the trust of the public that every euro and every decision has a clear purpose and justification. We have devoted the greatest part of our work to earning and maintaining that trust,” said NOC Montenegro President Dušan Simonović.
At the beginning of the session, the Assembly elected its working bodies and adopted the minutes of the previous Ordinary and electronic sessions of the General Assembly.
The Assembly also noted that Igor Ognjenović has replaced Predrag Perković, who resigned, as the delegate representing the Karate Federation of Montenegro.
Special attention was devoted to the financial operations of NOC Montenegro. The Assembly adopted the 2025 Financial Report, together with the reports of the Independent Auditor and the Supervisory Board, as well as the financial plan and activity plan for the coming period.
New Statute aligned with the Olympic Charter: NOC Montenegro prepared a new Statute in order to align its highest governing act with the latest version of the Olympic Charter, the most recent decisions of the International Olympic Committee, the Basic Universal Principles of Good Governance of the Olympic and Sports Movement, and the Sports Act of Montenegro. The draft Statute was approved by the NOC Montenegro Executive Board and coordinated with the competent services of the International Olympic Committee. The Statute introduces improvements in the field of good governance, including a minimum representation of 30% of each gender in all governing bodies and commissions, accompanied by transitional implementation provisions; clearer regulation of terms of office and eligibility requirements; enhanced standards for leadership positions; strengthened provisions on safeguarding athletes, particularly minors; and stronger protection of competition integrity and respect for human rights.
NOC Montenegro Strategy 2026–2030 – the athlete at the centre of the system: The NOC Montenegro Strategy 2026–2030 is the organisation’s overarching strategic development document, defining the direction of NOC Montenegro’s activities over the next four years. It has been developed on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of the previous strategy and an assessment of the current state of Montenegrin sport, applying an analytical framework and strategic pillars that place the athlete at the centre of the system. The Strategy is founded on the principles of safe sport, good governance, integrity and gender equality, while identifying athlete health, gender equality and women in sport, Olympic values and education, and partnerships and cross-sector cooperation as its thematic priorities. It is aligned with the IOC Olympic Agenda, relevant European Union standards within the accession process and Montenegro’s national strategic framework, and provides the foundation for NOC Montenegro’s supporting policies and action plans.
Code of Ethics: The Assembly also adopted the Code of Ethics, establishing the ethical principles governing the conduct of all individuals engaged within NOC Montenegro and at competitions under its jurisdiction. The Code is based on the values of trust, legality, protection of integrity and human dignity, prevention of conflicts of interest, confidentiality, safeguarding children and vulnerable groups, and respect for anti-doping rules and measures against competition manipulation.
Activity Plan for 2026 – a bridge between Paris and Los Angeles: The year ahead represents a bridge between the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028, while also marking a period of intensified reforms in athlete safeguarding, youth development, strengthening integrity and improving sports administration. The Activity Plan brings together competition commitments, international events, development programmes and institutional processes within a single framework.
Additional policies and documents adopted: The Assembly also adopted the Athletes’ Declaration, the Gender Equality Policy and the Sustainability and Environmental Protection Policy, including the Guidelines for Green Events. Delegates were informed about the Medical Code and the NOC Montenegro Disciplinary Regulations. The Gender Equality Policy has been developed in accordance with the Olympic Charter, the IOC Framework on Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, the IWG Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration, of which NOC Montenegro is a signatory, the UN Women initiative and the EOC GEDI Framework. It establishes the vision, principles, strategic objectives and institutional responsibilities, including a minimum representation of 30% of each gender in accordance with the NOC Montenegro Statute, with a medium-term objective of achieving at least 40% representation in governing and expert bodies. It also specifically regulates the contractual and legal protection of female athletes in relation to pregnancy and maternity, women’s health and the gender dimension of safe sport. Concrete measures will be defined in a separate Action Plan, while implementation will be monitored by the Gender Equality Commission. NOC Montenegro is a signatory to the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework, thereby committing itself to aligning its work with climate action objectives and regularly reporting on its progress. The NOC Montenegro Strategy 2026–2030 has already identified sustainability as one of its horizontal principles and envisaged the adoption of a dedicated Sustainability Policy in 2026. The Sustainability and Environmental Protection Policy defines the vision, principles, strategic objectives, areas of action, institutional responsibilities, and the framework for monitoring and reporting.
Competition reports and a new member federation: Delegates were also informed about NOC Montenegro’s activities between the two General Assembly sessions and received reports on the participation of the Montenegrin delegation at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, as well as preparations for the Mediterranean Games. The Assembly also considered and approved the application of the Montenegro Fencing Federation for membership of NOC Montenegro.
Distinguished Sports Official Award presented to Dragan Đurčić: During the Assembly, the Distinguished Sports Official Award was presented to long-serving sports official Dragan Đurčić of Kotor in recognition of his decades-long contribution to VK Primorac, the Montenegro Swimming and Water Polo Federation, the former Yugoslav and Montenegrin water polo federations, SOFK and numerous other organisations within the sports movement. Accepting the award, Đurčić said that it was “a great honour and pleasure to receive the award as Distinguished Sports Official for 2025”, thanking those who nominated and voted for him, as well as his mentor, the late coach Trifun Mira Ćirković.
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